Instruments, implants and methods for positioning implants into a spinal disc space
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An instrument for inserting a spinal implant, comprising:
- a proximal handle assembly;
a shaft assembly extending distally from said handle assembly along a longitudinal axis; and
a grasper assembly at a distal end of said shaft assembly, said grasper assembly including first and second arms remotely operable for movement relative to one another between an engaging position to engage the implant therebetween and a release position to disengage the implant from therebetween, said first and second arms further being remotely pivotal relative to a distal end of said shaft assembly when in the engaging position from an initial position for insertion of the implant into the spinal disc space to a final position for implantation of the implant in the spinal disc space.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Instruments, implants and methods are provided for positioning spinal implants in a spinal disc space between adjacent vertebrae. The instruments provide a low profile engagement with the implants and facilitate insertion while minimizing tissue retraction and exposure of the tissue and neural elements to the instrumentation in the approach to the disc space.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. An instrument for inserting a spinal implant, comprising:
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a proximal handle assembly;
a shaft assembly extending distally from said handle assembly along a longitudinal axis; and
a grasper assembly at a distal end of said shaft assembly, said grasper assembly including first and second arms remotely operable for movement relative to one another between an engaging position to engage the implant therebetween and a release position to disengage the implant from therebetween, said first and second arms further being remotely pivotal relative to a distal end of said shaft assembly when in the engaging position from an initial position for insertion of the implant into the spinal disc space to a final position for implantation of the implant in the spinal disc space. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A spinal instrumentation system for interbody procedures, comprising:
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a spinal implant positionable in a spinal disc space comprising a body formed by a convexly curved anterior wall portion, a concavely curved posterior wall portion, a convexly curved leading end wall portion, and a convexly curved trailing end wall portion, said leading and trailing end wall portions extending between and connecting said anterior and posterior wall portions;
an inserter instrument engageable about said trailing end wall portion, said inserter instrument comprising;
a proximal handle assembly;
a shaft assembly extending distally from said handle assembly along a longitudinal axis; and
a grasper assembly at a distal end of said shaft assembly, said grasper assembly including a first arm and a second arm pivotal relative to said first arm for movement between an engaging position to engage said implant between said first and second arms and a release position to disengage the implant from between said first and second arms, said first and second arms further being simultaneously pivotal when in the engaging position about a distal end of said shaft assembly between an initial position wherein said implant is generally aligned along the longitudinal axis and a final position wherein said implant is substantially obliquely oriented to said longitudinal axis. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for manipulating a spinal implant with an inserter instrument, comprising:
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positioning a trailing end of the spinal implant adjacent first and second arms at a distal end of the inserter instrument;
engaging the spinal implant to at least one of the first and second arms with the spinal implant generally aligned along a longitudinal axis of the inserter instrument;
pivoting the spinal implant to a final position substantially obliquely oriented to the longitudinal axis; and
releasing the implant from between the first and second arms when the spinal implant is in the final position. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. An instrument for inserting a spinal implant, comprising:
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a proximal handle assembly;
a shaft assembly extending distally from said handle assembly along a longitudinal axis; and
a grasper assembly at a distal end of said shaft assembly, said grasper assembly including a first arm and a second arm remotely moveable between an engaging position to engage an implant between said first and second arms and a release position to disengage the implant from between said first and second arms, said first arm being structured for rotatable receipt in a recessed area of the implant in said release position and said second arm being linearly movable relative to said first arm for positioning in a receptacle of the implant in said engaging position to prevent said first arm from rotating in the receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A spinal instrumentation system for interbody procedures, comprising:
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a spinal implant positionable in a spinal disc space comprising a body formed by a wall including a leading end wall portion and a trailing end wall portion, said body further including a recessed area and a receptacle adjacent to said trailing end wall portion;
an inserter instrument engageable at said trailing end wall portion, said inserter instrument comprising;
a proximal handle assembly;
a shaft assembly extending distally from said handle assembly along a longitudinal axis; and
a grasper assembly at a distal end of said shaft assembly, said grasper assembly including a first arm positionable in said recessed area of said spinal implant and a second arm along said axis linearly movable into said receptacle of said spinal implant when said receptacle is aligned on said longitudinal axis to lock said implant in position in said grasper assembly. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification