Methods and apparatus for insertion of vertebral body distraction and fusion devices
First Claim
1. An inserter for inserting and expanding a distractible intervertebral body fusion device into an intervertebral disc space defined between adjacent vertebrae of a patient, comprising:
- a shaft frame having a proximal end and a distal end;
a drive shaft assembly extending from the distal end of the shaft frame, the drive shaft assembly adapted to be attached to a distractible intervertebral body fusion device such that rotation of the drive shaft assembly causes the device to expand between a compressed configuration and an expanded configuration;
a support shaft assembly extending from the distal end of the shaft frame adjacent the drive shaft assembly, the support shaft assembly adapted to be attached to the distractible intervertebral body fusion device to stabilize the device as the drive shaft assembly is rotated to expand the device; and
a drive housing operably connected to the shaft frame and extending outwardly from the shaft frame and non-coaxially with the drive shaft assembly, the drive housing extending from the shaft frame at a location between the distal end and the proximal end of the shaft frame, the drive housing providing access into the shaft frame to a proximal end of the drive shaft assembly.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An inserter can be used to implant a distractible intervertebral body fusion device into a disc space and expand the device. The inserter includes a shaft frame and a drive shaft assembly for expanding the device and a support shaft assembly for stabilizing the device extending distally from the shaft frame. A drive housing can be operably connected to the shaft frame and extend outwardly from shaft frame distal of a proximal end of the shaft frame. Drive housing can have an internal passage that provides access into the shaft frame to a proximal end of the drive shaft assembly. An actuation tool can be disposed with the drive housing with a distal end extending through the access into the shaft frame to interface with the proximal end of the drive shaft assembly such that activation of the actuation tool rotates the drive shaft assembly to expand the device.
206 Citations
24 Claims
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1. An inserter for inserting and expanding a distractible intervertebral body fusion device into an intervertebral disc space defined between adjacent vertebrae of a patient, comprising:
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a shaft frame having a proximal end and a distal end; a drive shaft assembly extending from the distal end of the shaft frame, the drive shaft assembly adapted to be attached to a distractible intervertebral body fusion device such that rotation of the drive shaft assembly causes the device to expand between a compressed configuration and an expanded configuration; a support shaft assembly extending from the distal end of the shaft frame adjacent the drive shaft assembly, the support shaft assembly adapted to be attached to the distractible intervertebral body fusion device to stabilize the device as the drive shaft assembly is rotated to expand the device; and a drive housing operably connected to the shaft frame and extending outwardly from the shaft frame and non-coaxially with the drive shaft assembly, the drive housing extending from the shaft frame at a location between the distal end and the proximal end of the shaft frame, the drive housing providing access into the shaft frame to a proximal end of the drive shaft assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An inserter for inserting and expanding a distractible intervertebral body fusion device into an intervertebral disc space defined between adjacent vertebrae of a patient, comprising:
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a shaft frame having a proximal end and a distal end; means for expanding a distractible intervertebral body fusion device between a compressed configuration and an expanded configuration extending from the distal end of the shaft frame; means for stabilizing the distractible intervertebral body fusion device as the means for expanding is used to expand the device, the means for stabilizing extending from the distal end of the shaft frame adjacent the means for expanding; and a drive housing operably connected to the shaft frame and extending outwardly from the shaft frame and non-coaxially with the means for expanding, the drive housing extending from the shaft frame at a location between the distal end and the proximal end of the shaft frame, the drive housing providing access into the shaft frame to a proximal end of the means for expanding. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method comprising:
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providing a distractible intervertebral body fusion device, the device expandable between a compressed configuration and an expanded configuration; providing an inserter having a shaft frame with a distal end and a proximal end, a drive shaft assembly extending from the distal end of the shaft frame, a support shaft assembly extending from the distal end of the shaft frame, and a drive housing operably connected to the shaft frame and extending outwardly from the shaft frame distally of the proximal end of the shaft frame, the drive housing providing access into the shaft frame to a proximal end of the drive shaft assembly; providing an actuation tool; and providing instructions for implanting the distractible intervertebral body fusion device into a disc space provided between adjacent vertebrae of a patient with the inserter and actuation tool, the instructions comprising; inserting the actuation tool into the drive housing such that the actuation tool interfaces with the proximal end of the drive shaft assembly; attaching a distal end of the drive shaft assembly to the distractible intervertebral body fusion device; attaching a distal end of the support shaft assembly to the distractible intervertebral body fusion device; inserting the distractible intervertebral body fusion device into the disc space with the inserter; and activating the actuation tool to rotate the drive shaft assembly to expand the distractible intervertebral body fusion device from the compressed configuration to the expanded configuration. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification