Expandable spinal fusion device and methods of promoting spinal fusion
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Accused Products
Abstract
An intervertebral disc space implant includes spaced-apart bone engagement portions that define an intermediate chamber that holds bone growth inducing material into contact with adjacent vertebral bodies. The implant is expandable to establish and maintain desired intervertebral spacing during fusion. The implant includes a first member and a second member arranged to move relative to each other by action of an expansion member, the first member being engageable with the vertebral body below the disc space.
392 Citations
49 Claims
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1-7. -7. (canceled)
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8. An expandable spinal implant positionable in an intervertebral disc space between adjacent vertebral bodies in a spine and comprising:
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a first member for contacting an endplate of one of the adjacent vertebral bodies, the first member defining a first bore, the first bore having a first threaded bore portion;
a second member for contacting an endplate of the other of the adjacent vertebral bodies;
a screw having a first threaded screw portion and a gear tooth screw portion, the first threaded screw portion being at least partially threaded into the first bore, the screw contacting the second member in a manner permitting the screw to rotate; and
an axle having a threaded axle portion, the threaded axle portion contacting the gear tooth screw portion such that rotation of the axle moves the first and second members from a first relative spacing to a second relative spacing, to simultaneously expand the implant in the intervertebral space and against the endplates. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An expandable spinal implant positionable in an intervertebral disc space between adjacent vertebral bodies comprising:
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a first member for contacting an endplate of one of the adjacent vertebral bodies;
a second member for contacting an endplate of the other of the adjacent vertebral bodies;
a rack having a plurality of gear teeth, the rack contacting one of the first member and the second member;
an axle having a pinion gear, the axle contacting the other of the first member and the second member in a manner permitting the axle to rotate, the pinion gear contacting at least one of the plurality of gear teeth of the rack, such that rotation of the axle moves the first and second members from a first spacing of the first member relative to the second member, to a second spacing of the first member relative to the second member to expand the members against the endplates of the adjacent vertebral bodies. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A an expandable spinal implant positionable in an intervertebral disc space between the endplates of adjacent vertebral bodies comprising:
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a first component having a first longitudinal axis and having members spaced apart along said axis, said members having portions for engagement with the endplate of one of said vertebral bodies, and said members having surfaces for defining walls of a first chamber communicating with said endplate;
a second component having a longitudinal axis and members spaced apart along said second axis, said members of said second component having portions for engagement with the endplate of the other of said vertebral bodies, and said members of said second component having surfaces for defining walls of a second chamber for communicating with the endplate of said other vertebral body; and
a biasing member engaging said first component and said second component for expanding the implant from a first configuration to a second configuration, a first portion of the biasing member being in contact with the first component and a second portion of the biasing member in contact with the second component, the biasing member being compressed when the implant is in the first configuration. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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26. An expandable spinal implant for insertion within the disc space between adjacent vertebral bodies, comprising:
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a first end member having a first engagement portion spaced apart from a second engagement portion each for engaging the endplate of one of the adjacent vertebral bodies;
a second end member having a third engagement portion spaced apart from a fourth engagement portion each for engaging the endplate of the other one of the adjacent vertebral bodies;
an expansion member contractible with the first end member and the second end member, the expansion member having a first state corresponding to a first spacing between the first end member and second end member along a first axis substantially corresponding to a height of the disc space, and a second state corresponding to a second spacing between the first end member and the second end member along the first axis, wherein the second spacing is greater than the first spacing; and
wherein the first end member and the second end member define an intermediate chamber between the respective engagement portions for communication with the endplates of each of the adjacent vertebral bodies. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
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30. A spinal implant for insertion within the disc space between adjacent vertebral bodies and comprising:
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a first end member having a first portion for engaging an endplate of one of said adjacent vertebral bodies and having a second portion for engaging an endplate of the other of said adjacent vertebral bodies, the first portion and second portion being spaced apart;
a second end member having a third portion for engaging the endplate of one of said adjacent vertebral bodies and having a fourth portion for engaging the endplate of the other of said adjacent vertebral bodies, the third portion being spaced apart from the fourth portion; and
means engaging said first and second end members for changing spacing between said first and second portions and for changing the spacing between said third and fourth portions. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38, 40, 41, 44, 46)
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- 31. (canceled)
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37. (canceled)
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39. (canceled)
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42-43. -43. (canceled)
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45. A method of promoting osteogenic fusion of adjacent spinal vertebral bodies comprising:
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providing an implant that defines a chamber intermediate spaced portions of the implant and both of the adjacent vertebral bodies;
providing the implant substantially intermediate the adjacent vertebral bodies; and
expanding the implant in a manner that substantially maintains communication of the adjacent vertebral bodies through the intermediate chamber.
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Specification