Intervertebral implant

• US 8,105,382 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2007
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Depuy Synthes Products Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Interventional Spine, Inc (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Olmos, Fausto, Culbert, Brad, Flower, Bob
• Primary Examiner(s): SNOW, BRUCE EDWARD
• Application Number:
  US11/952,900
• Publication Number:
  US 20080140207A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,516 Days
• Field of Search: 623 1711- 1715
• US Class Current: 623/17.15
• CPC Class Codes: A01H 5/12 Leaves
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 13/00 Tobacco for pipes, for cigars, e.g. cigar inserts, or for cigarettes; Chewing tobacco; Snuff reconstituted tobacco products A24B3/14
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 15/18 Treatment of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes
• CPC Class Codes: A24D 1/00 Cigars; Cigarettes
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 47/00 Smokers' requisites not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/025 Joint distractors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0256 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30771 applied in original prostheses, e.g. holes or grooves
• 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 2/447 substantially parallelepipedal, e.g. having a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/46 Special tools or methods for implanting or extracting artificial joints, accessories, bone grafts or substitutes, or particular adaptations therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4611 of spinal prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4657 Measuring instruments used for implanting artificial joints for surgical instruments A61B90/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30062 (bio)absorbable, biodegradable, bioerodable, (bio)resorbable, resorptive
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30092 using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30387 Dovetail connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30507 using a threaded locking member, e.g. a locking screw or a set screw
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30522 releasable, e.g. using a releasable ratchet
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30523 by means of meshing gear teeth
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3055 for adjusting length
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30579 : with mechanically expandable devices, e.g. fixation devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30593 : hollow
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30677 : Means for introducing or releasing pharmaceutical products, e.g. antibiotics, into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30785 : parallel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30892 : parallel
• 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 2002/4629 : connected to the endoprosthesis or implant via a threaded connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4659 : for measuring a diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4661 : for measuring thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4667 : for measuring torque
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0004 : bioabsorbable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0025 : Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements
• 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: Y02E 50/10 : Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel

Abstract

An adjustable spinal fusion intervertebral implant is provided that can comprise upper and lower body portions that can each have proximal and distal wedge surfaces disposed at proximal and distal ends thereof. An actuator shaft disposed intermediate the upper and lower body portions can be actuated to cause proximal and distal protrusions to converge towards each other and contact the respective ones of the proximal and distal wedge surfaces. Such contact can thereby transfer the longitudinal movement of the proximal and distal protrusions against the proximal and distal wedge surfaces to cause the separation of the upper and lower body portions, thereby expanding the intervertebral implant. The upper and lower body portions can have side portions that help facilitate linear translational movement of the upper body portion relative to the lower body portion.

Claims

1. An adjustable spinal fusion intervertebral implant comprising:

upper and lower body portions each having proximal and distal surfaces at proximal and distal ends thereof, the proximal and distal surfaces of the upper and lower body portions generally facing each other, the proximal surfaces of the respective ones of the upper and lower body portions each defining a proximal slot therein, and distal surfaces of the respective ones of the upper and lower body portions each defining a distal slot therein;

a proximal wedge member disposed at the proximal ends of the respective ones of the upper and lower body portions, the proximal wedge member comprising upper and lower guide members extending at least partially into the respective ones of the proximal slots of the upper and lower body portions with at least a portion of the proximal wedge member contacting the proximal surfaces of the upper and lower body portions;

a distal wedge member disposed at the distal ends of the respective ones of the upper and lower body portions, the distal wedge member comprising upper and lower guide members extending at least partially into the respective ones of the distal slots of the upper and lower body portions with at least a portion of the distal wedge member contacting the distal surfaces of the upper and lower body portions; and

an actuator shaft received between the upper and lower body portions, the actuator shaft extending intermediate the distal and proximal wedge members, wherein rotation of the actuator shaft causes the distal and proximal wedge members to be drawn together such that longitudinal movement of the distal wedge member against the distal surfaces and the longitudinal movement of the proximal wedge member against the proximal surfaces causes separation of the upper and lower body portions;

wherein the upper body portion further comprises a pair of downwardly extending side portions with at least one groove, and the lower body portion further comprises a pair of upwardly extending side portions with at least one rib extending outwardly from a surface of the upwardly extending side portions, the at least one groove of the downwardly extending side portions engaging the at least one rib of the upwardly extending side portions to facilitate linear translational movement of the upper body portion relative to the lower body portion.

2. The implant of claim 1, wherein the proximal and distal surfaces of the upper and lower body portions are sloped.

3. The implant of claim 2, wherein the slots of the proximal and distal surfaces of the upper and lower body portions are sloped.

4. The implant of claim 3, wherein the slots of the proximal and distal surfaces of the upper and lower body portions are generally parallel to the respective proximal and distal surfaces of the upper and lower body portions.

5. The implant of claim 1, wherein the slots of the proximal and distal surfaces of the upper and lower body portions are generally dove-tailed.

6. The implant of claim 5, wherein the guide members of the proximal and distal wedge members are generally dovetailed.

7. The implant of claim 1, wherein the upper and lower body portions comprise generally arcuate respective upper and lower exterior engagement surfaces.

8. The implant of claim 1, wherein the proximal wedge member comprises an anti-rotational element, the anti-rotational engagement being configured to be engaged by an implant tool for preventing rotation of the implant when the actuator shaft is rotated relative to the implant.

9. The implant of claim 8, wherein the anti-rotational element comprises a pair of apertures extending into the proximal wedge member.

10. The implant of claim 1, wherein the downwardly extending side portions each comprise a first expansion limiting structure that engages with a second expansion limiting structure on each of the upwardly extending side portions to limit the linear translational movement of the upper body portion relative to the lower body portion.