Modular spinal fusion device

• US 7,037,339 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2002
• Issued: 05/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Zimmer Biomet Spine, Inc. (Zimvie Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Zimmer Spine, Inc. (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Houfburg, Rodney L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Robert, Eduardo C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAMANA, ANURADHA
• Application Number:
  US10/261,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20030078661A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: 623/11.11, 623/16.11, 623/17.11, 623/17.16, 623/23.5, 623/23.51, 623/23.56, 623/23.57, 623/23.58, 623/23.59, 623/23.6, 623/23.61, 623/23.63, 606/60, 606/61
• US Class Current: 623/17.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/28 Bones joints A61F2/30
• 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 2/4455 for the fusion of spinal bodies, e.g. intervertebral fusion of adjacent spinal bodies, e.g. fusion cages intervertebral discs A61F2/442
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4465 having a circular or kidney shaped cross-section substantially perpendicular to the axis of the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4611 of spinal prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/2817 Bone stimulation by chemical reactions or by osteogenic or biological products for enhancing ossification, e.g. by bone morphogenetic or morphogenic proteins [BMP] or by transforming growth factors [TGF]
• 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 2002/30075 swellable, e.g. when wetted
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30126 oval-O-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30235 tubular, e.g. sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30261 parallelepipedal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30329 Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30448 using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30449 the adhesive being cement
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30593 hollow
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30604 modular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30616 Sets comprising a plurality of prosthetic parts of different sizes or orientations
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30677 Means for introducing or releasing pharmaceutical products, e.g. antibiotics, into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3083 inclined obliquely with respect to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30836 knurled
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30841 : Sharp anchoring protrusions for impaction into the bone, e.g. sharp pins, spikes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30904 : serrated profile, i.e. saw-toothed
• 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 2002/4622 : having the shape of a forceps or a clamp
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4628 : with linear motion along or rotating motion about an axis transverse to the instrument axis or to the implantation direction, e.g. clamping
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0061 : swellable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0025 : Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/005 : using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0008 : elliptical or oval
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0069 : cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0082 : parallelepipedal
• 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 2310/00359 : Bone or bony tissue

Abstract

An implant is disclosed for use in stabilization of one or more bones, for example, adjacent vertebrae. The implant includes two or more coupled structural elements. Each structural element includes a first end spaced apart by a side surface from a second end. The side surfaces of each structural element include at least one recess and the structural elements are coupled by matingly engaging one or more recesses.

Claims

1. A modular implant for implantation between first and second adjacent vertebral bodies, the implant comprising:

a first and a second structural element, each said element including

a first end spaced apart from a second end by a side surface, and

one or more recesses in the side surface, wherein the recesses comprise notches extending within the side surface from the first end,

wherein in each structural element the first end is spaced apart from the second end by an inner side surface and an outer side surface, the recesses extending only partially from one end of each structural element and extending fully from the outer side surface to the inner side surface, of each structural element

wherein the first and second structural elements are coupled by engaging one or more recesses and wherein, when implanted, the first end of each of the first and second structural elements engages one of the first and second vertebral bodies and the second end of each of the first and second structural elements engages the other of the first and second vertebral bodies.

2. The implant according to claim 1, wherein at least one structural element comprises a wall defined by an inner surface of at least one opening, at least one load-bearing surface, and a side surface of the structural element.

3. The implant according to claim 2, wherein each structural element has a perimeter, wherein at least one structural element has a plurality of recesses defined in at least one load-bearing surface.

4. The implant according to claim 2, wherein coupling of the two structural elements essentially doubles the load bearing surface of the implant.

5. The implant according to claim 1, wherein at least one structural element has a shape in cross-section that is rounded.

6. The implant according to claim 5, wherein the rounded shape in cross-section is selected from a circle, an oval, an ellipse, and a triangulated circle.

7. The implant according to claim 1, wherein at least one structural element has a shape in cross-section that is different from at least one other structural element.

8. The implant according to claim 1, wherein at least one structural element is constructed from a material selected from bone, metal, ceramic, plastic, and combinations thereof.

9. The implant according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of structural elements having varied heights, such that the structural elements, when in an overlapping configuration, approximate a lordotic angle between at least two adjacent vertebrae.

10. The implant according to claim 1, further comprising first and second load bearing surfaces parallel to one another.

11. The implant according to claim 1, further comprising a bone growth enhancing material.

12. The implant according to claim 1, wherein an inner surface of at least one structural element faces an inner surface of at least one other structural element when the structural elements are in an overlapping configuration.

13. The implant according to claim 1, wherein at least one structural element is substantially cylindrical in shape, and at least one of the structural elements includes a void.

14. The implant according to claim 1, wherein the first and second structural elements each includes a sidewall extending between the first and second ends, wherein the sidewalls of the first and second structural elements overlap when the first and second structural elements are coupled.

15. The implant according to claim 1, wherein at least one structural element has an aspect ratio of greater than 1, and the modular implant has an aspect ratio less than or equal to 1.

16. The implant according to claim 1, wherein at least one structural element has a height between about 5 mm and about 20 mm and a width between about 7 and about 28 mm.

17. The implant according to claim 1, wherein the recess in the first structural element is configured for mating engagement with a complimentary recess in the second structural element.

18. The implant according to claim 1, wherein the first and second structural elements are coupled by interlocking.

19. The implant according to claim 1, wherein the first and second structural elements are coplanar whelk coupled by engaging one or more recesses.

20. The implant according to claim 1, wherein one or more recesses extend from the first end of the first structural element and one or more recesses extend from the second end of the second structural element that is coupled to the first structural element.

21. A method of fusing one or more bones, comprising:

providing a first and a second structural element, wherein each structural element includes a first end spaced apart from a second end by an inner side surface and an outer side surface; and

one or more notches extending only partially from one end of each structural element and extending fully from the outer side surface to the inner side surface of each structural element;

engaging one or more recesses of the first structural element with one or more recesses of the second structural element to form a modular implant; and

inserting the modular implant adapted for implantation between first and second adjacent vertebral bodies between the bones, wherein, when implanted, the first end of each of the first and second structural elements engages one of the first vertebral bodies and the second end of each of the first and second structural elements engages the other of the first and the second vertebral bodies.

22. A method of fusing one of more bones, comprising:

providing a first, second and third structural element, wherein each structural element includes a first end spaced apart from a second end by a side surface; and

one or more notches in the side surfaces extending from the first end;

engaging one or more notches of the first structural element with one or more notches of the second and third structural elements to form a modular implant; and

inserting the modular implant adapted for implantation between first and second adjacent vertebral bodies between the bones, wherein, when implanted, the first end of each of the first, second and third structural elements engages one of the first and second vertebral bodies and the second end of each of the first, second and third structural elements engages the other one of the first and second vertebral body.

23. A method for manufacturing a modular implant for implantation between first and second adjacent vertebral bodies, the method comprising:

cutting one or more structural elements from a segment of bone, wherein the structural elements each include first and second ends spaced apart by an inner side surface and an outer side surface;

forming one or more recesses in the side surfaces, wherein forming the recesses involves creating notches extending only partially from one end of each structural element and extending fully from the outer side surface to the inner side surface of each structural element, and

coupling two or more structural elements by engaging the recesses of one structural element with the recesses of another structural element, wherein, when implanted, the first end of each structural element is adapted to engage one of the first and second vertebral bodies and the second end of each structural element is adapted to engage the other one of the first and the second vertebral bodies.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein cutting the structural elements from a segment of bone involves forming the elements such that they have a shape in cross-section that is rounded.

25. A modular implant comprising:

a first end and a second end;

a body extending from the first end to the second end,

structural elements adapted to interlock in more than one orientation to form the body,

wherein the structural elements are adapted such that a same set of structural elements can both form a body of the implant that is curved, wherein each structural element is adjacent to no more than two other structural elements and a line connecting longitudinal axes of the structural elements is curved, if the structural elements are interlocked in a first orientation and form a body of the implant that is linear, wherein each structural element is adjacent to no more than two other structural elements and a line connecting longitudinal axes of the structural elements is generally linear, if the structural elements are interlocked in a second orientation.

26. A modular implant for implantation between first and second adjacent vertebral bodies, the implant comprising:

a first and a second structural element, each including

a first end spaced apart from a second end by a side surface; and

one or more recesses in the side surface,

wherein in each structural element the first end is spaced apart from the second end by an inner side surface and an outer side surface, the recesses extending only partially from one end of each structural element and extending fully from the outer side surface to the inner side surface of each structural element and wherein the first and second structural elements are coupled by engaging one or more recesses and wherein, when implanted, the first end of each of the first and second structural elements engages one of the first and second vertebral bodies and the second end of each of the first and second structural elements engages the other one of the first and second vertebral bodies.