Interbody fusion cage

• US 5,800,550 A
• Filed: 09/11/1997
• Issued: 09/01/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mario M. Sertich
• Original Assignee: Mario M. Sertich
• Inventors: Sertich, Mario M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Willse, David H.
• Application Number:
  US08/928,015
• Time in Patent Office: 355 Days
• Field of Search: 623/17, 606/61
• 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 2/447 substantially parallelepipedal, e.g. having a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4611 of spinal prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30153 rectangular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30261 parallelepipedal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30579 with mechanically expandable devices, e.g. fixation devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30593 hollow
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30777 Oblong apertures
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30785 parallel
• 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 2230/0019 rectangular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0082 parallelepipedal

Abstract

A prosthetic device adapted for fusing together adjoining vertebrae connected by tissue of a collapsed disc includes an inert generally rectangularly shaped support body adapted to be seated on hard end plates of vertebrae. The support body has top and bottom faces. A first peg is movably mounted in a first aperture located in the support body. The first aperture terminates at one of the top and bottom faces of the support body. The first peg projects away from the one of the top and bottom faces and into an adjacent first vertebra to secure the support body in place relative to the first vertebra. The support body is preferably hollow so as to allow the ingrowth of osseous tissue.

Claims

1. A prosthetic device adapted for fusing together adjoining vertebrae connected by tissue of a collapsed disc, comprising:

an inert generally rectangularly shaped support body configured to be seated on hard end plates of the vertebrae, said support body having solid top and bottom faces;

a first aperture located in one of said support body top and bottom faces; and

,

a first anchoring peg movably mounted in said first aperture, said first anchoring peg projecting away from said one of said top and bottom faces and adapted to extend into an associated first vertebra to secure said support body in place relative to the associated first vertebra wherein said first anchoring peg comprises a body having a tapered proximal end and an apertured distal end.

2. The device of claim 1 further comprising a second anchoring peg movably mounted in a second aperture located in another of said top and bottom faces of said support body, said second aperture being spaced from said first aperture, said second peg projecting away from said another of said top and bottom faces and adapted to extend into an associated second vertebra to secure said support body in place relative to the associated second vertebra.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said first anchoring peg apertured distal end includes a serrated cutting face for digging into the associated first vertebra and a valley circumscribed by said cutting face for receiving bone from the associated first vertebra.

4. The device of claim 1 further comprising a means for preventing a rotation of said first peg in said support body.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said support body comprises a three dimensional member having radiused corners which allow a rotation of the support body along its longitudinal axis.

6. The assembly of claim 5 wherein said support body is adapted to be inserted between the adjoining vertebrae in a first orientation in which said top and bottom faces do not contact the adjoining vertebrae, and said support body is adapted to be rotated along its longitudinal axis to a second orientation in which said top and bottom faces contact the adjoining vertebrae.

7. The device of claim 1 further comprising a means for locking said first peg in place in relation to said support body when said first peg has been projected outwardly of said support body.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein said support body comprises a hollow three dimensional member including six interconnected walls defining an interior cavity and at least one opening in each wall of said member to allow for ingrowth of osseous tissue into said interior cavity of said body.

9. A prosthetic device for supporting vertebrae in a vertebral column, comprising:

an inert generally rectangularly shaped support body configured to be seated on hard end plates of the vertebrae, said support body having solid top and bottom faces;

a central passageway located in said support body;

a pair of guide holes located in said support body, said guide holes extending substantially perpendicularly to said central passageway in opposite directions through a respective one of said top and bottom faces of said support body;

first and second retaining pegs movably mounted in a respective one of said guide holes, each peg extending away from said one of said top and bottom faces and adapted to extend into an associated vertebra to secure said support body in place relative to the associated vertebrae, each peg comprising a body having a distal end including a cutting edge and an adjacent aperture.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein said peg body of each of said retaining pegs further comprises a solid proximal end wall which is tapered for cooperating with a piston of an associated inserting tool.

11. The device of claim 9 wherein said retaining pegs each further comprise a means for preventing a rotation of said retaining peg in said support body.

12. The device of claim 9 wherein said support body further comprises at least one passage communicating with said central passageway and with an exterior surface of said support body for facilitating an ingrowth of a bone implant material and bone from the vertebrae to fuse the vertebrae together.

13. The device of claim 9 further comprising a means for locking said retaining pegs in place in relation to said support body when said retaining pegs have been projected outwardly of said support body.

14. The device of claim 9 wherein said support comprises a three-dimensional member having radiused corners which allow a rotation of said support body along its longitudinal axis.

15. A prosthetic device for supporting vertebrae in a spinal column, comprising:

an inert support body seatable within a cavity formed by removal of a portion of a disc located between adjoining vertebrae in a spinal column, said support body having top and bottom faces;

a first aperture located in one of said support body top and bottom faces; and

,

a first anchoring peg movably mounted in said first aperture, said first anchoring peg comprising an approximately cylindrical body having a tapered planar face on a proximal end thereof and a distal end including a centrally disposed conically-shaped aperture.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein said anchoring peg distal end further comprises an annular cutting face for digging into an associated vertebra.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein said annular cutting face is serrated.

18. A prosthetic assembly for fusing together adjoining vertebrae connected by tissue of a collapsed disc, comprising:

a pair of spaced support bodies, each being sized to be located on a respective side of a centerline of a vertebral column of a patient, each said support body including top and bottom faces;

a first aperture located in one of said support body top and bottom faces of at least one of said pair of support bodies; and

,

a first anchoring peg movably mounted in said first aperture, said first anchoring peg projecting away from said one of said top and bottom faces and adapted to extend into an associated first vertebra to secure said at least one of said pair of support bodies in place relative to the associated first vertebra, wherein said anchoring peg comprises;

a peg body having a serrated cutting edge for digging into the associated first vertebra, and

an opening located adjacent said cutting edge for receiving bone from the associated vertebra.

19. The assembly of claim 18 wherein said serrated cutting edge is located on a distal end of said anchoring peg.

20. The assembly of claim 19 wherein a proximal end of said anchoring peg comprises a tapered planar face for cooperation with a piston of an associated inserting tool.

21. The assembly of claim 18 wherein said anchoring peg further comprises a means for preventing a rotation of said anchoring peg in relation to said at least one of said pair of support bodies.

22. The assembly of claim 18 wherein said at least one of said pair of support bodies further comprises:

a central passageway; and

at least one passage communicating with said central passageway and with an exterior surface of said support body for facilitating an ingrowth of a bone implant material and bone from the associated vertebra to fuse the adjoining associated vertebrae together.

23. The assembly of claim 18 further comprising a means for locking said anchoring peg in place in relation to said at least one of said pair of support bodies when said anchoring peg has been projected outwardly of said at least one of said pair of support bodies.

24. The assembly of claim 18 wherein each of said support bodies comprises a three dimensional member having radiused corners which allow a rotation of each of said support bodies along their respective longitudinal axes from a first orientation, in which said support bodies are inserted between the adjoining vertebrae, to a second orientation in which said support bodies are installed between the adjoining vertebrae such that said top and bottom faces contact the adjoining vertebrae.