Total joint Replacement

• US 20090182429A1
• Filed: 01/16/2008
• Published: 07/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3spine Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Warsaw Orthopedic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Braddock, Danny JR., Humphreys, Steven C., Lange, Eric C., Trieu, Hai H., Hodges, Scott D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,118,873 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/17.160
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/86 Pins or screws or threaded wires; nuts therefor A61B17/72 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4405 for apophyseal or facet joints, i.e. between adjacent spinous or transverse processes devices implanted between spinous or transverse processes A61B17/7062
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/441 made of inflatable pockets or chambers filled with fluid, e.g. with hydrogel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/442 Intervertebral or spinal discs, e.g. resilient non-disc-shaped intervertebral inflatable pockets A61F2/441; non-disc-shaped intervertebral fusion implants A61F2/4455
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4425 made of articulated components
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30014 differing in elasticity, stiffness or compressibility
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30462 retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30556 for adjusting thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30563 having elastic means or damping means, different from springs, e.g. including an elastomeric core or shock absorbers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30576 with extending fixation tabs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30578 having apertures, e.g. for receiving fixation screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30581 having a pocket filled with fluid, e.g. liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30583 filled with hardenable fluid, e.g. curable in-situ
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30649 Ball-and-socket joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30769 madreporic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30845 with cutting edges
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30884 Fins or wings, e.g. longitudinal wings for preventing rotation within the bone cavity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/443 having two transversal endplates and at least one intermediate component
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4495 having a fabric structure, e.g. made from wires or fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0085 hardenable in situ, e.g. epoxy resins
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0075 : sutured, ligatured or stitched, retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0009 : for adjusting thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0018 : differing in elasticity, stiffness or compressibility
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00011 : Metals or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00161 : Carbon; Graphite
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00179 : Ceramics or ceramic-like structures
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00952 : Coating, pre-coating or prosthesis-covering structure made of bone cement, e.g. pre-applied PMMA cement mantle

Abstract

An artificial vertebral joint for interposition between a superior vertebra and an inferior vertebra comprises a pair of bilateral joint subcomponents. Each joint subcomponent includes a superior component including a superior vertebra engaging surface and an inferior component including an inferior vertebra engaging surface. Each joint subcomponent further includes a spacer extending between the superior component and the inferior component. The spacer includes a first modulus of elasticity and a second modulus of elasticity. The first modulus transitions to the second modulus with a gradient change.

Claims

1. An artificial vertebral joint for interposition between a superior vertebra and an inferior vertebra, said artificial vertebral joint comprising:

a pair of bilateral joint subcomponents, each joint subcomponent including,

a superior component including a superior vertebra engaging surface;

an inferior component including an inferior vertebra engaging surface; and

a spacer extending between the superior component and the inferior component, the spacer including a first modulus of elasticity and a second modulus of elasticity, the first modulus transitioning to the second modulus with a gradient change.

2. The artificial vertebral joint of claim 1 wherein the first modulus is an interior modulus of the spacer and the second modulus is a surface modulus of the spacer.

3. The artificial vertebral joint of claim 1 wherein the first modulus is greater than the second modulus.

4. The artificial vertebral joint of claim 3 wherein the first modulus is a superior surface modulus.

5. The artificial vertebral joint of claim 1 wherein the spacer, the superior component, and the inferior component are an integrally formed unit.

6. The artificial vertebral joint of claim 1 wherein the spacer is slidably engaged with the superior and inferior components.

7. The artificial vertebral joint of claim 1 wherein the spacer is fixedly attached between the superior and inferior components.

8. The artificial vertebral joint of claim 1 wherein the superior component includes a keel extending from the superior vertebra engaging surface.

9. The artificial vertebral joint of claim 1 wherein the inferior component includes a bridge sized to extend posteriorly from between vertebral bodies of the superior and inferior vertebrae.

10. The artificial vertebral joint of claim 1 wherein either the superior or the inferior component includes a shoulder extending at least partially around the periphery of the spacer.

11. An artificial vertebral joint for interposition between a superior vertebra and an inferior vertebra, said artificial vertebral joint comprising:

a pair of bilateral joint subcomponents, each joint subcomponent including,

a superior component including a superior vertebra engaging surface and a superior spacer engaging surface;

an inferior component including an inferior vertebra engaging surface and an inferior spacer engaging surface; and

a spacer extending between the superior component and the inferior component, the spacer including a mesh container and a core contained within the mesh container.

12. The artificial vertebral joint of claim 11 wherein the core includes a balloon.

13. The artificial vertebral joint of claim 11 wherein the spacer is expandable with the injection of a fluid material into the core.

14. The artificial vertebral joint of claim 11 wherein the core includes an elastomeric material.

15. The artificial vertebral joint of claim 11 wherein the superior component includes,

a superior posterior element sized to extend posteriorly from between vertebral bodies of the superior and inferior vertebrae;

an inferior posterior element sized to extend posteriorly from between vertebral bodies of the superior and inferior vertebrae,

wherein the superior posterior element is configured to engage and articulate with the inferior posterior element.

16. The artificial vertebral joint of claim 15 further comprising a restraint extending between the superior and inferior posterior elements.

17. The artificial vertebral joint of claim 15 wherein the restraint is a tether.

18. The artificial vertebral joint of claim 15 wherein the restraint is a mesh bag.

19. The artificial vertebral joint of claim 15 wherein the restraint is a mesh container containing an elastomeric material.

20. A method for implanting an artificial vertebral joint between superior and inferior vertebrae, the method comprising:

creating an access path to an intervertebral disc space between the superior and inferior vertebrae with a posterior transforaminal approach;

inserting a superior component of the artificial vertebral joint into the intervertebral disc space, the superior component including a superior posterior element;

inserting an inferior component of the artificial vertebral joint into the intervertebral disc space, the inferior component including an inferior posterior element;

inserting a spacer of the artificial vertebral joint into the intervertebral disc space, the spacer comprising an elastomeric material;

arranging the superior and inferior posterior elements to extend posteriorly from the intervertebral disc space; and

placing the superior posterior element into articulating engagement with the inferior posterior element.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising coupling the superior and inferior posterior elements with a restraint device.

22. The method of claim 20 further comprising expanding the spacer.

23. The method of claim 20 further comprising injecting a material into the spacer.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the material is curable to a non-fluid state.

25. The method of claim 20 further comprising inserting the spacer between the superior and inferior components.