Flexible Chain Implants and Instrumentation

• US 20140142707A1
• Filed: 01/28/2014
• Published: 05/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Depuy Synthes Products Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: DePuy Synthes Products LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Compton, Curtis, Chien, Dennis, Delurio, Robert, Messerli, Dominique
• Granted Patent: US 9,907,667 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/17.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7094 Solid vertebral fillers; devices for inserting such fillers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/28 Bones joints A61F2/30
• 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 2/4455 for the fusion of spinal bodies, e.g. intervertebral fusion of adjacent spinal bodies, e.g. fusion cages intervertebral discs A61F2/442
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4611 of spinal prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30281 wedge-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30289 helically-coiled
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30387 Dovetail connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30403 Longitudinally-oriented cooperating ribs and grooves on mating lateral surfaces of a mainly longitudinal connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30433 using additional screws, bolts, dowels, rivets or washers e.g. connecting screws
• 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 2002/30476 locked by an additional locking mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/305 Snap connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30594 slotted, e.g. radial or meridian slot ending in a polar aperture, non-polar slots, horizontal or arcuate slots
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4415 elements of the prosthesis being arranged in a chain like manner
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/444 for replacing the nucleus pulposus
• 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 2220/0025 Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0041 using additional screws, bolts, dowels or rivets, e.g. connecting screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0091 connected by a hinged linkage mechanism, e.g. of the single-bar or multi-bar linkage type
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0086 : Pyramidal, tetrahedral, or wedge-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0091 : helically-coiled or spirally-coiled, i.e. having a 2-D spiral cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00359 : Bone or bony tissue

Abstract

A flexible chain implant for insertion into an interior volume of a vertebral body. The implant may be implanted in an insertion position for sliding through a cannula and is flexible for packing into the interior volume in an implanted configuration. The implant randomly separates in the implanted configuration. The implant includes a top member and a bottom member, wherein the top and bottom members are coupled to one another at a coupled portion. The top and bottom members preferably each include an inner surface such that the inner surfaces include a plurality of alternating projections and recesses so that the projections are received within the recesses in an insertion position. Alternatively, the implant may include a plurality of substantially non-flexible bodies and a plurality of substantially flexible links interconnecting the bodies. The non-flexible bodies include a plurality of facets and/or abutment surfaces.

Claims

1-14. -14. (canceled)

15. A flexible chain implant configured to be inserted into an interior volume formed in a bone, the implant comprising:

a plurality of generally non-flexible bodies, each of the non-flexile bodies including a plurality of facets; and

a plurality of substantially flexible links interconnecting the bodies, the bodies and links connected end-to-end to form the flexible chain implant, the plurality of non-flexile bodies and flexile links constructed of a monolithic portion of bone, the plurality of non-flexible bodies defining a body axis and the plurality of links defining a link axis, each in an extended position, the body axis being off-set from the link axis in the extended position.

16. The implant of claim 15, wherein the non-flexible bodies have one of a hexagonal-shape, a pentagonal-shape and a polyhedral shape.

17. The implant of claim 15, wherein the plurality of links are flexible to enable adjacent bodies to contact one another.

18. The implant of claim 17, wherein the plurality of links are flexible to enable non-adjacent bodies to contact one another.

19. The implant of claim 15, wherein a first facet formed on a first body of the plurality of bodies contacts a second facet formed on a second, adjacent body of the plurality of bodies.

22. The flexible chain implant of claim 15, wherein the monolithic portion of bone is made of cortical bone.

23. The flexible chain implant of claim 15, wherein the monolithic portion of bone is made of allograft cortical bone.

24. The flexible chain implant of claim 15, wherein the monolithic portion of bone is made of partially demineralized or demineralized bone.

25. The flexible chain implant of claim 15, wherein the implant is coated with an adhesive.

26. The flexible chain implant of claim 15, wherein the plurality of substantially flexible links are partially or entirely demineralized.

20-21. -21. (canceled)

27. A implant system, system comprising:

one or more flexible chain implants, each of the flexible chain implant include configured to be inserted into an interior volume formed in a bone, the flexible chain implant including a plurality of generally non-flexible bodies, each of the non-flexile bodies including a plurality of facets, the flexible chain implant further including a plurality of substantially flexible links interconnecting the bodies, the bodies and links connected end-to-end to form the flexible chain implant, the plurality of non-flexile bodies and flexile links constructed of a monolithic portion of bone, the plurality of non-flexible bodies defining a body axis and the plurality of links defining a link axis, each in an extended position, the body axis being off-set from the link axis in the extended position; and

a cannula configured to insert a respective one of the one or more flexible chain implants into the interior volume of the bone.

28. The implant system of claim 27, wherein the non-flexible bodies have one of a hexagonal-shape, a pentagonal-shape and a polyhedral shape.

29. The implant system of claim 27, wherein the plurality of links are flexible to enable adjacent bodies to contact one another.

30. The implant system of claim 27, wherein the plurality of links are flexible to enable non-adjacent bodies to contact one another.