Spinal disc

• US 6,669,732 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2001
• Issued: 12/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TLIF, LLC (f/k/a Granicus Ventures 5, LLC) (Marathon Patent Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Depuy Acromed Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Serhan, Hassan, Persenaire, Maarten, Kuras, James, McMillin, Carl
• Primary Examiner(s): McDermott, Corrine
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEWART, ALVIN J
• Application Number:
  US09/921,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20020022888A1
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: 623/17.15, 623/17.16, 623/17.11, 623/17.12, 623/17.13, 623/17.14
• US Class Current: 623/17.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/3094 Designing or manufacturing processes
• 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 2002/30069 elastomeric
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30112 Rounded shapes, e.g. with rounded corners
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30131 horseshoe- or crescent- or C-shaped or U-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30187 D-shaped or half-disc-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3023 wedge-shaped cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30563 having elastic means or damping means, different from springs, e.g. including an elastomeric core or shock absorbers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30574 with an integral complete or partial collar or flange
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30769 madreporic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30805 Recesses of comparatively large area with respect to their low depth
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30878 with non-sharp protrusions, for instance contacting the bone for anchoring, e.g. keels, pegs, pins, posts, shanks, stems, struts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30879 Ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30884 Fins or wings, e.g. longitudinal wings for preventing rotation within the bone cavity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30957 using a positive or a negative model, e.g. moulds
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30967 Diffusion bonding
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0004 Rounded shapes, e.g. with rounded corners
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0013 Horseshoe-shaped, e.g. crescent-shaped, C-shaped, U-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0034 D-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0069 cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00023 : Titanium or titanium-based alloys, e.g. Ti-Ni alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00407 : Coating made of titanium or of Ti-based alloys

Abstract

A spinal disc prosthesis (10) to replace a damaged spinal disc in a spinal column (16) of a human, includes an elastomeric core (200) having upper and lower surfaces (202, 212) which are parallel to each other. An upper rigid plate (20) has opposed first and second surfaces (42, 52). The first surface (42) is affixed to the upper surface (202) of the elastomeric core. The second surface (52) is inclined relative to the first surface (42). A lower rigid plate (120) has opposed third and fourth surfaces (142, 152). The third surface (142) is affixed to the lower surface (212) of the elastomeric core (200) and extends parallel to the first surface (42). The fourth surface (152) is inclined relative to the third surface (142). The second and fourth surfaces (52, 152) are inclined relative to each other.

Claims

1. A spinal disc prosthesis, comprising:

a first plate having a superior surface and an inferior surface;

a second plate; and

an elastomeric core interposed between said first plate and said second plate,

wherein said first plate has an outer peripheral edge portion,

wherein said outer peripheral edge portion includes (i) a first rim extending from said superior surface and configured to define a first recess on said superior surface, (ii) a second rim extending from said inferior surface and configured to define a second recess on said inferior surface, and (iii) a flange interposed between a first plane defined by said superior surface and a second plane defined by said inferior surface, and

wherein said flange has (i) an upper surface which is parallel to said first plane, (ii) a lower surface which is parallel to said upper surface, and (iii) a curved surface which connects said upper surface and said lower surface.

2. The spinal disc prosthesis of claim 1, wherein:

said first rim is configured so that said first recess possesses a first depth,

said second rim is configured so that said second recess possesses a second depth, and

said second depth is greater than said first depth.

3. The spinal disc prosthesis of claim 1, further comprising:

a first porous coating located within said first recess, and

a second porous coating located within said second recess.

4. The spinal disc prosthesis of claim 3, wherein:

said second porous coating is contained entirely within said second recess, and

said first porous coating extends out of said first recess.

5. The spinal disc prosthesis of claim 1, wherein said elastomeric core is positioned in contact with each of said lower surface of said flange and said curved surface of said flange.

6. The spinal disc prosthesis of claim 1, wherein said second rim is spaced apart from said first rim.

7. The spinal disc prosthesis of claim 1, wherein said first rim is spaced apart from said flange.

8. The spinal prosthesis of claim 1, wherein said second plate possesses the same physical configuration as said first plate.

9. A spinal disc prosthesis, comprising:

a first plate having a superior surface and an inferior surface;

a second plate; and

an elastomeric core interposed between said first plate and said second plate,

wherein said first plate has an outer peripheral edge portion, and

wherein said outer peripheral edge portion includes (i) a first rim extending from said superior surface and configured to define a first recess on said superior surface, (ii) a second rim extending from said inferior surface and configured to define a second recess on said inferior surface, and (iii) a flange interposed between a first plane defined by said superior surface and a second plane defined by said inferior surface.

10. The spinal disc prosthesis of claim 9, wherein:

said first rim is configured so that said first recess possesses a first depth,

said second rim is configured so that said second recess possesses a second depth, and

said second depth is greater than said first depth.

11. The spinal disc prosthesis of claim 9, further comprising:

a first porous coating located within said first recess, and

a second porous coating located within said second recess.

12. The spinal disc prosthesis of claim 11, wherein:

said second porous coating is contained entirely within said second recess, and

said first porous coating extends out of said first recess.

13. The spinal disc prosthesis of claim 9, wherein said flange has (i) an upper surface which is parallel to said first plane, (ii) a lower surface which is parallel to said upper surface, and (iii) a curved surface which connects said upper surface and said lower surface.

14. The spinal disc prosthesis of claim 13, wherein said elastomeric core is positioned in contact with each of said lower surface of said flange and said curved surface of said flange.

15. The spinal prosthesis of claim 9, wherein said second plate possesses the same physical configuration as said first plate.

16. A spinal disc prosthesis, comprising:

a first plate having a superior surface and an inferior surface;

a second plate; and

an elastomeric core interposed between said first plate and said second plate,

wherein said first plate has an outer peripheral edge portion,

wherein said outer peripheral edge portion includes (i) a first rim extending from said superior surface and configured to define a first recess on said superior surface, (ii) a second rim extending from said inferior surface and configured to define a second recess on said inferior surface, and (iii) a flange interposed between a first plane defined by said superior surface and a second plane defined by said inferior surface,

said first rim is configured so that said first recess possesses a first depth,

said second rim is configured so that said second recess possesses a second depth, and

said second depth is greater than said first depth.

17. The spinal disc prosthesis of claim 16, further comprising:

a first porous coating located within said first recess, and

a second porous coating located within said second recess.

18. The spinal disc prosthesis of claim 17, wherein:

said second porous coating is contained entirely within said second recess, and

said first porous coating extends out of said first recess.

19. The spinal disc prosthesis of claim 16, wherein:

said second rim is spaced apart from said first rim, and

said first rim is spaced apart from said flange.

20. The spinal prosthesis of claim 16, wherein said second plate possesses the same physical configuration as said first plate.