Method for using spinal implants

• US 5,443,514 A
• Filed: 10/01/1993
• Issued: 08/22/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Depuy Acromed Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: AcroMed Corp (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Steffee, Arthur D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Green, Randall L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CLARKE, ROBERT A
• Application Number:
  US08/130,288
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 623/16-21, 623/66, 606/60-64, 128/898
• US Class Current: 128/898
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/025 Joint distractors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0256 for the spine
• 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 2/447 substantially parallelepipedal, e.g. having a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4611 of spinal prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/2835 Bone graft implants for filling a bony defect or an endoprosthesis cavity, e.g. by synthetic material or biological material
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30158 trapezoidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30261 parallelepipedal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30593 hollow
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30772 Apertures or holes, e.g. of circular cross section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30785 parallel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30904 serrated profile, i.e. saw-toothed
• 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 2002/4622 having the shape of a forceps or a clamp
• 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 2230/0026 trapezoidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0082 parallelepipedal

Abstract

A method of fusing together the adjacent vertebrae using the spinal implant includes removing at least a portion of the spinal disc between the adjacent vertebrae. The spinal implant is inserted between the adjacent vertebrae with the first and second parallel side surfaces facing the adjacent vertebrae. The spinal implant is rotated into a position in which the parallel side surfaces extend from one of the adjacent vertebrae to the other adjacent vertebrae and the upper and lower surfaces engage the adjacent vertebrae.

Claims

1. A method of fusing together adjacent vertebrae of a spinal column comprising the steps of:

removing at least a portion of the disc between the adjacent vertebrae;

providing a spinal implant with first and second side surfaces substantially parallel to each other and upper and lower surface means extending between the first and second side surfaces;

inserting the spinal implant between the adjacent vertebrae with the first and second substantially parallel side surfaces of the spinal implant facing the adjacent vertebrae; and

rotating the spinal implant into a position in which the parallel side surfaces of the spinal implant extend from one of the adjacent vertebrae to the other adjacent vertebrae and the upper and lower surface means engage the adjacent vertebrae.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 further including providing the spinal implant with first and second end portions wherein the upper and lower surface means are spaced apart by a first distance adjacent the first end portion and are spaced apart by a second distance greater than the first distance adjacent the second end portion.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein said step of inserting the spinal implant includes inserting the spinal implant from the posterior side of the spinal column into a position in which the first end portion of the spinal implant is located adjacent the posterior side of the spinal column and the second end portion of the spinal implant is located adjacent the anterior side of the spinal column.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of inserting the spinal implant includes inserting two spinal implants in a side-by-side relationship.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1 further including the step of packing bone graft around the spinal implant after said step of rotating the spinal implant.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1 further including the step of attaching an apparatus to the spinal column for maintaining a desired spatial relationship of the adjacent vertebrae.

7. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of removing at least a portion of the spinal disc includes leaving an annulus of the disc around the peripheries of the adjacent vertebrae.