Intervertebral disc prosthesis

• US 7,682,396 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2003
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LDR Medical
• Original Assignee: LDR Medical
• Inventors: Fuentes, Jean-Marc, Dufour, Thierry, Beaurain, Jacques, Vital, Jean-Marc, Huppert, Jean
• Primary Examiner(s): Barrett; Thomas C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yang; Andrew
• Application Number:
  US10/533,846
• Publication Number:
  US 20060155377A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,335 Days
• Field of Search: 623 1711- 1716, 606/61, 606/246, 606/279
• US Class Current: 623/17.14
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0642 for bones, e.g. for osteosynthesis or connecting tendon to bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0644 penetrating the tissue, deformable to closed position
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0647 having one single leg, e.g. tacks
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0811 Fixation devices for tendons or ligaments
• 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 2002/0882 Anchor in or on top of a bone tunnel, i.e. a hole running through the entire bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30354 Cylindrically-shaped protrusion and recess, e.g. cylinder of circular basis
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30365 with additional means for limiting said rotation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30369 Limited lateral translation of the protrusion within a larger recess
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30393 with additional means for limiting said rotation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30397 Limited lateral translation of the rib within a larger groove
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30398 Sliding
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30433 using additional screws, bolts, dowels, rivets or washers e.g. connecting screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30535 Special structural features of bone or joint prostheses not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30576 with extending fixation tabs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30616 Sets comprising a plurality of prosthetic parts of different sizes or orientations
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30662 with rotation-limiting means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30841 Sharp anchoring protrusions for impaction into the bone, e.g. sharp pins, spikes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30884 Fins or wings, e.g. longitudinal wings for preventing rotation within the bone cavity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/443 : having two transversal endplates and at least one intermediate component
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0008 : Fixation appliances for connecting prostheses to the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0016 : with sharp anchoring protrusions, e.g. barbs, pins, spikes
• 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 2220/0041 : using additional screws, bolts, dowels or rivets, e.g. connecting screws

Abstract

The present invention relates to an intervertebral disk prosthesis comprising at least three parts including a first plate, referred to as the upper plate (1), a second plate, referred to as the lower plate (2), and a core (3), the upper surface of the core (3) being in contact with at least part (10) of the lower surface of the upper plate (1) and the lower surface of the core (3) being in contact with at least part of the upper surface of the lower plate (2), and the lower plate (1) being movable at least with respect to the core (3), characterised in that there are cooperation means between the lower to plate (2) and the core (3), so as to limit or eliminate translation movements of the core (3) with respect to the lower plate (2) along an axis substantially parallel to the lower plate (2), and to limit or eliminate rotation movements of the core (3) with respect to the lower plate (2), around an axis substantially perpendicular to the lower plate (2), the planes passing through the upper (1) is and lower (2) plates forming a substantially constant angle.

Claims

1. Intervertebral disc prosthesis comprising an upper plate, a lower plate, and a core, a curved upper surface of the core being in contact with at least part of a curved lower surface of the upper plate and a lower surface of the core being in contact with at least part of an upper surface of the lower plate with an angle between respective planes of the upper and lower plates being obtained by the core having an acute angle in a front-rear direction, and the upper plate being moveable at least with respect to the core and the core being movable in translation and rotation with respect to the lower plate, and in which there are cooperation means not located in the middle of the core between the lower plate and the core, so as to limit translation movements of the core with respect to the lower plate around an axis substantially parallel to the lower plate when the intervertebral disc prosthesis is assembled, and to limit or eliminate rotation movements of the core with respect to the lower plate around an axis substantially perpendicular to the lower plate when the intervertebral disc prosthesis is assembled, in which the lower plate comprises male means cooperating with female means of the core and the male means of the lower plate are two pins curved towards the inside of the prosthesis and located opposite each other on two edges of the prosthesis, and in that the female means of the core are two recesses.

2. Intervertebral disc prosthesis according to claim 1, in which the lower plate and the upper plate are assembled with a second core rather than the core and the second core has a thickness that differs from the thickness of the core.

3. Intervertebral disc prosthesis according to claim 2, in which the angle between the upper and lower plates is between 0°

and 15°

.

4. Intervertebral disc prosthesis according to claim 1, in which the core is movable with respect to the upper and/or lower plates, to compensate for relative positioning defects between the upper plate, the lower plate and the core of the prosthesis.

5. Intervertebral disc prosthesis according to claim 1, in which at least part of the lower surface of the upper plate is concave and complementary to the upper surface of the core.

6. Intervertebral disc prosthesis according to any one of claim 1, in which the dimensions of each male means are less than those of each female means so as to enable a slight clearance between the core and the lower plate.

7. Intervertebral disc prosthesis according to any one of claim 1, in which the dimensions of each male means are substantially the same as those of each female means so as to inhibit clearance between the core and the lower plate.

8. Intervertebral disc prosthesis according to claim 1, in which at least one of the pins is replaced by a lug equipped with a drilling whereon a tag using a dowel entering the drilling.

9. Intervertebral disc prosthesis according to claim 1, in which the core is made of polyethylene.

10. Intervertebral disc prosthesis according to claim 1, in which the lower plate comprises one or more openings along its front side, provided to receive prosthesis anchoring means in a vertebra.

11. Intervertebral disc prosthesis according to claim 10, in which the opening of the lower plate is rectangular, and in which the anchoring means comprise a body, forming an acute angle with the lower plate, and a head.

12. Intervertebral disc prosthesis according to claim 10, in which the openings of the lower plate are circular, and in which the anchoring means are nail-shaped.

13. Intervertebral disc prosthesis according to claim 1, in which the upper plate is convex on at least part of its upper surface to fit into the shape of the vertebrae.

14. An intervertebral disc prosthesis for substitution of a fibrocartilaginous disc between adjacent vertebra in a spinal column comprising:

an upper plate having a curved lower surface;

a lower plate having an upper surface;

a core having an upper surface and a lower surface,

the upper surface of the core being curved and configured for contact with at least part of the curved lower surface of the upper plate and

the lower surface of the core being configured for contact with at least part of the upper surface of the lower plate, said contact of the lower surface of the core with at least part of the upper surface of the lower plate being configured for translation movements of the core with respect to the lower plate along an axis substantially parallel to the upper surface of the lower plate and for rotation movements of the core with respect to the lower plate around an axis substantially perpendicular to the upper surface of the lower plate when the intervertebral disc prosthesis is assembled; and

a stop comprising a male portion disposed on the lower plate and a female portion disposed on the core, the male portion and the female portion each located along an edge of the prosthesis, and the male portion and the female portion each configured to limit translation movements of the core with respect to lower plate and rotation movements of the core with respect to the lower plate, in which the male portion is a tag fixed by a dowel.

15. An intervertebral disc prosthesis according to claim 14 in which the upper surface of the core is convex and the lower surface of the upper plate is concave, and the lower surface of the core and the upper surface of the lower plate are each substantially planar.

16. An intervertebral disc prosthesis according to claim 15 in which the upper plate has an upper surface that is convex and the lower plate has a lower surface that is substantially planar.

17. An intervertebral disc prosthesis according to claim 16 further comprising anchors configured to engage an adjacent vertebra.

18. An intervertebral disc prosthesis according to claim 17 in which the anchors are disposed on opposite sides of the prosthesis.

19. An intervertebral disc prosthesis according to claim 14, in which the female portion is a recess.

20. An intervertebral disc prosthesis according to claim 19 in which the recess is a groove.

21. An intervertebral disc prosthesis according to claim 14 in which the core forms an acute angle in a front-rear direction.

22. An intervertebral disc prosthesis according to claim 14 in which the core can have different thicknesses.

23. An intervertebral disc prosthesis for substitution of a fibrocartilaginous disc between adjacent vertebra in a spinal column comprising:

an upper plate having a curved lower surface;

a lower plate having an upper surface;

a core having an upper surface and a lower surface,

the upper surface of the core being curved and configured for contact with at least part of the curved lower surface of the upper plate and

the lower surface of the core being configured for contact with at least part of the upper surface of the lower plate, said contact of the lower surface of the cote with at least part of the upper surface of the lower plate being configured for translation movements of the core with respect to the lower plate along an axis substantially parallel to the upper surface of the lower plate and for rotation movements of the core with respect to the lower plate around an axis substantially perpendicular to the upper surface of the lower plate when the intervertebral disc prosthesis is assembled; and

a stop comprising a male portion disposed on the lower plate and a female portion disposed on the core, the male portion and the female portion each located along an edge of the prosthesis, and the male portion and the female portion each configured to limit translation movements of the core with respect to lower plate and rotation movements of the core with respect to the lower plate, in which the male portion is an inwardly curved pin.

24. An intervertebral disc prosthesis according to claim 23 in which the upper surface of the core is convex and the lower surface of the upper plate is concave, and the lower surface of the core and the upper surface of the lower plate are each substantially planar.

25. An intervertebral disc prosthesis according to claim 24 in which the upper plate has an upper surface that is convex and the lower plate has a lower surface that is substantially planar.

26. An intervertebral disc prosthesis according to claim 25 further comprising anchors configured to engage an adjacent vertebra.

27. An intervertebral disc prosthesis according to claim 26 in which the anchors are disposed on opposite sides of the prosthesis.

28. An intervertebral disc prosthesis according to claim 23 in which the female portion is a recess.

29. An intervertebral disc prosthesis according to claim 28 in which the recess is a groove.

30. An intervertebral disc prosthesis according to claim 23 in which the core forms an acute angle in a front-rear direction.

31. An intervertebral disc prosthesis according to claim 23 in which the core can have different thicknesses.