Customized Intervertebral Prosthetic Disc With Shock Absorption

• US 20110004313A1
• Filed: 09/15/2010
• Published: 01/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Simplify Medical Pty. Ltd. (Nuvasive Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: SpinalMotion, Inc. (Globus Medical, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hovda, David, Shapiro, James, de Villiers, Malan
• Granted Patent: US 8,506,631 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/17.16
• 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 2/447 substantially parallelepipedal, e.g. having a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4611 of spinal prostheses
• 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 2002/30405 made by screwing complementary threads machined on the parts themselves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30495 using a locking ring
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/305 Snap connection
• 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 2002/30568 Multiple spring systems including two or more helical springs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30579 with mechanically expandable devices, e.g. fixation devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30601 telescopic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30616 Sets comprising a plurality of prosthetic parts of different sizes or orientations
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30617 Visible markings for adjusting, locating or measuring
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30662 with rotation-limiting means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30663 multiaxial, e.g. biaxial; multipolar, e.g. bipolar or having an intermediate shell articulating between the ball and the socket
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30673 Lubricating means, e.g. synovial pocket
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3071 Identification means; Administration of patients
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30841 Sharp anchoring protrusions for impaction into the bone, e.g. sharp pins, spikes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30884 Fins or wings, e.g. longitudinal wings for preventing rotation within the bone cavity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30899 : Protrusions pierced with apertures
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30904 : serrated profile, i.e. saw-toothed
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/443 : having two transversal endplates and at least one intermediate component
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4628 : with linear motion along or rotating motion about an axis transverse to the instrument axis or to the implantation direction, e.g. clamping
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0025 : Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0085 : Identification means; Administration of patients
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0097 : Visible markings, e.g. indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00017 : Iron- or Fe-based alloys, e.g. stainless steel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00023 : Titanium or titanium-based alloys, e.g. Ti-Ni alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00029 : Cobalt-based alloys, e.g. Co-Cr alloys or Vitallium
• 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

Abstract

A prosthesis system comprises plates that can be positioned against vertebrae and a selected resilient core that can be positioned between the plates to allow the plates to articulate. The selected resilient core can be chosen from a plurality of cores in response to patient characteristics, such as age and/or intervertebral mobility, such that the prosthesis implanted in the patient is tailored to the needs of the patient. The plurality of cores may comprise cores with different resiliencies, and one of the cores can be selected such that the upper and lower plates articulate with the desired shock absorbing resiliency and/or maximum angle of inclination when the one selected core is positioned between the plates.

Claims

1. An intervertebral disc prosthesis system comprising:

a plurality of selectable cores, each core comprising,

upper and lower surfaces, and

at least one of a resilient material or a resilient member disposed between the upper and lower surfaces to allow the upper and lower surfaces to move resiliently toward and away from each other; and

upper and lower supports locatable about the core, each support comprising,

an outer surface which engages a vertebra, and

an inner surface shaped to contact one of the surfaces of each core;

wherein each core of the plurality comprises a different resiliency and wherein the upper and lower supports are adapted to articulate when one of the cores is selected and positioned between the upper and lower supports.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each core is identifiable with an indicia, such that each core is selectable in response to the indicia and a patient characteristic.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the indicia comprises at least one of a color of the core, a marking on the core, a height of the core, or a width of the core.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the indicia of each core corresponds to a resiliency of the core and a maximum angle of inclination between the supports when the core is positioned between the supports.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein each core of the plurality comprises a different dimension to limit a maximum angle of inclination between the upper and lower supports in response to the patient characteristic.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the different dimension comprises at least one of a height or a width.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the upper surface of each core comprises a curved surface to slide against the inner surface of the upper support.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the lower surface of each core is capable of attachment to the lower support.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the lower surface of each core comprises a curved surface to slide against the inner surface of the lower support.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein each core comprises an upper component with the upper surface disposed thereon and a lower component with the lower surface disposed thereon, wherein the upper and lower core components of each core are configured to slide relative to one another in response to loading when positioned between the upper and lower supports.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the upper and lower components of each core are configured to slide relative to one another with telescopic motion.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the upper support comprises a upper plate and the lower support comprises a lower plate.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the upper support comprises an upper expandable support and the lower support comprises a lower expandable support.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein several cores of the plurality comprises the same height and different resiliencies, such that a maximum angle of inclination between the plates is substantially the same for the several cores.

15. The system of claim 1, the plurality of selectable cores comprises cores with a maximum compression within a range from about ⅓

mm to about 1 mm.

16. An intervertebral disc prosthesis system comprising:

a plurality of selectable cores, each core comprising,

upper and lower curved surfaces, and

at least one of a resilient material or a resilient member disposed between the upper and lower curved surfaces to allow the upper and lower surfaces to move resiliently toward and away from each other; and

upper and lower supports locatable about the core, each support comprising;

an outer surface which engages a vertebra, and

an inner curved surface shaped to slide over one of the curved surfaces of each core;

wherein each core of the plurality comprises a different resiliency and wherein the upper and lower supports are adapted to articulate when one of the cores is selected and positioned between the upper and lower supports.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein each core is identifiable with an indicia, such that each core is selectable in response to the indicia and a patient characteristic.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the indicia comprises at least one of a color of the core, a marking on the core, a height of the core, or a width of the core.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the indicia of each core corresponds to a resiliency of the core and a maximum angle of inclination between the supports when the core is positioned between the supports.

20. The disc prosthesis system as in claim 16, wherein the at least one resilient material comprises a polymer.

21. The disc prosthesis system as in claim 16, wherein the at least one resilient material comprises a hydrogel.

22. The disc prosthesis system as in claim 16, wherein the at least one resilient support member is disposed within the resilient material and attached to the upper and lower curved surfaces.

23. The disc prosthesis system as in claim 16, wherein the at least one resilient support member comprises a plurality of springs.

24. The disc prosthesis system as in claim 16, wherein the upper and lower curved surfaces of the core comprise at least one of a polymer, a ceramic or a metal.

25. The disc prosthesis system as in claim 24, wherein the metal comprises at least one of cobalt chrome molybdenum, titanium or stainless steel.

26. An intervertebral disc prosthesis comprising:

a resilient core, the core comprising,

upper component with an upper surface and a lower component with a lower surface, and

at least one of a resilient material or a resilient member disposed between the upper and lower components to allow the upper and lower components to move resiliently toward and away from each other, wherein the upper and lower components define an inner chamber of the core and wherein at least one channel extends from the inner chamber to an external surface of the core to pass fluid through the chamber; and

upper and lower supports locatable about the core, each support comprising,

an outer surface which engages a vertebra, and

an inner surface shaped to contact one of the surfaces of the core;

wherein the upper and lower supports are adapted to articulate when the core is positioned between the upper and lower supports.

27. The prosthesis of claim 26 wherein the at least one channel comprises at least two channels that extend from the chamber to the external surface of the core to pass fluid through the core.

28. The prosthesis of claim 26 wherein the at least one channel is adapted to pump fluid out of the core when the components move toward each other and draw fluid into the core when the components move away from each other.

29. An instrument for insertion of an intervertebral disc prosthesis into an intervertebral space, the instrument comprising:

a distractor tip comprising a channel dimensioned to pass the prosthesis; and

at least one of a resilient member or a resilient material to compress the prosthesis from an expanded profile to a narrow profile configuration with the distractor tip when the prosthesis slides along the channel toward the intervertebral space.

30. The instrument of claim 29 further comprising a pair of handles connected to the distractor tip, wherein the resilient member comprises a spring connected to the handles to drive the handles apart and compress the prosthesis to the narrow profile configuration.

31. An system for insertion of an intervertebral disc prosthesis into an intervertebral space, the system:

a plurality of selectable shock absorbing intervertebral disc prosthesis cores; and

an instrument comprising a distractor tip with a channel dimensioned to pass the prosthesis, wherein the distractor tip is capable of compressing at least one of the plurality of cores from an expanded profile configuration to a narrow profile configuration when the prosthesis slides along the channel toward the intervertebral space.

32. The instrument of claim 31 wherein the expanded profile configuration comprises an unloaded configuration of the at least one of the plurality of cores and the narrow profile configuration comprises a maximum loaded compression of the at least one of the plurality of cores.