Lockable spinal implant
First Claim
1. A spinal implant for placement between superior and inferior vertebral bodies, comprising:
- a. a first member having a surface for engaging an end of the superior vertebral body;
b. a second member having a surface for engaging an end of the inferior vertebral body;
c. at least one extendable support element having a contracted configuration to facilitate deployment of the implant between the superior and inferior vertebral bodies and at least one extended configuration to extend the first member so that the surface thereof engages the end of the superior vertebral body, said at least one extendable support element comprising a cylinder carried by one of said first and second members and a piston disposed in said cylinder, said piston being configured to be actuated by fluid applied to the cylinder; and
d. a locking system which has a locking element that mechanically engages or interlocks with the extendable support element or the first member to lock the implant between the superior and inferior vertebral bodies in an expanded configuration.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A spinal implant which is configured to be deployed between adjacent vertebral bodies. The implant has at least one extendable support element with a retracted configuration to facilitate deployment of the implant and an extended configuration so as to expand the implant and effectively distract the disc space, stabilize the motion segments and eliminate pathologic spine motion. Angular deformities can also be corrected, and natural curvatures restored. Preferably, the implant has a minimal dimension in its unexpanded state that is smaller than the dimensions of the neuroforamen through which it typically passes to be deployed within the intervertebral space. The implant is provided with a locking system preferably having a plurality of locking elements to lock the implant in an extended configuration.
435 Citations
59 Claims
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1. A spinal implant for placement between superior and inferior vertebral bodies, comprising:
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a. a first member having a surface for engaging an end of the superior vertebral body; b. a second member having a surface for engaging an end of the inferior vertebral body; c. at least one extendable support element having a contracted configuration to facilitate deployment of the implant between the superior and inferior vertebral bodies and at least one extended configuration to extend the first member so that the surface thereof engages the end of the superior vertebral body, said at least one extendable support element comprising a cylinder carried by one of said first and second members and a piston disposed in said cylinder, said piston being configured to be actuated by fluid applied to the cylinder; and d. a locking system which has a locking element that mechanically engages or interlocks with the extendable support element or the first member to lock the implant between the superior and inferior vertebral bodies in an expanded configuration. - 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, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A spinal implant for placement between superior and inferior vertebral bodies, comprising:
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a. a first member having a surface for engaging an end of the superior vertebral body; b. a second member having a surface for engaging an end of the inferior vertebral body; c. at least one extendable support element having a contracted configuration to facilitate deployment of the implant between the superior and inferior vertebral bodies and at least one extended configuration to extend the first member so that the surface thereof engages the end of the superior vertebral body said at least one extendable support element comprising a cylinder carried by one of said first and second members and a piston disposed in said cylinder, said piston being configured to be actuated by fluid applied to the cylinder; and d. a locking system comprising a plurality of inter-engaging locking elements that mechanically engages or interlocks with the extendable support element or the first member to lock the implant between the superior and inferior vertebral bodies in an expanded configuration; wherein one of the inter-engaging locking elements is a locking actuator configured to move the locking element into mechanical engagement or interlock with the extendable support element or first member after expansion of the expandable support member so as to lock the implant in an expanded configuration.
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55. A spinal implant for placement between adjacent vertebral bodies, comprising:
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a. a top end plate for engaging an end of a first adjacent vertebral body; b. a bottom end plate for engaging an end of a second adjacent vertebral body; c. at least one extendable piston member received in a cylinder carried by one of said end plates, said piston being configured to be actuated by fluid applied to said cylinder, the piston member having a contracted configuration within the implant to facilitate deployment of the implant between the first and second vertebral bodies and an extended configuration to extend the top end plate into engagement with the end of the first adjacent vertebral body; d. an upper lock support member having a multi-stepped support surface; e. a lower lock support member having a multi-stepped support surface configured to engage the multi-stepped support surface of the upper lock support member; and f. a locking actuator which causes relative motion between the upper and lower lock support members when the at least one extendable member is extended so as to lock the implant in an expanded configuration by engaging the multi-stepped support surfaces of the upper lock support members and the lower lock support members. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58)
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59. A spinal implant for placement between superior and inferior vertebral bodies, comprising:
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a. a first member having a surface for engaging an end of the superior vertebral body; b. a second member having a surface for engaging an end of the inferior vertebral body; c. at least one extendable support element having a contracted configuration to facilitate deployment of the implant between the superior and inferior vertebral bodies and an extended configuration to extend the first member so that the surface thereof engages the end of the superior vertebral body said support element comprising a cylinder carried by one of said first and second members and a piston disposed in said cylinder, said piston being configured to be actuated by fluid applied to the cylinder; and d. a locking system comprising an upper lock support member that engages or is coupled to the extendable support element or the first member and a lower lock support member which frictionally engages the upper lock support member to lock the implant between the superior and inferior vertebral bodies in an expanded configuration, and an actuating member received in an arcuate channel formed in said first or second member, the actuating member acting on one of said upper or lower lock support members to force the upper and lower lock support into engagement when the extendable support element is extended.
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Specification