Intervertebral Implant

• US 20140058513A1
• Filed: 08/27/2012
• Published: 02/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Globus Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Globus Medical, Inc.
• Inventors: Gahman, Kevin, Niemiec, Marcin, Paul, David C., Iott, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 9,226,831 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 2/4465 having a circular or kidney shaped cross-section substantially perpendicular to the axis of the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4611 of spinal prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/2835 Bone graft implants for filling a bony defect or an endoprosthesis cavity, e.g. by synthetic material or biological material
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3008 radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30365 with additional means for limiting said rotation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30367 with additional means for preventing said rotation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30433 using additional screws, bolts, dowels, rivets or washers e.g. connecting screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30462 retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30471 connected by a hinged linkage mechanism, e.g. of the single-bar or multi-bar linkage type
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/305 Snap connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30505 spring biased
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30525 Worm gears
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30538 for adjusting angular orientation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30593 hollow
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30624 Hinged joint, e.g. with transverse axle restricting the movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30779 arcuate
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30828 parallel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30843 Pyramidally-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4415 elements of the prosthesis being arranged in a chain like manner
• 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 2002/4627 : 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 2002/4629 : connected to the endoprosthesis or implant via a threaded connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00011 : Metals or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00023 : Titanium or titanium-based alloys, e.g. Ti-Ni alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00131 : Tantalum or Ta-based alloys

Abstract

An intervertebral spacer for therapeutic treatment of a patient includes at least one link sized and dimensioned to fit within an intervertebral space in the patient, and is configured to maintain a separation of two adjacent vertebrae for a period of time. A rigid guiding object, which may be a tool or a successive link, is insertable into the patient, to guide other links into the patient using an MIS approach. A pivot is connected between successive links, or between a guide tool and a link, configured to limit a relative range of angular orientation between the link and the guiding tool, or successive links. Multiple links are so joined to form a chain pushable by the last link, and pullable by the first link, to form a chain which may be formed into a curved configuration corresponding to the patient'"'"'s intervertebral space.

Claims

1. An intervertebral spacer for therapeutic treatment of a patient, comprising:

at least one link sized and dimensioned to fit within an intervertebral space in the patient and configured to maintain a separation of two adjacent vertebrae for a period of time;

at least one rigid guiding object insertable into the patient, said at least one rigid guiding object and said at least one link sized to be insertable into the patient using an MIS approach; and

at least one pivot connected between an end of one of said at least one link and an end of one of said at least one rigid guiding object, said at least one pivot configured to limit a relative range of angular orientation of said one of said at least one link and said one of said at least one rigid guiding object, said at least one pivot configured to transfer an insertion force from said at least one rigid guiding object to said at least one link, to advance said at least one link into the intervertebral space

wherein the at least one link includes a resilient catch, the resilient catch being configured to couple to a hook element provided in an adjacent link.

2. The spacer of claim 1, wherein, comprising:

a tube for receiving the spacer extends from outside of the patient'"'"'s body into the patient'"'"'s body.

3. The spacer of claim 2, further including

a flexible line through an aperture formed in a leading end of at least one of said at least one link, said leading end defined as the end first advanced into the intervertebral space, said line passing from outside of the patient'"'"'s body, through said aperture, and back outside the patient'"'"'s body, said line having sufficient strength to guide said leading end by exerting a force upon said leading end when said at least one link is advanced into the intervertebral space.

4. The spacer of claim 1, wherein said at least one link includes at least three links, wherein at least two links are connected to another by one of said at least one pivot, said at least three links insertable into the body in a first relative substantially aligned orientation relative to each other, and formable into a curved alignment in the intervertebral space, each link positionable at least in part over cortical bone in the intervertebral space.

5. The spacer of claim 1, further including an elongated guiding member configured to pass into the body and push said at least one link into the intervertebral space.

6. The spacer of claim 1, further including an elongated guiding member configured to extend from outside of the patient'"'"'s body into the patient'"'"'s body, and to push said at least one link within the intervertebral space.

7. The spacer of claim 1, said at least one pivot consisting of a linkage selected from the group consisting of:

gears, flexible fibers, an elastomeric link, a plate and pins, and a pin.

8. The spacer of claim 1, said at least one pivot including:

a flexible connector extending between and connected to adjacent ones of said at least one link; and

a latch mechanism operative to maintain an angular displacement between said adjacent ones of said at least one link when said adjacent ones of said at least one link are pivoted to a predetermined angle relative to each other.

9. The spacer of claim 8, said latch mechanism selected from the group consisting of hook and catch, hooks and loops, magnetic elements, and mechanical latch.

10. The spacer of claim 1, further including a stop projection adjacent at least one of said at least one pivot, said stop configured to limit an extent of angular displacement between adjacent ones of said at least one link.

11. The spacer of claim 1, at least one of said at least one link including one or more apertures through which bone of the patient may grow.

12. The spacer of claim 1, at least one of said at least one link including a therapeutic substance operative to promote at least one of healing, anti-microbial growth, and bone growth.

13. The spacer of claim 1, wherein there are at least two of said at least one link, and said at least two links have a substantially different shape.

14. The spacer of claim 1, further including:

an elongated guide member having a proximal end extendable outside the body and a distal end extendable into the body;

a mechanical connector at said distal end of said elongated guide member; and

at least one of said at least one pivot having a mechanical connector releaseably mateable with said mechanical connector of said distal end of said elongated guide member, said at least one of said at least one pivot rotatable within a chamber in at least one of said at least one link.

15. The spacer of claim 14, said at least one of said at least one pivot including:

a radiused nut supporting said mechanical connector of said at least one of said at least one pivot;

a pin pivotally supportable within at least one of said at least one links; and

a chamber within said pin, said chamber having an internal surface mateable with the radius of said radiused nut, said radiused nut rotatable within said chamber;

said mechanical connector of said elongated guide member connectable to said mating mechanical connector supported by said nut when said nut is within said chamber, and said pin is pivotally supported within said one of said at least one link.

16. The spacer of claim 1, further including a tapered edge formed along at least one end of at least one of said at least one link.

17. The spacer of claim 1, further including an aperture formed in at least one end of at least one of said at least one link, said aperture sized to admit passage of a flexible line passable through said aperture when said link is within the intervertebral space to extend outside of the patient, whereby a force exerted upon said line is operative thereby to change a position of said spacer within the intervertebral space.

18. The spacer of claim 1, wherein said at least one guiding object is a successive one of said at least one link.

19. An intervertebral spacer for therapeutic treatment of a patient, comprising:

a plurality of flexibly connected links sized and dimensioned to fit within an intervertebral space in the patient and configured to maintain a separation of two adjacent vertebrae for a period of time, said links insertable into the patient through a tube using a reduced size MIS incision; and

a plurality of pivots each forming said flexible connection between adjacent ones of said plurality of links, said plurality of pivots configured to limit a relative range of motion of adjacent links relative to each other, said plurality of pivots cooperative to form said plurality of links into a radiused configuration corresponding to cortical bone within an intervertebral space of the patient

wherein at least one of the plurality of flexibly connected links include a resilient catch, the resilient catch being configured to couple to hook element provided in an adjacent link.

20. The spacer of claim 19, said plurality of pivots configured to form a chain of said plurality of links having a leading link and a trailing link, the trailing link pushable to advance said chain into the vertebral space, said leading link pullable to guide said chain into a curved configuration corresponding to the patient'"'"'s intervertebral space.