Laterally expandable cage
First Claim
1. A spinal implant, comprising:
- a cage defining an interior cavity;
an expansion mechanism received in said cavity of said cage;
a pair of wings operatively coupled to said expansion mechanism, said wings each having opposing vertebrae engaging surfaces that are configured to engage opposing vertebrae; and
wherein said expansion mechanism is operable to laterally move said wings between the vertebrae from a compact configuration in which at least a majority of said wings are received in said cavity of said cage to an expanded configuration in which said wings extend from said cage with said vertebrae engaging surfaces on each of said wings engaging the vertebrae.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A laterally expandable spinal implant includes a central body and two wings that are adapted to be received within an inner chamber formed within the central body. The wings have guide rails that fit into grooves defined in the central body. To ensure that the implant is properly secured, each guide rail has an outer end with a cutting surface that cuts into vertebral end plates when the wings are extended. The two wings are connected together through a central turnbuckle shaft that has geared teeth and threading on both ends that engage threaded cavities in the wings. Through the gear teeth, the turnbuckle shaft is able to be rotated so as to laterally extend the wings from the central member. A locking mechanism locks the turnbuckle shaft to prevent the wings from retracting.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A spinal implant, comprising:
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a cage defining an interior cavity;
an expansion mechanism received in said cavity of said cage;
a pair of wings operatively coupled to said expansion mechanism, said wings each having opposing vertebrae engaging surfaces that are configured to engage opposing vertebrae; and
wherein said expansion mechanism is operable to laterally move said wings between the vertebrae from a compact configuration in which at least a majority of said wings are received in said cavity of said cage to an expanded configuration in which said wings extend from said cage with said vertebrae engaging surfaces on each of said wings engaging the vertebrae. - 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)
said lock mechanism includes lock cavities defined in said wings; and
said lock cavities are configured to prevent rotation of said shaft when said shaft is positioned within said lock cavities.
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7. The implant of claim 6, wherein only a portion of each of said lock cavities is threaded.
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8. The implant of claim 5, wherein said lock mechanism includes a leaf spring engaged to said cage, said leaf spring being operable to at least prevent rotation of said shaft in one direction.
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9. The implant of claim 8, wherein said shaft includes a gear engageable with said leaf spring.
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10. The implant of claim 1 further comprising a lock mechanism to lock said wings in an expanded configuration.
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11. The implant of claim 10, wherein said lock mechanism included lock cavities constructed and arranged to lock said wings in said expanded configuration.
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12. The implant of claim 10, wherein said lock mechanism includes a leaf spring coupled to said cage.
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13. The implant of claim 1, wherein said cage has a generally rectangular cross-sectional shape.
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14. The implant of claim 1, wherein said cage defines a tool opening for providing access to said cavity.
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15. The implant of claim 1, wherein said cage defines wing openings on opposite sides of said cage in which said wings are slidably received.
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16. The implants of claim 15, wherein:
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at least one of said wing openings defines a guide channel; and
at least one of said wings has a guide member slidably received in said guide channel.
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17. The implants of claim 16, wherein said guide member has a dovetail cross-sectional shape.
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18. The implant of claim 17, wherein said guide member has a cutting edge operable to cut one of the vertebrae during extension of said wings.
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19. The implant of claim 16, wherein said guide member has a cutting edge operable to cut one of the vertebrae during extension of said wings.
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20. The implant of claim 1, wherein said cage has opposing surfaces configured to engage the vertebrae.
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21. The implant of claim 20, wherein said opposing surfaces are textured surfaces to prevent expulsion of said implant.
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22. The implant of claim 21, wherein said textured surfaces include ridges.
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23. The implant of claim 1, wherein said vertebrae engaging surfaces of said wings are contoured to correspond in shape to the vertebrae.
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24. The implant of claim 1, wherein at least one of said wings has a guide rail received in a guide rail channel defined in said cage.
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25. The implant of claim 24, wherein said guide rail has a dovetail cross-sectional shape.
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26. The implant of claim 24, wherein said guide rail has an outer cutting edge constructed and arranged to cut the vertebrae during extension of said wings.
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27. The implant of claim 1, wherein said cage has oppositely facing vertebrae engagement surfaces and said interior cavity extends between said vertebrae engagement surfaces of said cage.
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28. The implant of claim 1, wherein wings define an access opening for allowing access to said expansion mechanism when said wings are in said compact configuration.
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29. A spinal implant, comprising:
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a cage defining an interior cavity;
an expansion mechanism received in said cavity of said cage;
a pair of wings operatively coupled to said expansion mechanism;
wherein said expansion mechanism is operable to laterally move said wings between the vertebrae from a compact configuration in which at least a majority of said wings are received in said cavity of said cage to an expanded configuration in which said wings extend from said cage to engage the vertebrae;
wherein the vertebrae have apophyseal rings; and
wherein said wings have a generally arcuate shape to coincide with the shape of the apophyseal rings of the vertebrae. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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31. A fusion device for implanting between opposing vertebrae that define a disc space, comprising:
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a central member;
at least one pair of lateral members slidably coupled to said central member;
means for extending said lateral members from said central member into the disc space between the vertebrae; and
wherein the opposing vertebrae having apophyseal seal rings, said lateral members being shaped to engage the apophyseal seal rings of both opposing vertebrae when extended. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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33. An apparatus, comprising:
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a spinal implant including a central member defining an interior cavity and a pair of openings defined on opposite sides of said central member that open into said interior cavity, a pair of wings slidably received in said openings in said central member, and a shaft coupled to said wings, said shaft having at least one threaded portion threadedly engaging at least one of said wings. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
said openings have guide channels; and
said wings have guide rails slidably received in said guide channels.
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35. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein said at least one threaded portion has a pair of oppositely threaded portions at opposite ends of said shaft.
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36. The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising an inserter engaged with said implant to extend said wings.
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37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein said shaft on said spinal implant includes a gear.
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38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein said inserter includes:
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an actuation knob;
a drive shaft coupled to said knob;
a drive gear coupled to said drive shaft; and
an intermediate gear engaging said drive gear and said gear on said shaft of said spinal implant.
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Specification