LATERAL APPROACH EXPANDABLE SPINAL IMPLANT AND METHOD
First Claim
1. An expandable interbody fusion device for insertion into the intradiscal space of a lumbar spine to reside at least in part on the area of increased bone density at the posterior portion of the endplate of the vertebral body between a lateral spacing defined as the pedicle-to-pedicle dimension and laterally within the interior of the ring apophysis extending peripherally around the endplate, comprising an elongate device having an upper surface for engaging the endplate of a vertebral body and a lower surface for engaging the endplate of an opposing vertebral body, the upper surface and a lower surface being separable increasingly upon expansion of the device, the device having a length configured to be less than the lateral spacing within the ring apophysis and not less than the pedicle-to-pedicle dimension.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An expandable interbody fusion device configured for placement into the intradiscal space between vertebral bodies in a lumbar spine from a lateral approach. The device is expanded by the insertion of a plurality of wafers into the device in situ. The length of the device is configured to extend on the vertebral body endplate from pedicle to pedicle and to reside interiorly of the ring apophysis with at least a portion of the device resting on the area of increased bone density at the posterior portion of the endplate between the pedicles.
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Citations
28 Claims
- 1. An expandable interbody fusion device for insertion into the intradiscal space of a lumbar spine to reside at least in part on the area of increased bone density at the posterior portion of the endplate of the vertebral body between a lateral spacing defined as the pedicle-to-pedicle dimension and laterally within the interior of the ring apophysis extending peripherally around the endplate, comprising an elongate device having an upper surface for engaging the endplate of a vertebral body and a lower surface for engaging the endplate of an opposing vertebral body, the upper surface and a lower surface being separable increasingly upon expansion of the device, the device having a length configured to be less than the lateral spacing within the ring apophysis and not less than the pedicle-to-pedicle dimension.
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17. A method of inserting an expandable interbody fusion device from the lateral approach into the intradiscal space of the lumbar spine, comprising the steps of:
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providing an access corridor to the spine from the lateral approach; providing an elongate expandable device having a length less than the lateral width of the vertebral endplate between the peripheral ring apophysis and not less than the pedicle-to pedicle spacing of the vertebral body; inserting said device into the intradiscal space between opposing vertebral bodies and within the ring apophysis of said endplate with at least a portion of said device residing on the area of endplate increased bone density at the posterior portion of the endplates between the pedicles; and
thenexpanding the expandable device in situ to increase the height of the intradiscal space and stabilize the spine. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification