Intervertebral implant

• US 6,527,805 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2000
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Zimmer GmbH (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sulzer Orthopedics Inc. (Centerpulse Orthopedics Incorporated)
• Inventors: Erlach, Hans, Grimberg, Gudrun, Schaffner, Silvio Rudolf, Studer, Armin, Vodermayer, Albert Maria, Kärger, Jens Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Isabella, David J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARRETT, THOMAS C
• Application Number:
  US09/733,828
• Publication Number:
  US 20010012966A1
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 623/17-1-
• US Class Current: 623/17.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30767 Special external or bone-contacting surface, e.g. coating for improving bone ingrowth
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/3094 Designing or manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30965 Reinforcing the prosthesis by embedding particles or fibres during moulding or dipping
• 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 2/446 having a circular or elliptical cross-section substantially parallel to the axis of the spine, e.g. cylinders or frustocones
• 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 2002/30004 the prosthesis being made from materials having different values of a given property at different locations within the same prosthesis
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/302 toroidal, e.g. rings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30235 tubular, e.g. sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30289 helically-coiled
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30593 hollow
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30785 parallel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30789 perpendicular with respect to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30863 the entry end surface having flutes, relief grooves, starter notches or bevelled indentations
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30868 Square, rectangular or rhomboidal threads
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30968 Sintering
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0065 toroidal, e.g. ring-shaped, doughnut-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0069 cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0091 helically-coiled or spirally-coiled, i.e. having a 2-D spiral cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0014 having different values of a given property or geometrical feature, e.g. mechanical property or material property, at different locations within the same prosthesis
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00796 : Coating or prosthesis-covering structure made of a phosphorus-containing compound, e.g. hydroxy(l)apatite
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2430/38 : for reconstruction of the spine, vertebrae or intervertebral discs
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/443 : with carbon fillers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 71/12 : Polyphenylene oxides

Abstract

An intervertebral implant (1) with a hollow cylindrical shape is provided with an outer thread (2) for screwing the implant into the intermediate space between two adjacent vertebrae. The implant (1) is provided with openings (3) in its wall through which bone can grow into the implant (1), with the implant (1) being manufactured of a material which is transparent for X-rays.

Claims

1. Intervertebral implant comprising a material which is transparent for X-rays and which has a hollow cylindrical shape provided with an outer thread for screwing the implant into an intermediate space between two adjacent vertebrae, the implant forming a wall having openings through which bone can grow into the implant, the implant having first, second and third ring-shaped bodies made of fiber material embedded in plastic.

2. Intervertebral implant in accordance with claim 1, in which the material which is transparent for X-rays comprises a plastic.

3. Intervertebral implant in accordance with claim 2, in which the plastic is an injection moldable plastic.

4. Intervertebral implant in accordance with claim 1, in which one of the ring-shaped bodies is arranged in a central region of the implant and the other ring-shaped bodies are arranged in respective end regions of the implant.

5. Intervertebral implant in accordance with claim 1, in which all ring-shaped bodies are arranged in a central region of the implant and in which the end regions of the implant are provided with a chamfer.

6. Intervertebral implant in accordance with claim 1, in which a surface of the implant is provided with a thin coating of a material which furthers osteo-integration.

7. Intervertebral implant according to claim 6 wherein the thin coating of a material which furthers osteo-integration comprises hydroxylapatite ceramic.

8. Intervertebral implant comprising a hollow cylindrical shape provided with an outer thread for screwing the implant into an intermediate space between two adjacent vertebrae, the implant forming a wall having openings through which bone can grow into the implant, the implant including a body of fiber material which winds uniformly helically around a longitudinal axis of the implant and which is embedded in plastic so that ridges of the outer thread of the implant are arranged about the windings of the helical body and a base of the outer thread is arranged between the windings of the helically wound body.

9. Intervertebral implant in accordance with claim 8, in which the material which is transparent for X-rays comprises a plastic which is reinforced by a fiber material.

10. Intervertebral implant in accordance with claim 9, in which the fiber material comprises carbon fibers and the plastic is polyether ether ketone (PEEK).

11. Intervertebral implant comprising a material which is transparent for X-rays and which has a hollow cylindrical shape provided with an outer thread for screwing the implant into an intermediate space between two adjacent vertebrae, the implant forming a wall having openings through which bone can grow into the implant, the material which is transparent for X-rays comprising a plastic which is reinforced by a fiber material, the implant comprising a hollow cylindrical body of fiber material embedded in plastic and extending over substantially the entire length of the implant.

12. Intervertebral implant according to claim 11 including a hydroxylapatite ceramic layer on the exterior of the implant.