Artificial functional spinal unit assemblies
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. An intervertebral implant for a human spine, comprising:
- an upper body comprising an inferior surface and a superior surface, wherein the superior surface of the upper body is configured to engage a first vertebra of the human spine;
a lower body comprising a superior surface and an inferior surface, wherein the inferior surface of the lower body is configured to engage a second vertebra of the human spine;
an insert configured to be positioned between the superior surface of the lower body and the inferior surface of the upper body before insertion of the intervertebral implant between the first vertebra and the second vertebra of the human spine; and
an expansion member configured to elevate the insert to increase a separation distance between the upper body and the lower body after insertion of the intervertebral implant in the human spine, and wherein a portion of the superior surface of the lower body is configured to inhibit backout of the expansion member from the intervertebral implant.
2 Assignments
Litigations
1 Petition
Accused Products
Abstract
An artificial functional spinal unit is provided comprising, generally, an expandable artificial intervertebral implant that can be placed via a posterior surgical approach and used in conjunction with one or more artificial facet joints to provide an anatomically correct range of motion. Expandable artificial intervertebral implants in both lordotic and non-lordotic designs are disclosed, as well as lordotic and non-lordotic expandable cages for both PLIF (posterior lumber interbody fusion) and TLIF (transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion) procedures. The expandable implants may have various shapes, such as round, square, rectangular, banana-shaped, kidney-shaped, or other similar shapes. By virtue of their posteriorly implanted approach, the disclosed artificial FSU'"'"'s allow for posterior decompression of the neural elements, reconstruction of all or part of the natural functional spinal unit, restoration and maintenance of lordosis, maintenance of motion, and restoration and maintenance of disc space height.
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Citations
53 Claims
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1. An intervertebral implant for a human spine, comprising:
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an upper body comprising an inferior surface and a superior surface, wherein the superior surface of the upper body is configured to engage a first vertebra of the human spine; a lower body comprising a superior surface and an inferior surface, wherein the inferior surface of the lower body is configured to engage a second vertebra of the human spine; an insert configured to be positioned between the superior surface of the lower body and the inferior surface of the upper body before insertion of the intervertebral implant between the first vertebra and the second vertebra of the human spine; and an expansion member configured to elevate the insert to increase a separation distance between the upper body and the lower body after insertion of the intervertebral implant in the human spine, and wherein a portion of the superior surface of the lower body is configured to inhibit backout of the expansion member from the intervertebral implant. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 31, 32, 33)
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5. An intervertebral implant for a human spine, comprising:
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a lower body comprising a superior surface and an inferior surface, wherein the inferior surface of the lower body is configured to engage a first vertebra of the human spine, and wherein the superior surface of the lower body comprises upwardly projecting extensions; an upper body comprising an inferior surface and a superior surface, wherein the superior surface of the upper body is configured to engage a second vertebra of the human spine, and wherein the upper body comprises recesses configured to accept the upwardly projecting extensions of the lower body; an insert configured to be positioned between the superior surface of the lower body and the inferior surface of the upper body before insertion of the intervertebral implant between the first vertebra and the second vertebra of the human spine; an expansion member configured to engage the insert to increase a separation distance between the upper body and the lower body after insertion of the intervertebral implant in the human spine; and wherein the upwardly projecting extensions of the lower body, when positioned in the recesses of the upper body, are configured to inhibit dislocation of the upper body from the lower body after insertion of the intervertebral implant in the human spine. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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9. An intervertebral implant for a human spine, comprising:
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an upper body comprising an inferior surface and a superior surface, wherein the superior surface of the upper body is configured to engage a first vertebra of the human spine, and wherein at least a portion of the inferior surface of the upper body is concave; a lower body comprising a superior surface and an inferior surface, wherein the inferior surface of the lower body is configured to engage a second vertebra of the human spine; an insert comprising a superior surface and an inferior surface, wherein at least a portion of the superior surface of the insert is convex, wherein at least a portion of the inferior surface of the insert is substantially flat, and wherein the insert is configured to be positioned between the superior surface of the lower body and at least the concave portion of the inferior surface of the upper body before insertion of the intervertebral implant between the first vertebra and the second vertebra of the human spine; and an expansion member configured to elevate the insert from the lower body to increase a separation distance between the upper body and the lower body after insertion of the intervertebral implant in the human spine. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. An intervertebral implant for a human spine, comprising:
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an upper body comprising an inferior surface and a superior surface, wherein the superior surface of the upper body is configured to engage a first vertebra of the human spine; a lower body comprising a superior surface and an inferior surface, wherein the inferior surface of the lower body is configured to engage a second vertebra of the human spine; an insert comprising a superior surface and an inferior surface, wherein the insert comprises one or more angled surfaces, and wherein the insert is configured to be positioned between the superior surface of the lower body and the inferior surface of the upper body before insertion of the intervertebral implant between the first vertebra and the second vertebra of the human spine; and an expansion member comprising one or more angled surfaces, wherein at least one of the angled surfaces of the expansion member is configured to engage at least one of the angled surfaces of the insert to increase a separation distance between the upper body and the lower body after insertion of the intervertebral implant in the human spine. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 38, 39, 40)
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17. An intervertebral implant for a human spine, comprising:
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an upper body comprising an inferior surface and a superior surface, wherein the superior surface of the upper body is configured to engage a first vertebra of the human spine, and wherein at least a portion of the inferior surface of the upper body is concave; a lower body comprising a superior surface and an inferior surface, wherein the inferior surface of the lower body is configured to engage a second vertebra of the human spine; an insert comprising an inferior surface, a superior surface, and one or more angled surfaces, wherein at least a portion of the superior surface of the insert is convex, and wherein the insert is configured to be positioned between the superior surface of the lower body and at least the concave portion of the inferior surface of the upper body before insertion of the intervertebral implant between the first vertebra and the second vertebra of the human spine; an expansion member comprising one or more angled surfaces, wherein at least one of the angled surfaces of the expansion member is configured to engage at least one of the angled surfaces of the insert to increase a separation distance between the upper body and the lower body after insertion of the intervertebral implant in the human spine; and wherein the implant is configured such that increasing the separation distance between the upper body and the lower body allows increased articulation of the intervertebral implant. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. An intervertebral implant for a human spine, comprising:
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an upper body comprising an inferior surface and a superior surface, wherein the superior surface of the upper body is configured to engage a first vertebra of the human spine, and wherein the upper body has a substantially banana shape; a lower body comprising a superior surface and an inferior surface, wherein the inferior surface of the lower body is configured to engage a second vertebra of the human spine, wherein the superior surface of the lower body comprises a ridge, and wherein the lower body has a substantially banana shape; an insert configured to be positioned between the superior surface of the lower body and the inferior surface of the upper body before insertion of the intervertebral implant between the first vertebra and the second vertebra of the human spine; an expansion member configured to engage the insert to increase a separation distance between the upper body and the lower body after insertion of the intervertebral implant in the human spine; and wherein the ridge on the lower body inhibits backout of the expansion member from the intervertebral implant after insertion of the intervertebral implant in the human spine. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An intervertebral implant for a human spine, comprising:
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a lower body comprising a superior surface and an inferior surface, wherein the inferior surface of the lower body is configured to engage a first vertebra of the human spine, and wherein the superior surface of the lower body comprises upwardly projecting extensions; an upper body comprising an inferior surface and a superior surface, wherein the superior surface of the upper body is configured to engage a second vertebra of the human spine, and wherein the inferior surface of the upper body comprises recesses configured to accept the upwardly projecting extensions of the lower body; an insert comprising an inferior surface, a superior surface, and one or more angled surfaces, wherein the insert is configured to be positioned between the superior surface of the lower body and the inferior surface of the upper body before insertion of the intervertebral implant between the first vertebra and the second vertebra of the human spine; an expansion member comprising one or more angled surfaces, wherein at least one of the angled surfaces of the expansion member is configured to engage at least one of the angled surfaces of the insert to increase a separation distance between the upper body and the lower body; and wherein the upwardly projecting extensions of the lower body and the recesses of the upper body are configured to promote alignment of the upper body and the lower body during expansion of the intervertebral implant, and wherein a portion of the superior surface of the lower body is configured to inhibit backout of the expansion member from the intervertebral implant after insertion of the intervertebral implant in the human spine. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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41. An intervertebral implant for a human spine, comprising:
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an upper body comprising an inferior surface and a superior surface, wherein the superior surface of the upper body is configured to engage a first vertebra of the human spine; a lower body comprising a superior surface and an inferior surface, wherein the inferior surface of the lower body is configured to engage a second vertebra of the human spine; at least one cable coupled to the upper body and the lower body to secure the upper body to the lower body; an insert configured to be positioned between the superior surface of the lower body and the inferior surface of the upper body before insertion of the intervertebral implant between the first vertebra and the second vertebra of the human spine; and an expansion member configured to elevate the insert to increase a separation distance between the upper body and the lower body after insertion of the intervertebral implant in the human spine, and wherein a portion of the superior surface of the lower body is configured to inhibit backout of the expansion member from the intervertebral implant. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44)
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45. An intervertebral implant for a human spine, comprising:
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an upper body comprising an inferior surface and a superior surface, wherein the superior surface of the upper body is configured to engage a first vertebra of the human spine, and wherein at least a portion of the inferior surface of the upper body is concave; a lower body comprising a superior surface and an inferior surface, wherein the inferior surface of the lower body is configured to engage a second vertebra of the human spine; at least one cable coupled to the upper body and the lower body to secure the upper body to the lower body; an insert comprising a superior surface and an inferior surface, wherein at least a portion of the superior surface of the insert is convex, wherein at least a portion of the inferior surface of the insert is substantially flat, and wherein the insert is configured to be positioned between the superior surface of the lower body and at least the concave portion of the inferior surface of the upper body before insertion of the intervertebral implant between the first vertebra and the second vertebra of the human spine; and an expansion member configured to elevate the insert from the lower body to increase a separation distance between the upper body and the lower body after insertion of the intervertebral implant in the human spine. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47)
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48. An intervertebral implant for a human spine, comprising:
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an upper body comprising an inferior surface and a superior surface, wherein the superior surface of the upper body is configured to engage a first vertebra of the human spine, and wherein at least a portion of the inferior surface of the upper body is concave; a lower body comprising a superior surface and an inferior surface, wherein the inferior surface of the lower body is configured to engage a second vertebra of the human spine; an insert configured to be positioned between the superior surface of the lower body and the inferior surface of the upper body before insertion of the intervertebral implant between the first vertebra and the second vertebra of the human spine, wherein at least a portion of a superior surface of the insert is convex; an expansion member configured to elevate the insert to increase a separation distance between the upper body and the lower body after insertion of the intervertebral implant in the human spine, and wherein a portion of the superior surface of the lower body is configured to inhibit backout of the expansion member from the intervertebral implant; and wherein the concave surface of the upper body interacts with the convex surface of the insert after use of the expansion member to allow for increased articulation of the intervertebral implant. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50)
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51. An intervertebral implant for a human spine, comprising:
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a lower body comprising a superior surface and an inferior surface, wherein the inferior surface of the lower body is configured to engage a first vertebra of the human spine, and wherein the superior surface of the lower body comprises upwardly projecting extensions; an upper body comprising an inferior surface and a superior surface, wherein the superior surface of the upper body is configured to engage a second vertebra of the human spine, wherein the upper body comprises recesses configured to accept the upwardly projecting extensions of the lower body, and wherein at least a portion of the inferior surface of the upper body is concave; an insert configured to be positioned between the superior surface of the lower body and the inferior surface of the upper body before insertion of the intervertebral implant between the first vertebra and the second vertebra of the human spine, wherein at least a portion of a superior surface of the insert is convex; an expansion member configured to engage the insert to increase a separation distance between the upper body and the lower body after insertion of the intervertebral implant in the human spine; and wherein the upwardly projecting extensions of the lower body when positioned in the recesses of the upper body are configured to inhibit dislocation of the upper body from the lower body after insertion of the intervertebral implant in the human spine, and wherein the concave surface of the upper body interacts with the convex surface of the insert after use of the expansion member to allow for increased articulation of the intervertebral implant. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53)
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Specification