Support system for intervertebral fusion

• US 20060041258A1
• Filed: 08/19/2005
• Published: 02/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Foster-Miller Incorporated (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Foster-Miller Incorporated (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Galea, Anna M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,905,920 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 16/221
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30 Joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4455 for the fusion of spinal bodies, e.g. intervertebral fusion of adjacent spinal bodies, e.g. fusion cages intervertebral discs A61F2/442
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4465 having a circular or kidney shaped cross-section substantially perpendicular to the axis of the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4611 of spinal prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/2817 Bone stimulation by chemical reactions or by osteogenic or biological products for enhancing ossification, e.g. by bone morphogenetic or morphogenic proteins [BMP] or by transforming growth factors [TGF]
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/2835 Bone graft implants for filling a bony defect or an endoprosthesis cavity, e.g. by synthetic material or biological material
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/302 toroidal, e.g. rings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30471 connected by a hinged linkage mechanism, e.g. of the single-bar or multi-bar linkage type
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30616 Sets comprising a plurality of prosthetic parts of different sizes or orientations
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30919 Sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4415 elements of the prosthesis being arranged in a chain like manner
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0091 connected by a hinged linkage mechanism, e.g. of the single-bar or multi-bar linkage type
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0065 toroidal, e.g. ring-shaped, doughnut-shaped

Abstract

A support system includes a plurality of support members and a plurality of cross members. The support system is adapted to fit within an access device for insertion into a space between adjacent vertebrae. A plurality of hinges connects each cross member to at least one support member. The support system is movable between a first state and a second state. In the first state, the support system is substantially linear. In the second state, the support system is configurable into one of several geometric shapes. A number of strings may be attached to the support members for transitioning the support system from the first state to the second state.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of support members;

a plurality of cross members, each cross member in the plurality of cross members connecting adjacent support members; and

a plurality of hinges, each hinge in the plurality of hinges coupling its respective support member to its respective cross member, wherein the plurality of support members are substantially parallel to an axis extending through adjacent vertebrae, thereby defining a second state of the apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of cross members are pivoted in relation to the plurality of support members such that the plurality of cross members and the plurality of support members are substantially coplanar and define a first state of the apparatus.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus is disposed in an access device.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein at least one string is attached to at least one support member and proximal movement of the string transitions the apparatus from the first state to the second state.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each hinge includes a biasing member that urges the cross members towards a substantially orthogonal relationship with the support members in the second state of the apparatus.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first state of the apparatus defines a shape selected from the group consisting of:

hexagonal, circular, pentagonal, linear, or V-shaped.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the access device has a diameter of between about 5 mm and about 10 mm.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first state of the apparatus is capable of maintaining a gap between adjacent vertebrae and defining a working space therebetween.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support members are spaced apart defining a plurality of gaps therebetween.

10. A method of maintaining an invertebral space between adjacent vertebrae, comprising the steps of:

providing a surgical apparatus having a plurality of support members with a plurality of hinges that couple the plurality of support members to a plurality of cross members, wherein the plurality of support members are substantially parallel to an axis extending through adjacent vertebrae, thereby defining a second state of the apparatus;

inserting an access device through an incision of a patient, wherein the access device includes the surgical apparatus such that the support members and the cross members are substantially coplanar and define a first state of the surgical apparatus;

positioning the access device within the invertebral space;

deploying the surgical apparatus; and

transitioning the surgical apparatus from the first state to the second state.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the hinges include a biasing member that urges the cross members towards a substantially orthogonal relationship between the plurality of support members and the axis.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of transitioning the surgical apparatus includes the step of:

moving at least one string connected to at least one support member.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the second state of the surgical apparatus defines a shape selected from the group consisting of:

hexagonal, circular, pentagonal, linear, or V-shaped.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the first state of the apparatus is capable of maintaining a gap between adjacent vertebrae and defining a working space therebetween.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of:

adding a quantity of a bone growth material to the working space.