Methods and Systems for Interbody Implant and Bone Graft Delivery

• US 20120071981A1
• Filed: 08/26/2011
• Published: 03/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Christopher T Martin, Daniel K. Farley, Miguelangelo J. Perez-Cruet, Zalucha Stephanie
• Original Assignee: Christopher T Martin, Daniel K. Farley, Miguelangelo J. Perez-Cruet, Zalucha Stephanie
• Inventors: Farley, Daniel K., Martin, Christopher T., Stephanie, Zalucha, Perez-Cruet, Miguelangelo J.
• Application Number:
  US13/219,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20120071981A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/17.16
• 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 2002/30266 wedge-shaped parallelepipeds
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30281 wedge-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/305 Snap connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30736 Augments or augmentation pieces, e.g. wedges or blocks for bridging a bone defect
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30828 parallel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3083 inclined obliquely with respect to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30843 Pyramidally-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30892 parallel
• 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 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 2310/00023 Titanium or titanium-based alloys, e.g. Ti-Ni alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00161 Carbon; Graphite
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00359 Bone or bony tissue

Abstract

A spacer for implantation between adjacent vertebrae is provided. The spacer includes a distal end and a proximal end. The spacer also includes top and bottom surfaces spaced by sides. The top and bottom surface define a height, and the sides define a width. Each of the sides of the spacer also includes a depressed region sunk into the side including a sloped surface at least toward the proximal end of the spacer. The distance between the sloped surfaces of the sides decreases proximally to form a wedge having a leading edge proximate to the proximal end of the spacer. The wedge is sized and configured to aid distribution of bone graft material to either side of the wedge, wherein bone graft material is supplied to a site of interest is distributed to at least one side of the wedge.

Claims

1. A spacer for maintaining the position of adjacent vertebrae, the spacer including:

a distal end and a proximal end;

top and bottom surfaces spaced by sides, the top and bottom surfaces defining a height, and the sides defining a width;

wherein each of the sides comprises a depressed region sunk into the side including a sloped surface at least toward the proximal end of the spacer, the distance between the sloped surfaces of the sides decreasing proximally to form a wedge having a leading edge proximate to the proximal end of the spacer, the wedge sized and configured to aid distribution of bone graft material to either side of the wedge, wherein bone graft material supplied to a site of interest is distributed to at least one side of the wedge.

2. The spacer of claim 1, wherein the depressed regions sunk into the sides form a web separating top and bottom caps at least at the proximal end of the spacer, the thickness of the web decreasing proximally to foam the wedge having a leading edge proximate to the proximal end of the spacer.

3. The spacer of claim 2, wherein the top cap and the bottom cap include surfaces that taper such that the top cap and bottom cap become narrower toward the proximal end of the spacer.

4. The spacer of claim 1, wherein the wedge includes a tip defining a generally sharp point.

5. The spacer of claim 1, wherein the sloped surfaces are sloped generally continuously along their length.

6. The spacer of claim 1, wherein the depressed regions each include first and second surfaces, the first and second surfaces being sloped differently.

7. The spacer of claim 1 wherein at least one of the depressed regions includes a mounting feature configured to help secure the spacer with at least one of an inserter and a funnel.

8. The spacer of claim 1 wherein the height is greater than the width, wherein the spacer may be inserted with the sides oriented toward surfaces of adjacent vertebrae, and then rotated into place with the top and bottom surfaces oriented toward the surfaces of the adjacent vertebrae to maintain a space between the adjacent vertebrae.

9. A system for positioning and fixing an implant between adjacent vertebrae, the system including:

a spacer including

a distal end and a proximal end;

top and bottom surfaces spaced by sides, the top and bottom surfaces defining a height, and the sides defining a width;

wherein each of the sides comprises a depressed region sunk into the side including a sloped surface at least toward the proximal end of the spacer, the distance between the sloped surfaces of the sides decreasing proximally to form a wedge having a leading edge proximate to the proximal end of the spacer, the wedge sized and configured to aid distribution of bone graft material to either side of the wedge, wherein bone graft material supplied to a site of interest is distributed to at least one side of the wedge;

a feed reservoir defining a passageway through which bone graft material may be delivered to the spacer when the spacer is positioned as desired between adjacent vertebrae, the feed reservoir including an alignment feature configured to align the feed reservoir with the spacer so that bone graft material delivered to the spacer through the feed reservoir is distributed to at least one side of the wedge of the spacer; and

a plunger configured to be accepted by the passageway of the feed reservoir, the plunger configured to help advance bone graft material along a length of the feed reservoir.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the depressed regions sunk into the sides of the spacer form a web separating top and bottom caps at least at the proximal end of the spacer, the thickness of the web decreasing proximally to form the wedge having a leading edge proximate to the proximal end of the spacer.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the alignment feature of the feed reservoir includes a notch sized to be accepted by the web.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the top cap and the bottom cap include surfaces that taper such that the top cap and bottom cap become narrower toward the proximal end of the spacer.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the alignment feature of the feed reservoir includes a notch cut through top and bottom walls of the feed reservoir, the notch sized and configured to accept a portion of the top cap and bottom cap of the spacer.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein the feed reservoir is asymmetric about a vertical plane through the center of the spacer when the feed reservoir is aligned with the spacer.

15. The system of claim 9 further comprising an inserter, wherein the inserter includes the feed reservoir and a gripping portion, the gripping portion configured to grasp the spacer during insertion and positioning of the spacer.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the height of the spacer is greater than the width, wherein the spacer may be inserted with the sides oriented toward surfaces of adjacent vertebrae, and then rotated into place with the top and bottom surfaces oriented toward the surfaces of the adjacent vertebrae to maintain a space between the adjacent vertebrae, and wherein the gripping portion of the inserter includes a load bearing portion sized to contact vertebrae during rotation of the spacer.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the gripping portion includes a graft opening sized and configured to allow bone graft material to be distributed to at least one side of the spacer when the spacer is positioned in the gripping portion.

18. The system of claim 9 wherein the feed reservoir includes a first portion and a second portion separated by a wall, and the plunger includes a first plunger and a second plunger, the first plunger accepted by the first portion of the feed reservoir and the second plunger accepted by the second portion of the feed reservoir, wherein bone graft material can be advanced down the portions of the feed reservoir either independently or simultaneously.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the plunger includes a handle and the first plunger and the second plunger are removably joined to the handle.

20. The system of claim 9 wherein the height of the spacer is greater than the width, wherein the spacer may be inserted with the sides oriented toward surfaces of adjacent vertebrae, and then rotated into place with the top and bottom surfaces oriented toward the surfaces of the adjacent vertebrae to maintain a space between the adjacent vertebrae.

21. A method of maintaining adjacent vertebrae in a desired position, the method including:

providing a spacer having

a distal end and a proximal end;

top and bottom surfaces spaced by sides, the top and bottom surfaces defining a height, and the sides defining a width;

wherein each of the sides comprises a depressed region sunk into the side including a sloped surface at least toward the proximal end of the spacer, the distance between the sloped surfaces of the sides decreasing proximally to form a wedge having a leading edge proximate to the proximal end of the spacer, the wedge sized and configured to aid distribution of bone graft material to either side of the wedge, wherein bone graft material supplied to a site of interest is distributed to at least one side of the wedge;

positioning the spacer between the adjacent vertebrae;

positioning a feed reservoir so that a passageway of the feed reservoir is proximate to the wedge of the spacer;

introducing bone graft material through the feed reservoir to a site of interest proximate to the spacer, wherein the bone graft material is directed by the wedge to be distributed to a site proximate to at least one side of the wedge.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the height of the spacer is greater than the width, wherein the spacer may be inserted with the sides oriented toward surfaces of adjacent vertebrae, and then rotated into place with the top and bottom surfaces oriented toward the surfaces of the adjacent vertebrae to maintain a space between the adjacent vertebrae, and wherein positioning the spacer includes positioning the spacer between the adjacent vertebrae with the sides oriented toward surfaces of adjacent vertebrae, the method further including the step of rotating the spacer so that the top and bottom surfaces are oriented toward the surfaces of the adjacent vertebrae to maintain a desired space between the adjacent vertebrae after positioning the spacer between the adjacent vertebrae with the sides oriented toward surfaces of adjacent vertebrae.