Lordotic interbody spinal fusion implants
First Claim
1. An interbody spinal fusion implant for fusion of two adjacent vertebrae in the human spine in which said implant to be interposed between the vertebral endplates of said adjacent vertebrae, comprising:
- upper and lower walls, insertion and trailing walls, and side walls;
a plurality of openings in at least said upper and lower walls, at least some of said plurality of openings allowing for communication between said upper wall and said lower wall so as to be capable of containing fusion promoting materials for promoting bone ingrowth is continuity through said implant from the vertebral endplate of one of said adjacent vertebrae to the vertebral endplate of the other of said adjacent vertebrae for fusion of said adjacent vertebrae;
said upper and lower walls forming a support structure including at least a portion of the surfaces of said upper and lower walls between said plurality of openings and between said insertion, trailing, and side walls for bearing against the vertebral endplates of the adjacent vertebrae, said upper and lower walls being disposed at least in part in a diverging angular relationship to each other from said insertion wall to said trailing wall, said upper and lower walls being spaced apart at a distance from each other that is greater at said trailing wall than at said insertion wall;
whereby the insertion of said implant between the vertebral endplates of the two adjacent vertebrae supports the two adjacent vertebrae in an angular relationship and allows for bone growth to occur through said implant from one vertebral endplate adjacent to said implant to the other vertebral endplate adjacent to said implant.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is directed to interbody spinal fusion implants having a structural configuration that provides for the maintaining and creating of the normal anatomic angular relationship of two adjacent vertebrae of the spine to maintain and create spinal lordosis. The spinal fusion implants of the present invention are sized to fit within the disc space created by the removal of disc material between two adjacent vertebrae and conform wholly or in part to the disc space created. The spinal fusion implants of the present invention have upper and lower surfaces that form a support structure for bearing against the end plates of the adjacent vertebrae. The upper and lower surfaces are disposed in a converging angular relationship to each other such that the implants of the present invention have an overall "wedged-shape" in an elevational side view. The angular relationship of the upper and lower surfaces places and maintains the vertebrae adjacent to those surfaces in an angular relationship to each other, creating and maintaining the desired lordosis.
1697 Citations
51 Claims
-
1. An interbody spinal fusion implant for fusion of two adjacent vertebrae in the human spine in which said implant to be interposed between the vertebral endplates of said adjacent vertebrae, comprising:
-
upper and lower walls, insertion and trailing walls, and side walls; a plurality of openings in at least said upper and lower walls, at least some of said plurality of openings allowing for communication between said upper wall and said lower wall so as to be capable of containing fusion promoting materials for promoting bone ingrowth is continuity through said implant from the vertebral endplate of one of said adjacent vertebrae to the vertebral endplate of the other of said adjacent vertebrae for fusion of said adjacent vertebrae; said upper and lower walls forming a support structure including at least a portion of the surfaces of said upper and lower walls between said plurality of openings and between said insertion, trailing, and side walls for bearing against the vertebral endplates of the adjacent vertebrae, said upper and lower walls being disposed at least in part in a diverging angular relationship to each other from said insertion wall to said trailing wall, said upper and lower walls being spaced apart at a distance from each other that is greater at said trailing wall than at said insertion wall; whereby the insertion of said implant between the vertebral endplates of the two adjacent vertebrae supports the two adjacent vertebrae in an angular relationship and allows for bone growth to occur through said implant from one vertebral endplate adjacent to said implant to the other vertebral endplate adjacent to said implant. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
-
-
50. An interbody spinal fusion implant for fusion of two adjacent vertebrae in the human spine in which said implant to be interposed between the vertebral endplates of said adjacent vertebrae, comprising:
-
upper and lower walls, insertion and trailing walls, and side walls, said upper and lower walls forming a support structure including at least a portion of the surfaces of said upper and lower walls between said insertion, trailing and side walls for conforming to and bearing against the vertebral end plates of the adjacent vertebrae; said upper and lower wall being disposed at least in part in a diverging angular relationship to each other, said upper and lower walls being spaced apart at a distance from each other that is greater at said trailing wall than at said insertion wall; and means for permitting bone ingrowth through said implant for fusion of said adjacent vertebrae; whereby the insertion of said implant between the vertebral endplates of the two adjacent vertebrae supports the two adjacent vertebrae in an angular relationship and allows for bone growth to occur through said implant from one vertebral endplate adjacent to said implant to the other vertebral endplate adjacent to said implant. - View Dependent Claims (51)
-
Specification