Angling inserter tool for expandable vertebral implant

• US 8,870,880 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2012
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Globus Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Globus Medical, Inc.
• Inventors: Himmelberger, James, McLaughlin, Colm, Weiman, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Hammond, Ellen C
• Assistant Examiner(s): JOHANAS, JACQUELINE T
• Application Number:
  US13/421,411
• Publication Number:
  US 20120232659A1
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• Field of Search: 606/86.A, 606/86.B, 606/99, 606/279, 623 1711- 1716
• US Class Current: 606/86.A
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/44 for the spine, e.g. vertebrae, spinal discs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4425 made of articulated components
• 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 2/4465 having a circular or kidney shaped cross-section substantially perpendicular to the axis of the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4603 for insertion or extraction of endoprosthetic joints or of accessories thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4611 of spinal prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4684 Trial or dummy prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/2817 Bone stimulation by chemical reactions or by osteogenic or biological products for enhancing ossification, e.g. by bone morphogenetic or morphogenic proteins [BMP] or by transforming growth factors [TGF]
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/2835 Bone graft implants for filling a bony defect or an endoprosthesis cavity, e.g. by synthetic material or biological material
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3008 radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30383 made by laterally inserting a protrusion, e.g. a rib into a complementarily-shaped groove
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30393 with additional means for limiting said rotation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30395 with additional means for preventing or locking said rotation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30405 made by screwing complementary threads machined on the parts themselves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30477 using sharp protrusions, e.g. spikes, for anchoring into connecting prosthetic part
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30495 using a locking ring
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/305 Snap connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30505 spring biased
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30507 using a threaded locking member, e.g. a locking screw or a set screw
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30523 by means of meshing gear teeth
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3055 : for adjusting length
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30571 : Leaf springs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30576 : with extending fixation tabs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30578 : having apertures, e.g. for receiving fixation screws
• 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 2002/30594 : slotted, e.g. radial or meridian slot ending in a polar aperture, non-polar slots, horizontal or arcuate slots
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30601 : telescopic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30604 : modular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30828 : parallel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30843 : Pyramidally-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30845 : with cutting edges
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30858 : Threads interrupted by grooves or sidewalls, e.g. flat sidewalls
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4625 : with relative movement between parts of the instrument during use
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4627 : with linear motion along or rotating motion about the instrument axis or the implantation direction, e.g. telescopic, along a guiding rod, screwing inside the instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4628 : with linear motion along or rotating motion about an axis transverse to the instrument axis or to the implantation direction, e.g. clamping
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4629 : connected to the endoprosthesis or implant via a threaded connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4658 : for measuring dimensions, e.g. length
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4661 : for measuring thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4668 : for measuring angles
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00011 : Metals or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00023 : Titanium or titanium-based alloys, e.g. Ti-Ni alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00131 : Tantalum or Ta-based alloys

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of inserting an implant comprising providing an expandable vertebral implant. The method further may comprise providing an angling inserter tool. The angling inserter tool comprises a handle portion, a base portion, and a tip assembly, the base portion being disposed between the handle portion and the tip assembly. The method further may comprise distally advancing a central shaft of the tip assembly with rotation into an opening in the expandable vertebral implant to secure the angling inserter tool to the expandable vertebral implant. The method further may comprise positioning the expandable vertebral implant in a patient'"'"'s spine. The method further may comprise for causing the tip assembly to angulate with respect to a longitudinal axis of the angling inserter tool, wherein the internal shaft is coaxial with an outer cylinder of the base portion.

Claims

1. A method of inserting an implant, comprising:

providing an expandable vertebral implant;

providing an angling inserter tool comprising a handle portion, a base portion, and a tip assembly, the base portion being disposed between the handle portion and the tip assembly;

distally advancing a central shaft of the tip assembly with rotation into an opening in the expandable vertebral implant to secure the angling inserter tool to the expandable vertebral implant;

positioning the expandable vertebral implant in a patient'"'"'s spine;

distally advancing an internal shaft to cause the tip assembly to angulate with respect to a longitudinal axis of the angling inserter tool, wherein the internal shaft is coaxial with an outer cylinder of the base portion; and

rotating a primary drive shaft of the base portion to cause a gear member on the expandable vertebral implant to rotate thereby causing the expandable vertebral implant to expand, wherein the primary drive shaft is coaxial with the internal shaft,

wherein the step of distally advancing the central shaft comprises rotating a secondary drive shaft to cause the central shaft to distally advance, wherein the secondary drive shaft is coaxial with the primary drive shaft.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein rotation of the secondary drive shaft causes a gear at a distal end of the secondary drive shaft to rotate about a longitudinal axis of the angling inserter tool, wherein rotation of the gear causes rotation of a central gear having a rotational axis that is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, wherein the central gear engages a gear portion at a proximal end of the central shaft such that rotation of the central gear causes rotation of the central shaft.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the gear is a bevel gear, and wherein the central gear is a spur gear.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein distally advancing the internal shaft causes the tip assembly to rotate about a pin securing the tip assembly to the base portion.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of rotating the primary drive shaft causes a gear at a distal end of the primary drive shaft to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the angling inserter tool, wherein rotation of the gear causes rotation of a first central gear having a rotational axis that is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, wherein rotation of the gear causes rotation of a second central gear that is coaxial with the first central gear, wherein rotation of the second central gear causes rotation of another gear that, in turn, causes rotation of an implant engagement gear, wherein rotation of the implant engagement gear causes rotation of the gear member on the expandable vertebral implant.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein rotation of the gear member on the expandable vertebral implant results in movement of an inner member causing the expandable vertebral implant to expand.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein distally advancing the central shaft of the tip assembly into the opening disengages a locking member such that the gear member on the expandable vertebral implant can turn freely.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein endplates of the expandable vertebral implant engage first and second vertebra after the step of rotating the primary drive shaft.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising retracting the central shaft of the tip assembly with rotation such that the central shaft withdraws from the opening in the expandable vertebral implant disengaging the angling inserter tool from the expandable vertebral implant.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising engaging arms of the tip assembly with slots of the expandable vertebral implant.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring angulation of the tip assembly, the measuring comprising viewing visual indicators on the internal shaft through a viewing window in the outer cylinder.

12. A method of inserting an implant, comprising:

providing an expandable vertebral implant;

providing an angling inserter tool comprising a handle portion, a base portion, and a tip assembly, the base portion being disposed between the handle portion and the tip assembly;

distally advancing a central shaft of the tip assembly with rotation into an opening in the expandable vertebral implant to secure the angling inserter tool to the expandable vertebral implant;

positioning the expandable vertebral implant in a patient'"'"'s spine;

distally advancing an internal shaft to cause the tip assembly to angulate with respect to a longitudinal axis of the angling inserter tool, wherein the internal shaft is coaxial with an outer cylinder of the base portion; and

rotating a primary drive shaft of the base portion to cause a gear member on the expandable vertebral implant to rotate thereby causing the expandable vertebral implant to expand, wherein the primary drive shaft is coaxial with the internal shaft,

wherein distally advancing the central shaft of the tip assembly into the opening disengages a locking member such that the gear member on the expandable vertebral implant can turn freely.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of distally advancing the central shaft comprises rotating a secondary drive shaft to cause the central shaft to distally advance, wherein the secondary drive shaft is coaxial with the primary drive shaft.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein rotation of the secondary drive shaft causes a gear at a distal end of the secondary drive shaft to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the angling inserter tool, wherein rotation of the gear causes rotation of a central gear having a rotational axis that is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, wherein the central gear engages a gear portion at a proximal end of the central shaft such that rotation of the central gear causes rotation of the central shaft.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the gear is a bevel gear, and wherein the central gear is a spur gear.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein distally advancing the internal shaft causes the tip assembly to rotate about a pin securing the tip assembly to the base portion.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of rotating the primary drive shaft causes a gear at a distal end of the primary drive shaft to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the angling inserter tool, wherein rotation of the gear causes rotation of a first central gear having a rotational axis that is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, wherein rotation of the gear causes rotation of a second central gear that is coaxial with the first central gear, wherein rotation of the second central gear causes rotation of another gear that, in turn, causes rotation of an implant engagement gear, wherein rotation of the implant engagement gear causes rotation of the gear member on the expandable vertebral implant.