FACET FIXATION AND FUSION WEDGE AND METHOD OF USE

• US 20080255666A1
• Filed: 04/13/2007
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Depuy Spine Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Depuy Spine Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Mickiewicz, Christopher, Techiera, Richard C., O'Neil, Michael, Fisher, Michael Alan
• Granted Patent: US 8,197,513 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/17.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7064 Devices acting on, attached to, or simulating the effect of, vertebral facets; Tools therefor

Abstract

A spinal implant including an at least one screw disposed within a wedge body is herein provided. The implant can be configured for placement with a facet joint in an intra-facet delivery. Furthermore, the implant can include a fusion-promoting bioactive material thereby providing a single device capable of spinal stabilization and/or fusion. Furthermore, a method of placing such an implant within a facet joint in an intra-facet orientation is hereby provided.

Claims

1. A method for facet joint stabilization, comprising:

providing a spinal implant having a wedge body with opposed bone-contacting surfaces, a distal, leading end and a proximal, trailing end, an opening formed in each of the bone contacting surfaces, such that each opening communicates with a cavity formed in at least a portion of an interior of the wedge body, and at least one screw disposed within the cavity of the wedge body such that threads formed on at least a portion of the screw protrude from the openings formed in the bone contacting surfaces;

surgically delivering the spinal implant to a facet joint in an intra-facet configuration;

engaging the thread to opposing faces of the facet joint; and

rotating the thread to advance the wedge body into the facet joint.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the screw has a major diameter greater than a maximum height of the wedge body from the distal, leading end to the proximal, trailing end.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the screw has a minor diameter less than or substantially equal to a maximum height of the wedge body from the distal, leading end to the proximal, trailing end.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the screw includes a head at a proximal end of the screw, the head being positioned adjacent to the trailing end of the wedge body.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a height of the wedge body increases from the leading end to the proximal end.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of at least one of the bone-contacting surfaces is textured.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the bone-contacting surface is a porous surface.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein two screws are disposed within the wedge body, the screws mounted on opposite sides of a longitudinal axis of the wedge body.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the wedge body comprises a fusion-promoting bioactive material.

10. The spinal implant of claim 9, wherein the fusion-promoting bioactive material is selected from the group consisting of allograft, tricalcium phosphate, hydroxyl apatite, biocoral, bioglass, and polymer composites.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the surgically delivering step is conducted in a minimally invasive surgical procedure.

12. A method for facet joint stabilization, comprising:

surgically delivering a wedge body to a facet joint in an intra-facet configuration, the wedge body having a screw being disposed therein such that a threaded portion of the screw protrudes from each of opposed bone-contacting surfaces of the wedge body;

engaging the thread to opposing faces of the facet joint; and

rotating the thread to advance the wedge body into the facet joint.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising adding a fusion-promoting bioactive material to the wedge body.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the fusion-promoting bioactive material is selected from the group consisting of allograft, tricalcium phosphate, hydroxyl apatite, biocoral, bioglass, and polymer composites.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the fusion-promoting bioactive material is allograft.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the surgically delivering step is conducted in a minimally invasive surgical procedure.

17. A spinal implant, comprising:

a wedge body formed around at least one drive screw such that a threaded portion of the drive screw protrudes from opposed bone-contacting surfaces of the wedge body, wherein the wedge body is configured for placement within a facet joint in an intrafacet configuration.

18. The spinal implant of claim 17, wherein the wedge body has a height that increases from a leading end to a trailing end.

19. The spinal implant of claim 18, wherein a portion of the screw protrudes from the trailing end.

20. The spinal implant of claim 17, wherein the wedge body includes two drive screws, each disposed on opposite sides of a longitudinal axis of the wedge body.