Intervertebral implant

• US 8,932,356 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2008
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Henning Kloss
• Original Assignee: Henning Kloss
• Inventors: Kraus, Kilian
• Primary Examiner(s): BOLES, SAMEH RAAFAT
• Application Number:
  US12/744,838
• Publication Number:
  US 20110082551A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,238 Days
• Field of Search: 623/17.16
• US Class Current: 623/17.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/152 for removing a wedge-shaped piece of bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/68 Internal fixation devices , including fasteners and spinal fixators, even if a part thereof projects from the skin bone staples A61B17/0642
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8095 Wedge osteotomy devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30771 applied in original prostheses, e.g. holes or grooves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/3601 for replacing only the epiphyseal or metaphyseal parts of the femur, e.g. endoprosthetic femoral heads or necks directly fixed to the natural femur by internal fixation devices non-prosthetic internal fixation devices for the femoral head or neck A61B17/74
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/3603 implanted without ablation of the whole natural femoral head endoprosthetic cartilage A61F2/30756
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/3662 Femoral shafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/38 for elbows or knees
• 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 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 2002/2892 Tibia
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30332 Conically- or frustoconically-shaped protrusion and recess
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30622 Implant for fusing a joint or bone material
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30736 Augments or augmentation pieces, e.g. wedges or blocks for bridging a bone defect
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30785 parallel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3092 having an open-celled or open-pored structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3654 Connections of heads directly to shafts
• 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 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: A61F 2310/00029 : Cobalt-based alloys, e.g. Co-Cr alloys or Vitallium
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00131 : Tantalum or Ta-based alloys

Abstract

Embodiments are directed to bone-joining or bone-bridging intervertebral implants with an inner channel-type structure of channels, which extend parallel from a bone contacting-surface of the implant to the inside of the implant, whereby the channels are connected by lateral openings.

Claims

1. Intervertebral implant, wherein the implant comprises:

two surfaces for contacting two vertebral bodies, an inner structure; and

an outer sheath which surrounds the inner structure;

wherein the inner structure comprises a channel structure that is formed by a plurality of vertical channels running along a longitudinal axis of spinal column and a plurality of horizontal channels running horizontally from one side to opposite side of the implant, wherein each vertical channel is connected by a horizontal channel with at least two openings with adjacent vertical channels, the openings extending continuously from one bone-contacting surface to the opposite surface in form of cuts;

wherein the openings are located either only in lateral areas or only in anterior-posterior areas of channel walls.

2. Intervertebral implant according to claim 1, wherein the vertical channels have a cross-sectional area of 8,000 μ

m² to 70,000 μ

m².

3. Intervertebral implant according to claim 1, wherein the vertical channels and the horizontal channels have a diameter of 100 μ

m to 3,000 μ

m.

5. Intervertebral implant according to claim 1, wherein the bone-contacting surface of the inner structure is convex.

6. Intervertebral implant according to claim 1, wherein the vertical channels extend continuously from one bone-contacting surface to the opposite surface.

7. Intervertebral implant according to claim 1, wherein the implant has at least 100 vertical channels per cm² of bone-contacting surface.

8. Intervertebral implant according to claim 1, wherein the vertical and horizontal channels are shaped round, oval, triangular, square, pentagonal or hexagonal.

9. Intervertebral implant according to claim 1, wherein the vertical channels do not change their radius or diameter during the course.

10. The intervertebral implant according to claim 9, wherein the outer sheath surrounds the inner structure partly at two opposite sides.

11. The intervertebral implant according to claim 9, wherein the bone-contacting surface of the inner structure is convex.

12. The intervertebral implant according to claim 9, wherein the vertical channels extend continuously from one bone-contacting surface to the opposite surface.

13. The intervertebral implant according to claim 9, wherein the implant has at least 100 vertical channels per cm2 of bone-contacting surface.

14. The intervertebral implant according to claim 9, wherein the channels are shaped round, oval, triangular, square, pentagonal or hexagonal.

15. The intervertebral implant according to claim 9, wherein the vertical channels do not change their radius or diameter during the course.

16. The intervertebral implant according to claim 9, wherein the horizontal channels run straight through the implant so that an X-ray beam can go through or pass through the implant.

17. The intervertebral implant according to claim 9, wherein the implant is selected from the group including cervical cages, thoracic cages, lumbar cages, artificial intervertebral discs and implants for the fusion of vertebrae.

18. The intervertebral implant according to claim 9, wherein the horizontal channels do not change their radius or diameter during the course.

4. wherein the outer sheath surrounds the inner structure partly at two opposite sides.

19. An intervertebral implant comprising:

two surfaces for contacting two vertebral bodies, an inner structure, and an outer sheath which surrounds the inner structure, wherein the inner structure comprises a channel structure that is formed by a plurality of vertical channels running along the longitudinal axis of the spinal column and a plurality of horizontal channels running horizontally from one side to the opposite side of the implant, wherein openings between the vertical channels are point-shaped, punctiform, circular, cylindrical, oval or wedge-shaped and the openings extend continuously from one bone-contacting surface to the opposite surface in the form of cuts and wherein the openings are located either only in the lateral areas or only in the anterior-posterior areas of channel walls.

20. The intervertebral implant according to claim 19, wherein the vertical channels and the horizontal channels have a cross-sectional area of 8,000 μ

m² to 70,000 μ

m².

21. The intervertebral implant according to claim 19, wherein the vertical channels and the horizontal channels have a diameter of 100 μ

m to 3,000 μ

m.

22. An intervertebral implant comprising:

two surfaces for contacting two vertebral bodies, an inner structure, and an outer sheath which surrounds the inner structure, wherein the inner structure comprises a channel structure that is formed by a plurality of vertical channels running along a longitudinal axis of spinal column and a plurality of horizontal channels running horizontally from one side to opposite side of the implant, wherein the inner structure of the implant permits micro-movements due to wedge-shaped or oblique openings in form of longitudinal cuts along channel wall.

23. The intervertebral implant according to claim 22, wherein the vertical channels and the horizontal channels have a cross-sectional area of 8,000 μ

m2 to 70,000 μ

m2.

24. The intervertebral implant according to claim 22, wherein the vertical channels and the horizontal channels have a diameter of 100 μ

m to 3,000 μ

m.

25. The intervertebral implant according to claim 22, wherein the outer sheath surrounds the inner structure partly at two opposite sides.

26. The intervertebral implant according to claim 22, wherein the bone-contacting surface of the inner structure is convex.

27. The intervertebral implant according to claim 22, wherein the vertical channels extend continuously from one bone-contacting surface to the opposite surface.

28. The intervertebral implant according to claim 22, wherein the implant has at least 100 vertical channels per cm2 of bone-contacting surface.

29. The intervertebral implant according to claim 22, wherein the channels are shaped round, oval, triangular, square, pentagonal or hexagonal.

30. The intervertebral implant according to claim 22, wherein the vertical channels do not change their radius or diameter during the course.

31. The intervertebral implant according to claim 22, wherein the horizontal channels run straight through the implant so that an X-ray beam can go through or pass through the implant.

32. The intervertebral implant according to claim 22, wherein the implant is selected from the group including cervical cages, thoracic cages, lumbar cages, artificial intervertebral discs and implants for the fusion of vertebrae.

33. The intervertebral implant according to claim 22, wherein the horizontal channels do not change their radius or diameter during the course.