Apparatus and method for anterior spinal stabilization
First Claim
1. An apparatus for stabilizing vertebral bodies adjacent a disc space of a human spine having a longitudinal axis, said apparatus comprising:
- an interbody spinal fusion implant adapted to be surgically implanted at least in part within the disc space between the adjacent vertebral bodies in a segment of the spine, said implant comprising upper and lower portions for contacting each of the adjacent vertebral bodies when positioned therein and a maximum height from said upper portion to said lower portion, each of said upper and lower portions having at least one opening adapted to communicate with one of the adjacent vertebral bodies, said openings of said upper and lower portions being in communication with one another and adapted for permitting for the growth of bone from adjacent vertebral body to adjacent vertebral body through said implant, said implant having an insertion end for entry into the spine and a trailing end opposite said insertion end; and
a spinal fixation device detachably coupled to said trailing end of said spinal implant and adapted to be attached to both of the adjacent vertebral bodies while coupled to said trailing end of said implant, said spinal fixation device having a length generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the spine when said spinal fixation device is engaged to the adjacent vertebral bodies, the length of said fixation device being greater than the maximum height of said implant.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A spinal fixation device for stabilizing one or more segments of the human spine and for preventing the dislodgement of intervertebral spinal fusion implants, which remains permanently fixated once applied. The spinal fixation device of the present invention comprises of a staple member made of material appropriate for human surgical implantation which is of sufficient length to span the disc space between two adjacent vertebrae and to engage, via essentially perpendicular extending projections, the vertebrae adjacent to that disc space. A portion of the staple of the spinal fixation device interdigitates with an already implanted intervertebral spinal fusion implant which itself spans the disc space to engage the adjacent vertebrae, and the spinal fixation deice is bound to the spinal fusion implant by a locking means. The spinal fixation device of the present invention is of great utility in restraining the vertebrae adjacent to the spinal fusion implant from moving apart as the spine is extended and also serves as an anchor for a multi-segmental spinal alignment means for aligning more that one segment of the spine.
288 Citations
103 Claims
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1. An apparatus for stabilizing vertebral bodies adjacent a disc space of a human spine having a longitudinal axis, said apparatus comprising:
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an interbody spinal fusion implant adapted to be surgically implanted at least in part within the disc space between the adjacent vertebral bodies in a segment of the spine, said implant comprising upper and lower portions for contacting each of the adjacent vertebral bodies when positioned therein and a maximum height from said upper portion to said lower portion, each of said upper and lower portions having at least one opening adapted to communicate with one of the adjacent vertebral bodies, said openings of said upper and lower portions being in communication with one another and adapted for permitting for the growth of bone from adjacent vertebral body to adjacent vertebral body through said implant, said implant having an insertion end for entry into the spine and a trailing end opposite said insertion end; and a spinal fixation device detachably coupled to said trailing end of said spinal implant and adapted to be attached to both of the adjacent vertebral bodies while coupled to said trailing end of said implant, said spinal fixation device having a length generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the spine when said spinal fixation device is engaged to the adjacent vertebral bodies, the length of said fixation device being greater than the maximum height of said implant. - 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, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 95, 100, 101, 102, 103)
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35. An apparatus for replacing a portion of an anterior longitudinal ligament that has been at least in part surgically removed to access a disc space between two adjacent vertebral bodies of a human spine having a longitudinal axis, said apparatus comprising:
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an interbody spinal fusion implant adapted to be surgically implanted at least in part within the disc space between the two adjacent vertebral bodies in a segment of the spine, said implant comprising upper and lower portions for contacting each of the adjacent vertebral bodies when positioned therein and a maximum height from said upper portion to said lower portion, each of said upper and lower portions having at least one opening adapted to communicate with one of the adjacent vertebral bodies, said openings of said upper and lower portions being in communication with one another and adapted for permitting for the growth of bone from adjacent vertebral body to adjacent vertebral body through said implant, said implant having an insertion end for entry into the spine and a trailing end opposite said insertion end; and an anterior longitudinal ligament replacement member detachably coupled to said trailing end of said spinal implant and adapted to be attached to both of the two adjacent vertebral bodies while coupled to said trailing end of said implant, said ligament replacement member having a length generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the spine when said ligament replacement member is engaged to the adjacent vertebral bodies, the length of said ligament replacement member being greater than the maximum height of said implant, the length of said ligament replacement member being sufficient to connect to each of the vertebral bodies adjacent to the disc space to replace at least a portion of the removed anterior longitudinal ligament. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 96)
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69. A method for stabilizing two vertebral bodies adjacent a disc space of a human spine having a longitudinal axis, comprising the steps of:
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removing at least a portion of an anterior longitudinal ligament of a segment of the human spine to access the disc space; forming an implantation space across the disc space and into a portion of the adjacent vertebral bodies; implanting an interbody spinal implant adapted to be surgically implanted at least in part within the implantation space, the spinal implant being adapted to contact both of the vertebral bodies adjacent to the disc space when the disc space has been restored to approximate a normal height for the disc space, the spinal implant having a height generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the spine when the implant is implanted at least in part within the implantation space; and replacing the removed portion of the anterior longitudinal ligament by attaching an anterior longitudinal ligament replacement member to both of the two adjacent vertebral bodies, the ligament replacement member being detachably coupled to the spinal implant, the ligament replacement member having a length generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the spine when the ligament replacement member is engaged to the adjacent vertebral bodies, the length of the ligament replacement member being greater than the maximum height of the implant. - View Dependent Claims (70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 97)
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78. A spinal system for use in the human spine having a longitudinal axis, said system comprising:
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a first implant including a first body portion positionable in a disc space between adjacent upper and lower vertebral bodies, the disc space having a height from one of the adjacent vertebral bodies to the other of the adjacent vertebral bodies; a second implant including a second body portion positionable in the disc space between adjacent upper and lower vertebral bodies; and a ligament replacement member extending from each of said first body portion and said second body portion, said ligament replacement member having a length generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the spine when said ligament replacement member is engaged to the adjacent vertebral bodies, the length of said ligament replacement member being greater than the height of the disc space. - View Dependent Claims (79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 98)
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87. A spinal system for use in the human spine having a longitudinal axis, said system comprising:
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a first implant including a first body portion positionable in a disc space between adjacent upper and lower vertebral bodies; a second implant including a second body portion positionable in the disc space between adjacent upper and lower vertebral bodies; a ligament replacement member extending from each of said first body portion and said second body portion and positionable along the upper vertebral body and along the lower vertebral body when said first body portion and said second body portion are positioned in the disc space; and a plurality of fasteners, said ligament replacement member having a plurality of openings configured to receive said fasteners, one of said openings being adapted to position one of said fasteners through said ligament replacement member and into one of the adjacent vertebral bodies, another of said openings being adapted to position another of said fasteners through said ligament replacement member and into the other of the adjacent vertebral bodies. - View Dependent Claims (88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 99)
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Specification