INTERBODY IMPLANT

• US 20080249622A1
• Filed: 04/05/2007
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zimmer Biomet Spine, Inc. (Zimvie Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Zimmer Spine, Inc. (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gray, Wayne P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,163,026 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/86A
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/28 Bones joints A61F2/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30965 Reinforcing the prosthesis by embedding particles or fibres during moulding or dipping
• 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 2/4611 of spinal prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30057 made from both cortical and cancellous adjacent parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30062 (bio)absorbable, biodegradable, bioerodable, (bio)resorbable, resorptive
• 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 2002/30387 Dovetail connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/305 Snap connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30593 hollow
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30604 modular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30892 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 2002/4627 with linear motion along or rotating motion about the instrument axis or the implantation direction, e.g. telescopic, along a guiding rod, screwing inside the instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0004 bioabsorbable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0025 Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00359 Bone or bony tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00407 Coating made of titanium or of Ti-based alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00796 Coating or prosthesis-covering structure made of a phosphorus-containing compound, e.g. hydroxy(l)apatite

Abstract

An interbody implant (20) includes first and second members (22, 24) that are configured to allow the members (22, 24) to be inserted into a disc space separately and then connected together in the disc space to form the interbody implant (20). This allows for a larger interbody implant (20) because the combined size of the members (22, 24) can exceed the size of an access opening into the disc space, with each of the members (22, 24) being sized to pass separately through the access opening before being connected together in the disc space.

Claims

1. A spinal interbody implant for use with an insertion tool having a longitudinal axis, the implant comprising;

a first member including an attachment portion configured to releasably fix the first member to the insertion tool, the first member further including a connection portion; and

a second member including a guide portion configured for sliding engagement with the insertion tool for movement along the longitudinal axis relative to the insertion tool, the second member including a connection portion configured to engage the connection portion of the first member as the second member slides along the insertion tool relative to the first member.

2. The implant of claim 1 wherein the attachment portion comprises a threaded opening in the first member.

3. The implant of claim 1 wherein the connection portions comprise first and second cylindrical surfaces.

4. The implant of claim 1 wherein the first and second members include a pair of stop surfaces, the stop surfaces abutting each other with the connection portions engaged to prevent relative movement in one direction along the longitudinal axis between the first and second members.

5. The implant of claim 1 wherein the attachment portion is a threaded opening formed in the connection portion of the first member.

6. The implant of claim 1 wherein the connection portions comprise a pair of mating cylindrical surfaces.

7. The implant of claim 6 wherein the connection portion of the first member comprises a cylindrically shaped rib and the connection portion of the second member comprises a cylindrically shaped groove shaped to receive the rib.

8. The implant of claim 7 wherein the guide portion comprises the cylindrically shaped groove.

9. The implant of claim 7 wherein the attachment portion comprises a threaded opening formed in the cylindrically shaped rib.

10. The implant of claim 1 wherein the first and second members each have a pair of oppositely facing vertebra contact surfaces, and each of the vertebra contact surfaces has a convex shape.

11. The implant of claim 10 wherein each of the vertebra contact surfaces comprises one or more protrusions configured to contact a vertebra.

12. The implant of claim 1 wherein one of the first and second members comprises a latch and the other of the first and second members comprises a catch that is engageable with the latch to retain the first and second members in an assembled state.

13. A spinal interbody implant comprising;

first and second members each having a connection portion located between a pair of oppositely facing vertebra contact surfaces, the connection portions of the first and second members configured to engage and disengage from each other in response to relative motion between the first and second members along a longitudinal axis.

14. The implant of claim 13 wherein the first and second members include a pair of stop surfaces, the stop surfaces abutting each other with the connection portions engaged to prevent relative movement in one direction along the longitudinal axis between the first and second members.

15. The implant of claim 13 wherein the connection portions comprise a pair of mating cylindrical surfaces.

16. The implant of claim 15 wherein the connection portion of the first member comprises a cylindrically shaped rib and the connection portion of the second member comprises a cylindrically shaped groove shaped to receive the rib.

17. The implant of claim 16 wherein the cylindrically shaped groove defines a guide portion for sliding engagement with an insertion tool.

18. The implant of claim 16 further comprising a threaded opening in the cylindrical rib to receive a threaded end of an insertion tool.

19. The implant of claim 13 wherein one of the first and second members comprises a latch and the other of the first and second members comprises a catch that is engageable with the latch to retain the first and second members in an assembled state.

20. The implant of claim 13 wherein the connection portions of the first and second members are oppositely facing.

21. A method for inserting an interbody implant through an access opening into a disc space;

the method comprising the steps of;

inserting a first member into the disc space through the access opening;

inserting a second member into the disc space through the access opening; and

connecting the first and second members to each other in the disc space to form an interbody insert.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the connecting step further comprises connecting the first and second members to form an interbody implant that is too large to fit through the access opening.

23. The method of claim 21 further comprising the step of translating the first member to one side of the disc space after the step of inserting the first member and before the step of inserting the second member.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the step of inserting the second member comprises sliding the second member along an insertion tool.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the connecting step comprises sliding the second member along the insertion tool while holding the first member in place with the insertion tool.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of disengaging the insertion tool from the first member after the connecting step.