Artificial intervertebral disc device

• US 7,001,433 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2002
• Issued: 02/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Surgical Technology Incorporated (Surgalign Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Gephart, Matthew P., Kilpela, Thomas S., Janowski, Brian P., Berrevoets, Gregory A., Songer, Matthew N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Isabella, David J.
• Application Number:
  US10/282,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20030220691A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,211 Days
• Field of Search: 623 1711- 1716, 623/47, 623/48, 623/49, 623/50, 623/51, 623/52, 606/61
• US Class Current: 623/17.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30742 Bellows or hose-like seals; Sealing membranes A61B17/8808 takes precedence; sealing membranes for retaining bone substitute A61F2/2846
• 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 2/4425 made of articulated components
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30014 differing in elasticity, stiffness or compressibility
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30016 differing in hardness, e.g. Vickers, Shore, Brinell
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30123 with two diametrically opposed lobes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/302 toroidal, e.g. rings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30242 spherical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30245 Partial spheres
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30299 umbrella-shaped or mushroom-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30331 made by longitudinally pushing a protrusion into a complementarily-shaped recess, e.g. held by friction fit
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3039 with possibility of relative movement of the rib within the groove
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/305 Snap connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30528 Means for limiting said movement
• 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 2002/30581 having a pocket filled with fluid, e.g. liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30649 Ball-and-socket joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30673 Lubricating means, e.g. synovial pocket
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30685 Means for reducing or preventing the generation of wear particulates
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30738 : Sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30784 : Plurality of holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30841 : Sharp anchoring protrusions for impaction into the bone, e.g. sharp pins, spikes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30919 : Sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30934 : Special articulating surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30935 : Concave articulating surface composed of a central conforming area surrounded by a peripheral annular non-conforming area
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/443 : having two transversal endplates and at least one intermediate component
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/444 : for replacing the nucleus pulposus
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0025 : Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0033 : made by longitudinally pushing a protrusion into a complementary-shaped recess, e.g. held by friction fit
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0006 : circular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0065 : toroidal, e.g. ring-shaped, doughnut-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0071 : spherical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0093 : Umbrella-shaped, e.g. mushroom-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0018 : differing in elasticity, stiffness or compressibility
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0019 : differing in hardness, e.g. Vickers, Shore, Brinell
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00017 : Iron- or Fe-based alloys, e.g. stainless steel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00023 : Titanium or titanium-based alloys, e.g. Ti-Ni alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00179 : Ceramics or ceramic-like structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00574 : Coating or prosthesis-covering structure made of carbon, e.g. of pyrocarbon
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 606/907 : Composed of particular material or coated

Abstract

Artificial disc devices are disclosed that restore correct anatomical intervertebral spacing for damaged discs while maintaining a substantially normal range of biomechanical movement for the vertebrae between which they are implanted. The disc devices include center bearing and outer or annular bearing portions with the center bearing portion including generally axially extending locating surfaces which cooperate with the facing vertebral surfaces to resist migration. The outer bearing portion is for load bearing or load sharing with the center bearing portion and includes surfaces that extend radially toward the periphery of the vertebrae so that subsidence about the center bearing portion is minimized. Alternate forms of the disc devices include one with an axially enlarged center ball bearing having an annular ring bearing extending thereabout and another having upper and lower plate members with a central bumper member and a surrounding resilient annular member therebetween.

Claims

1. A spinal artificial disc device for being implanted between adjacent upper and lower vertebrae spaced apart in an axial direction, the artificial disc device comprising:

upper and lower arcuate central bearing surface portions having a configuration generally extending in the axial direction for projecting toward and slidingly engaging against respective facing vertebral surfaces of the upper and lower vertebrae;

upper and lower outer bearing surface portions generally extending in a radial direction outward from corresponding upper and lower central bearing surface portions such that the upper and lower outer bearing surface portions project along the vertebral surfaces,

the upper and lower central bearing surface portions being spaced in the axial direction by a greater distance than the outer bearing surface portions are spaced in the axial direction, the central and outer bearing surface portions sharing compressive loads on the vertebral surfaces for minimizing vertebral subsidence about the axially extending central bearing surface portions; and

junctures between the axially extending upper and lower central bearing surface portions and the radially extending corresponding upper and lower outer bearing surface portions, wherein the central bearing surface portions are formed on a central ball bearing having an outer spherical surface, and the outer bearing surface portions are formed on an outer annular bearing, the outer annular bearing including an inner side surface facing the outer spherical surface of the central ball bearing and being configured to allow relative rotation between the central ball bearing and the outer annular bearing.

2. A spinal artificial disc device for being implanted between adjacent upper and lower vertebrae spaced apart in an axial direction, the artificial disc device comprising:

upper and lower arcuate central bearing surface portions having a configuration generally extending in the axial direction for projecting toward and slidingly engaging against respective facing vertebral surfaces of the upper and lower vertebrae;

upper and lower outer bearing surface portions generally extending in a radial direction outward from corresponding upper and lower central bearing surface portions such that the upper and lower outer bearing surface portions project along the vertebral surfaces,

the upper and lower central bearing surface portions being spaced in the axial direction by a greater distance than the outer bearing surface portions are spaced in the axial direction, the central and outer bearing surface portions sharing compressive loads on the vertebral surfaces for minimizing vertebral subsidence about the axially extending central bearing surface portions; and

junctures between the axially extending upper and lower central bearing surface portions and the radially extending corresponding upper and lower outer bearing surface portions, wherein the upper and lower outer bearing surface portions are formed on an outer bearing portion, the outer bearing portion having inner surface portions adjacent the central bearing surface portions, the inner surface portions and central bearing surface portions configured to allow relative movement between the inner surface portions and central bearing surface portions.

3. The artificial disc device of claim 2 wherein the outer bearing portion includes a body having an annular portion, and

a central bearing portion with the outer bearing annular body portion extending about the central bearing portion and central bearing surface portions.

4. The artificial disc device of claim 3 wherein the annular outer bearing portion and central bearing portions are distinct members.

5. A spinal artificial disc device for being implanted between adjacent upper and lower vertebrae spaced apart in an axial direction, the artificial disc device comprising:

upper and lower arcuate central bearing surface portions having a configuration generally extending in the axial direction for projecting toward and slidingly engaging against respective facing vertebral surfaces of the upper and lower vertebrae;

upper and lower outer bearing surface portions generally extending in a radial direction outward from corresponding upper and lower central bearing surface portions such that the upper and lower outer bearing surface portions project along the vertebral surfaces,

the upper and lower central bearing surface portions being spaced in the axial direction by a greater distance than the outer bearing surface portions are spaced in the axial direction, the central and outer bearing surface portions sharing compressive loads on the vertebral surfaces for minimizing vertebral subsidence about the axially extending central bearing surface portions;

junctures between the axially extending upper and lower central bearing surface portions and the radially extending corresponding upper and lower outer bearing surface portions;

an outer bearing portion extending about the central bearing surface portions and having a body with the outer bearing surface portions formed thereon, the body of the outer bearing portion being of a resilient material and the central bearing surface portions being of a material harder than the resilient material, and

a compression limiter in the body of the outer bearing portion that is of a material harder than that of the outer bearing portion body to resist deformation thereof under compressive loads.

6. The artificial disc device of claim 5 wherein the outer bearing portion includes an annular body portion, and the compression limiter comprises a ring embedded in the annular body portion.

7. An artificial disc device for being implanted between upper and lower vertebrae, the artificial disc device comprising:

a central bearing for being inserted between the upper and lower vertebrae;

upper and lower arcuate central bearing surface portions of the central bearing that seat in arcuate recesses formed in respective facing vertebral surfaces to resist migration of the central bearing from between the vertebrae;

an annular outer bearing extending around the central bearing so that the outer bearing is kept between the upper and lower vertebrae by the central bearing; and

upper and lower outer bearing surface portions of the outer bearing extending in a radial direction outward from corresponding upper and lower central bearing surface portions of the central bearing for sharing loads therewith to minimize highly localized loading on the bearing surface portions, the upper and lower bearing surface portions configured to slidingly engage the upper and lower vertebrae, wherein the annular outer bearing has an inner diameter sized to permit the central bearing to be located therein and to allow relative movement therebetween.

8. An artificial disc device for being implanted between upper and lower vertebrae, the artificial disc device comprising:

a central bearing for being inserted between the upper and lower vertebrae;

upper and lower arcuate central bearing surface portions of the central bearing that seat in arcuate recesses formed in respective facing vertebral surfaces to resist migration of the central bearing from between the vertebrae;

an annular outer bearing extending around the central bearing so that the outer bearing is kept between the upper and lower vertebrae by the central bearing; and

upper and lower outer bearing surface portions of the outer bearing extending in a radial direction outward from corresponding upper and lower central bearing surface portions of the central bearing for sharing loads therewith to minimize highly localized loading on the bearing surface portions, the upper and lower bearing surface portions configured to slidingly engage the upper and lower vertebrae, wherein the central bearing has a generally spherical outer surface including the central bearing surface portions, and the outer bearing includes a central axial through opening in which the central bearing resides and an arcuate inner side surface extending about the opening and facing the spherical central bearing, the arcuate side surface generally having the same radius of curvature as that of the spherical outer surface to allow substantially free rotation of the central bearing seated in the vertebral recesses.

9. The artificial disc device of claim 8 wherein the spherical outer surface has a predetermined diameter, and the outer bearing upper and lower surface portions are axially spaced by a distance that is less than the predetermined diameter so that the central spherical bearing is axially enlarged relative to the annular outer bearing.

10. An artificial disc device for being implanted between upper and lower vertebrae, the artificial disc device comprising:

a central bearing for being inserted between the upper and lower vertebrae;

upper and lower arcuate central bearing surface portions of the central bearing that seat in arcuate recesses formed in respective facing vertebral surfaces to resist migration of the central bearing from between the vertebrae;

an annular outer bearing extending around the central bearing so that the outer bearing is kept between the upper and lower vertebrae by the central bearing; and

upper and lower outer bearing surface portions of the outer bearing extending in a radial direction outward from corresponding upper and lower central bearing surface portions of the central bearing for sharing loads therewith to minimize highly localized loading on the bearing surface portions, the upper and lower bearing surface portions configured to slidingly engage the upper and lower vertebrae, wherein the outer annular bearing has a central axial through opening, and the central bearing has a body that is axially elongated to extend through the central opening with the upper and lower arcuate surface bearing portions extending axially beyond the corresponding upper and lower outer bearing surface portions.

11. An artificial disc device for being implanted between upper and lower vertebrae, the artificial disc device comprising:

a central bearing for being inserted between the upper and lower vertebrae;

upper and lower arcuate central bearing surface portions of the central bearing that seat in arcuate recesses formed in respective facing vertebral surfaces to resist migration of the central bearing from between the vertebrae;

an annular outer bearing extending around the central bearing so that the outer bearing is kept between the upper and lower vertebrae by the central bearing; and

upper and lower outer bearing surface portions of the outer bearing extending in a radial direction outward from corresponding upper and lower central bearing surface portions of the central bearing for sharing loads therewith to minimize highly localized loading on the bearing surface portions, the upper and lower bearing surface portions configured to slidingly engage the upper and lower vertebrae, wherein the central bearing is of a harder material than the outer bearing to maintain conformity of the arcuate surface portions in the vertebral recesses.