Spinal fusion cage and method of use

• US 20060212118A1
• Filed: 03/16/2005
• Published: 09/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dennis Lee Abernathie
• Original Assignee: Dennis Lee Abernathie
• Inventors: Abernathie, Dennis Lee
• Granted Patent: US 7,780,732 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/17.110
• 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 2002/30383 made by laterally inserting a protrusion, e.g. a rib into a complementarily-shaped groove
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30538 for adjusting angular orientation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30556 for adjusting thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30593 hollow
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30604 modular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30777 Oblong apertures
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30785 parallel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/448 comprising multiple adjacent spinal implants within the same intervertebral space or within the same vertebra, e.g. comprising two adjacent spinal implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0025 Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0006 for adjusting angular orientation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0009 for adjusting thickness

Abstract

The present invention provides a fusion cage comprising a first housing, a second housing, and an alignment portion adapted to be received between the first and second housings such that the first and second housings are held in place by said alignment portion. The alignment portion can be varied in shape such that the fusion cage is wedge-like in shaped, or slanted to one side. Further, the alignment portion is constructed of a radiolucent material to allow for visualization of a bone fusion within the fusion cage.

Claims

1. A fusion cage comprising:

a first housing portion;

a second housing portion; and

an alignment portion adapted to be received between said first and second housing portions such that said first and second housing portions are held in place by said alignment portion.

2. The fusion cage of claim 1 wherein said first and second housing portions are arched such that a cylindrical space is defined between said first and second housing portions.

3. The fusion cage of claim 1 wherein said first and second housing portions each include a plurality of openings formed therein.

4. The fusion cage of claim 1 wherein said alignment portion further includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall, each of said first and second sidewalls having first and second edges associated therewith, and further wherein said first and second housing portions each have first and second edges associated therewith, wherein said first edge of said first sidewall of said alignment portion contacts said first edge of said second housing portion, said second edge of said first sidewall of said alignment portion contacts said first edge of said first housing portion, said first edge of said second sidewall of said alignment portion contacts said second edge of said second housing portion, and said second edge of said second sidewall of said alignment portion contacts said second edge of said first housing portion.

5. The fusion cage of claim 4 wherein said first sidewall of said alignment portion and said second sidewall of said alignment portion are connect by a bridge formed therebetween.

6. The fusion cage of claim 1 wherein said first and second housing portions are constructed from titanium, bone, carbon fiber, polyetheretherketone, and combinations thereof.

7. The fusion cage of claim 1 wherein said alignment portion is constructed from a radiolucent compound.

8. The fusion cage of claim 7 wherein said radiolucent compound is selected from the group consisting of bone, polyetheretherketone, carbon fiber, nylon, polycarbonate, glass, polyketones, polyaryletherketone, and combinations thereof.

29. The fusion cage of either of claims 1, 9, 15 or 21, wherein bone morphogenic protein is provided within an interior space of said fusion cage.

30. The fusion cage of either of claim 1, 9, 15, or 21 further comprising at least one cap portion adapted to be removably attached to an opening of said fusion cage.

31. The fusion cage of either of claims 1, 9, 15 or 21 wherein bone morphogenic protein is linked to an interior surface of said cage.

9. A fusion cage comprising:

a first housing portion;

a second housing portion; and

an alignment portion adapted to be received between said first and second housing portions such that said first and second housing portions are held in place by said alignment portion,

wherein said first housing portion has a channel portion formed in a first edge thereof and a flange portion extending from a second edge thereof,

and further wherein said second housing portion has a flange portion extending from a first edge thereof and a channel portion formed in a second edge thereof,

and further wherein said alignment portion comprises a channel portion adapted to receive said flange portion extending from said second edge of said first housing portion, a channel portion adapted to receive said flange extending from said first edge of said second housing portion, a flange portion adapted to be received by said channel portion formed in a first edge of said first housing portion, and a flange portion adapted to be received by said channel portion formed in a second edge of said second housing portion.

10. The fusion cage of claim 9 wherein said first and second housing portions are arched such that a cylindrical space is defined between said first and second housing portions.

11. The fusion cage of claim 9 wherein said first and second housing portions each include a plurality of openings formed therein.

12. The fusion cage of claim 9 wherein said first and second housing portions are constructed from titanium, bone, carbon fiber, polyetheretherketone, and combinations thereof.

13. The fusion cage of claim 9 wherein said alignment portion is constructed from a radiolucent compound.

14. The fusion cage of claim 13 wherein said radiolucent compound is selected from the group consisting of bone, polyetheretherketone, carbon fiber, nylon, polycarbonate, glass, polyketones, polyaryletherketone, and combinations thereof.

15. A fusion cage comprising:

a first housing portion;

a second housing portion; and

an first alignment portion adapted to be received between a first edge of said first housing portion and a first edge of said second housing portion; and

a second alignment portion adapted to be received between a second edge of said first housing portion and a second edge of said second housing portion,

wherein said first housing portion has a channel portion formed in a first edge thereof and a flange portion extending from a second edge thereof,

and further wherein said second housing portion has a flange portion extending from a first edge thereof and a channel portion formed in a second edge thereof,

and further wherein said first alignment portion comprises a channel portion adapted to receive said flange portion extending from said second edge of said first housing portion and a flange portion adapted to be received by said channel portion formed in a second edge of said second housing portion,

and further wherein said second alignment portion comprises a channel portion adapted to receive said flange extending from said first edge of said second housing portion and a flange portion adapted to be received by said channel portion formed in a first edge of said first housing portion.

16. The fusion cage of claim 15 wherein said first and second housing portions are arched such that a cylindrical space is defined between said first and second housing portions.

17. The fusion cage of claim 15 wherein said first and second housing portions each include a plurality of openings formed therein.

18. The fusion cage of claim 15 wherein said first and second housing portions are constructed from titanium, bone, carbon fiber, polyetheretherketone, and combinations thereof.

19. The fusion cage of claim 15 wherein said alignment portion is constructed from a radiolucent compound.

20. The fusion cage of claim 19 wherein said radiolucent compound is selected from the group consisting of bone, polyetheretherketone, carbon fiber, nylon, polycarbonate, glass, polyketones, polyaryletherketone, and combinations thereof.

21. A fusion cage comprising:

a first housing portion;

a second housing portion; and

and alignment portion adapted to be received between said first housing portion and said second housing portion such that said first and second housing portions are held in place by said alignment portion, wherein said first and second housing portions are wedge-like in shape such that said fusion cage preserves or restores a proper lordotic or kyphotic curvature of a spine.

22. The fusion cage of claim 21 wherein said first and second housing portions are arched such that a conical space is defined therebetween.

23. The fusion cage of claim 21 wherein said first and second housing portions each include a plurality of openings formed therein.

24. The fusion cage of claim 21 wherein said alignment portion further includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall, each of said first and second sidewalls having first and second edges associated therewith, and further wherein said first and second housing portions each have first and second edges associated therewith, wherein said first edge of said first sidewall of said alignment portion contacts said first edge of said second housing portion, said second edge of said first sidewall of said alignment portion contacts said first edge of said first housing portion, said first edge of said second sidewall of said alignment portion contacts said second edge of said second housing portion, and said second edge of said second sidewall of said alignment portion contacts said second edge of said first housing portion.

25. The fusion cage of claim 24 wherein said first sidewall of said alignment portion and said second sidewall of said alignment portion are connected by a bridge formed therebetween.

26. The fusion cage of claim 21 wherein said first and second housing portions are constructed from a material selected from the group consisting of titanium, bone, carbon fiber, polyetheretherketone, and combinations thereof.

27. The fusion cage of claim 21 wherein said alignment portion is constructed from a radiolucent compound.

28. The fusion cage of claim 27 wherein said radiolucent compound is selected from the group consisting of bone, polyetheretherketone, carbon fiber, nylon, polycarbonate, glass, polyketones, polyaryletherketone, and combinations thereof.