BONE FUSION DEVICE

• US 20130274883A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 10/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neuropro Technologies Inc.
• Original Assignee: Benjamin J. Remington
• Inventors: McLuen, Gary R., Baker, Daniel R., Remington, Benjamin J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,532,883 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/17.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0256 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/032 pressure limiting, e.g. hydrostatic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/061 for measuring dimensions, e.g. length
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/065 for measuring contact or contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0807 Indication means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/03 Automatic limiting or abutting means, e.g. for safety
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/28 Bones joints A61F2/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/441 made of inflatable pockets or chambers filled with fluid, e.g. with hydrogel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4465 having a circular or kidney shaped cross-section substantially perpendicular to the axis of the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/447 substantially parallelepipedal, e.g. having a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4601 for introducing bone substitute, for implanting bone graft implants or for compacting them in the bone cavity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4657 Measuring instruments used for implanting artificial joints for surgical instruments A61B90/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/2839 Bone plugs or bone graft dowels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30522 releasable, e.g. using a releasable ratchet
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30525 Worm gears
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30538 for adjusting angular orientation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30556 for adjusting thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30579 with mechanically expandable devices, e.g. fixation devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30581 having a pocket filled with fluid, e.g. liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30601 : telescopic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30617 : Visible markings for adjusting, locating or measuring
• 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 2002/4661 : for measuring thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4666 : for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension

Abstract

A bone fusion device for insertion between bones that are to be fused together, such as, for example, the vertebrae of a spinal column. The bone fusion device comprises at least one extendable tab and one or more tab extension assemblies. Each tab extension assembly is able to be adjusted in order to individually control the extension or contraction of a side of the tab thereby enabling adjustment of the height and/or angle of the tab with respect to the body of the bone fusion device. Each tab extension assembly is able to be individually adjusted such that the side controlled by each assembly is raised or lowered until the desired tab angle is achieved. The tab is advantageously positioned and angled to correspond to the vertebrae to help brace the device until the bone has fused.

Claims

1. A bone fusion device for insertion into a desired location comprising:

a body having an interior cavity;

a tab configured to fit within the interior cavity and selectively move from a retracted position within interior cavity of the body to an extended position extending out of the body; and

a plurality of extension assemblies coupled to a different portion of the tab and configured to move the different portions of the tab between the retracted position and the extended position independent of the remainder of the extension assemblies.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the extension assemblies comprise a worm gear operably coupled between a drive screw and a support jack such that rotation of the drive screw rotates the worm gear which retracts or extends the support jack into or out of the worm gear.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein at least one of the drive screws of the extension assemblies is accessible through a first lateral side of the body and at least a second one of the drive screws is accessible through a second lateral side of the body.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the extension assemblies are pivotably coupled to the different portions of the tab such that the tab is able to pivot about the extension assembly.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the body has a bottom surface and an upper surface, wherein the upper surface is angled with respect to the bottom surface.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising one or more plugs, wherein the body and the tab comprise one or more holes that extend from outside the device to the inner cavity and are configured to be removably filled by the plugs.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the plugs comprise bone material.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the tab comprises one or more tangs positioned along the perimeter of the top surface of the tab and fit within recesses in the top surface of the body when the tab is in the retracted position.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein one or more of the tangs extend from the perimeter of the tab to the perimeter of the body.

10. The device of claim 2, further comprising a support webbing positioned within the inner cavity of the body between one or more walls of the inner cavity and the exterior of the worm gears such that the support webbing resists lateral movement of the worm gears with respect to the walls of the inner cavity.

11. A method of implanting a bone fusion device into a desired location, the method comprising:

inserting the bone fusion device in the desired location, wherein the bone fusion device comprises a body having an interior cavity, a tab configured to fit within the interior cavity and selectively move from a retracted position within interior cavity of the body to an extended position extending out of the body and a plurality of extension assemblies coupled to a different portion of the tab and configured to move the different portions of the tab between the retracted position and the extended position independent of the remainder of the extension assemblies; and

independently extending one or more of the different portions of the tab from the retracted position within the interior cavity to a position at least partially outside the interior cavity by moving at least one of the extension assemblies.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising adjusting the amount which one or more of the different portions of the tab are extended compared to the remainder of the different portions of the tab such that the angle of the tab with respect to the body is adjusted.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein each of the extension assemblies comprise a worm gear operably coupled between a drive screw and a support jack such that rotation of the drive screw rotates the worm gear which retracts or extends the support jack into or out of the worm gear.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one of the drive screws of the extension assemblies is accessible through a first lateral side of the body and at least a second one of the drive screws is accessible through a second lateral side of the body.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the extension assemblies are pivotably coupled to the different portions of the tab such that the tab is able to pivot about the extension assembly.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the body has a bottom surface and an upper surface, wherein the upper surface is angled with respect to the bottom surface.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising removably filling one or more holes with one or more plugs, wherein the body and the tab comprise the one or more holes, which extend from outside the device to the inner cavity and are configured to be removably filled by the plugs.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the plugs comprise bone material.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the tab comprises one or more tangs positioned along the perimeter of the top surface of the tab and fit within recesses in the top surface of the body when the tab is in the retracted position.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein one or more of the tangs extend from the perimeter of the tab to the perimeter of the body.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the device further comprises a support webbing positioned within the inner cavity of the body between one or more walls of the inner cavity and the exterior of the worm gears such that the support webbing resists lateral movement of the worm gears with respect to the walls of the inner cavity.

22. The method of claim 11, further comprising retracting the tab of the bone fusion device into the retracted position before inserting the bone fusion device into the desired location.

23. A distraction instrument for use with a bone fusion device, the distraction instrument comprising:

a tubular body;

a control rod positioned at least partially within the tubular body, wherein the control rod comprises a first end coupled with a handle and extending out a first side of the tubular body and a second end including an engaging element and extending out a second side of the tubular body; and

a head assembly comprising a plurality of plates and operably coupled with engaging element of the control rod such that manipulating the control rod with respect to the head assembly causes the plates to separate.

24. The instrument of claim 23, wherein the head assembly is operably coupled with the engaging element such that rotation of the control rod with respect to the head assembly causes the plates to separate and rotation in the opposite direction causes the plates to contract.

25. The instrument of claim 24, wherein the head assembly further comprises a jack mechanism coupled between the plates that effectuates the separating and the contracting of the plates and is configured to fit within one or more recesses within the plates when the plates are fully contracted.

26. The instrument of claim 23, further comprising an indicator positioned on the surface of the instrument, wherein the indicator dynamically indicates the distance between the plates.

27. The instrument of claim 26, wherein the indicator indicates one or more values corresponding to how much one or more controls of one or more bone fusion implant devices must be rotated to extend one or more tabs of the devices such that the devices have height equal to the distance between the plates.

28. The instrument of claim 26, further comprising a force sensor coupled to the head assembly, wherein the force sensor measures a level of force resisting the separation of the plates.

29. The instrument of claim 28, wherein the indicator indicates the level of force measured by the force sensor.

30. The instrument of claim 28, wherein the head assembly is configured to stop the plates from further separating once the level of force measured by the force sensor equals a threshold level.

31. The instrument of claim 23, further comprising a motor and a motor control coupled with the control rod, wherein the motor control controls the operation of the motor and the motor enables motorized manipulation of the control rod to separate the plates.

32. A method of using a distraction instrument to measure the amount of space in a desired location, the method comprising:

inserting the distraction instrument in the desired location, wherein the distraction instrument comprises a tubular body, a control rod positioned at least partially within the tubular body, wherein the control rod comprises a first end coupled with a handle and extending out a first side of the tubular body and a second end including an engaging element and extending out a second side of the tubular body and a head assembly comprising a plurality of plates and operably coupled with engaging element of the control rod such that moving the control rod with respect to the head assembly causes the plates to separate; and

separating the plates until the plates reach bounds of the desired location by manipulating the control rod with respect to the head assembly.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the manipulating the control rod comprises rotating the control rod with respect to the head assembly wherein rotation in a first direction causes the plates to separate and rotation in a second direction causes the plates to contract.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the head assembly further comprises a jack mechanism coupled between the plates that effectuates the separating and the contracting of the plates and is configured to fit within one or more recesses within the plates when the plates are fully contracted.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the instrument further comprises an indicator positioned on the surface of the instrument, wherein the indicator dynamically indicates the distance between the plates.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the indicator indicates one or more values corresponding to how much one or more controls of one or more bone fusion implant devices must be rotated to extend one or more tabs of the devices such that the devices have height equal to the distance between the plates.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the instrument further comprises a force sensor coupled to the head assembly, wherein the force sensor measures a level of force resisting the separation of the plates.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the indicator indicates the level of force measured by the force sensor.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the head assembly is configured to stop the plates from further separating once the level of force measured by the force sensor equals a threshold level.

40. The method of claim 32, wherein the instrument further comprises a motor and a motor control coupled with the control rod, wherein the motor control controls the operation of the motor and the motor enables motorized manipulation of the control rod to separate the plates.

41. A bone fusion device for insertion into a desired location comprising:

a body having an interior cavity;

a tab configured to fit within the interior cavity and selectively move from a retracted position within interior cavity of the body to an extended position extending out of the body;

a plurality of extension assemblies coupled to a different portion of the tab and configured to move the tab between the retracted position and the extended position; and

a position locking mechanism operably coupled with each of the plurality of extension assemblies and configured to provide a plurality of locking positions that the plurality of extension assemblies are biased to stay in by the position locking mechanism.

42. The device of claim 41, wherein the plurality of extension assemblies are configured to move the different portions of the tab between the retracted position and the extended position independent of the remainder of the extension assemblies.

43. The device of claim 42, wherein the position locking mechanism comprises a dial operably coupled with one of the plurality of extension assemblies such that when the one of the plurality of extension assemblies is rotated the dial is also rotated.

44. The device of claim 43, wherein the position locking mechanism comprises one or more stops operably coupled with the dial such that when the one of the plurality of extension assemblies is in one of the locking positions the interface between the dial and the stops provides a biasing force that resists the movement of the one of the plurality of extension assemblies out of the one of the locking positions.