Vertebral spacer

• US 8,945,226 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2009
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rhausler, Inc
• Original Assignee: Rhausler
• Inventors: Johnston, Terry, Geisler, Fred H., Bass, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong, Kevin T
• Assistant Examiner(s): ARAJ, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US12/650,600
• Publication Number:
  US 20110160860A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,860 Days
• Field of Search: 623 1711- 1716, 606/912
• US Class Current: 623/17.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/442 Intervertebral or spinal discs, e.g. resilient non-disc-shaped intervertebral inflatable pockets A61F2/441; non-disc-shaped intervertebral fusion implants A61F2/4455
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/447 substantially parallelepipedal, e.g. having a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section
• 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 2002/30056 differing in radiographic density
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3008 radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30261 parallelepipedal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30448 using adhesives
• 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 2002/30593 hollow
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30604 modular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30774 internally-threaded
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30777 Oblong apertures
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30787 inclined obliquely with respect to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30789 perpendicular with respect to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30904 serrated profile, i.e. saw-toothed
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30906 shot- sand- or grit-blasted
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30925 etched
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00023 Titanium or titanium-based alloys, e.g. Ti-Ni alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00047 : Aluminium or Al-based alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00053 : Vanadium or V-based alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00071 : Nickel or Ni-based alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00203 : containing alumina or aluminium oxide
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00221 : containing calcia or calcium oxide
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00239 : containing zirconia or zirconium oxide ZrO2
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00293 : containing a phosphorus-containing compound, e.g. apatite
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00796 : Coating or prosthesis-covering structure made of a phosphorus-containing compound, e.g. hydroxy(l)apatite

Abstract

An anterior cervical column support having a hollow frame having a top load bearing surface and a bottom load bearing surface may be inserted between a first spinal vertebra and a second spinal vertebra. The top load bearing surface and the bottom load bearing surface may each include an opening allowing access to the interior of the frame. A front surface may extend between the top load bearing surface and the bottom load bearing surface, and a rear surface may extend between the top load bearing surface and the bottom load bearing surface. Two side surfaces are attached between the front surface and the rear surface, each side surface having a solid side panel that is at least x-ray translucent. An anterior (front) plate is attached to the front surface of the support device, where the front plate includes clearance holes for receiving fasteners for holding the front plate in position. The top load bearing surface and the bottom load bearing surface may include a serrated or other high friction surface for applying frictional forces between the load bearing surfaces and adjacent vertebrae.

Claims

1. A vertebral column support device for insertion between a first spinal vertebra and a second spinal vertebra, comprising:

a hollow frame having a top load bearing surface and a bottom load bearing surface, wherein the top load bearing surface and the bottom load bearing surface each include at least one opening allowing access to at least one interior area of the frame;

a first surface having at least a portion that is opaque to x-rays attached between the top load bearing surface and the bottom load bearing surface and a second surface having at least a portion that is opaque to x-rays extending between the top load bearing surface and the bottom load bearing surface;

third and fourth surfaces extending between the second surface and the first surface, each of the third and fourth surface comprising a solid panel which is at least x-ray translucent wherein the solid panels are surrounded by material that is opaque to x-rays; and

wherein the top load bearing surface comprises a first frictional surface for applying frictional forces between the top load bearing surface and an adjacent bone surface; and

the bottom load bearing surface comprises a second frictional surface for applying frictional forces between the bottom load bearing surface and an adjacent bone surface.

2. The vertebral column support device of claim 1, wherein:

the top load bearing surface and the bottom load bearing surface are each opaque to x-rays.

3. The vertebral column support device of claim 1, wherein:

the first frictional surface includes serrations for applying frictional forces between the top load bearing surface and the first vertebrae; and

the second frictional surface includes serrations for applying frictional forces between the bottom load bearing surface and the second vertebrae.

4. The vertebral column support device of claim 1, wherein:

said first frictional surface is a sandblasted or etched portion of said top load bearing surface; and

said second frictional surface is a sandblasted or etched portion of said bottom load bearing surface.

5. The vertebral column support device of claim 1, wherein:

each solid panel is at least x-ray translucent, and is approximately 0.1 to 0.3 mm thick.

6. The vertebral column support device of claim 1, wherein:

each solid panel extends between the second surface and the first surface, and extends between the top load bearing surface and the bottom load bearing surface.

7. The vertebral column support device of claim 6, wherein:

each solid panel is approximately 0.1 to 0.3 mm thick; and

the solid panels are arranged to increase a given strength of the cervical column support device by a factor of at least two, wherein the given strength value represents a strength of given vertebral column support that lacks said solid panels but is otherwise according to claim 6.

8. The vertebral column support device of claim 6, wherein said solid panels are load bearing members constructed and arranged so that:

a first said vertebral column support device with said solid panels has a first strength; and

a second vertebral column support device formed by removal of said solid panels from said first said vertebral column support device has a second strength;

said first strength being from two to ten times greater than said second strength.

9. The vertebral column support device of claim 1, wherein:

the vertical distance between the top load bearing surface and the bottom load bearing surface is smaller at the first surface than at the second surface.

10. The vertebral column support device of claim 1, wherein:

said hollow frame is a hollow right prism-shaped frame.

11. The vertebral column support device of claim 10, wherein:

said hollow right prism-shaped frame is a hollow isosceles trapezoidal right prism-shaped frame.

12. The vertebral column support device of claim 11:

wherein said first surface defines a small end of said hollow isosceles trapezoidal right prism-shaped frame; and

wherein said second surface defines a large end of said hollow isosceles trapezoidal right prism-shaped frame.

13. The vertebral column support device of claim 1 wherein the hollow prism-shaped frame is constructed from at least one biocompatible material.

14. The vertebral column support device of claim 13 wherein the at least one biocompatible material is selected from the group consisting of:

metals selected from the group consisting of titanium, nickel, aluminum, nickel-titanium alloys, titanium-aluminum alloys, titanium-aluminum-vanadium alloys, and mixtures thereof;

ceramics selected from the group consisting of alumina, zirconia, calcium oxides, calcium phosphates, and hydroxyapatite;

polymers selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polysulfone, and polyetheretherketone (PEEK);

natural bone tissue; and

synthetic bone.

15. The vertebral column support device of claim 13, wherein the at least one biocompatible material is selected from the group consisting of titanium, nickel-titanium alloys, titanium-aluminum alloys, titanium-aluminum-vanadium alloys, and mixtures thereof.

16. The vertebral column support device of claim 13, wherein the at least one biocompatible material is bone tissue harvested from an autologous source;

allograft bone tissue;

xenograft bone tissue, or artificial bone.

17. The vertebral column support device of claim 1, wherein the vertebral column support device is constructed from a single biocompatible material selected from the group consisting of titanium, nickel-titanium alloys, titanium-aluminum alloys, and titanium-aluminum-vanadium alloys;

and

wherein said solid panels are thinner than the second surface and the first surface.

18. The vertebral column support device of claim 1, wherein the top load bearing surface, the bottom load bearing surface, the second surface, and the first surface are constructed from a first biocompatible material;

and

the solid panels are constructed from a second biocompatible material.

19. The vertebral column support device of claim 18, wherein:

the first bio-compatible material is selected from the group consisting of titanium, nickel, aluminum, nickel-titanium alloys, titanium-aluminum alloys, titanium-aluminum-vanadium alloys, and mixtures thereof; and

the second bio-compatible material is selected from the group consisting of;

ceramics selected from the group consisting of alumina, zirconia, calcium oxides, calcium phosphates, and hydroxyapatite

polymers selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polysulfone, and polyetheretherketone (PEEK); and

an X-ray transparent metal foil.

20. The vertebral column support device of claim 19, wherein:

the X-ray transparent metal foil is an aluminum foil or a titanium foil.

21. The vertebral column support device of claim 18, wherein:

the first bio-compatible material is selected from the group consisting of natural bone tissue or synthetic bone; and

the second bio-compatible material is an X-ray transparent metal foil.

22. The vertebral column support device of claim 1, further comprising a bone grafting material in the at least one interior area of the frame.

23. The vertebral column support device of claim 1, wherein at least the top and bottom load bearing surfaces have been modified to support osteointegration.

24. The vertebral column support device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the top load bearing surface and at least a portion of the bottom load bearing surface are modified by etching or sandblasting to support osteointegration.

25. The vertebral column support device of claim 1, wherein:

the hollow frame is made of titanium or an alloy thereof; and

at least a portion of the top load bearing surface and at least a portion of the bottom load bearing surface are modified by coating with hydroxyapatite or tricalcium phosphate to support osteointegration.

26. The vertebral column support device of claim 1, further comprising a plate attached to the second surface, the plate including a plurality of clearance holes for receiving a corresponding plurality of medical fasteners for holding the plate in position.

27. The vertebral column support device of claim 1, wherein:

a first screw hole of said plurality of screw holes is adapted to direct a first screw into said upper vertebra, and

a second screw hole of said plurality of screw holes is adapted to direct a second screw into said lower vertebra.

28. The vertebral column support device of claim 1, wherein:

said first frictional surface is a photoetched portion of said top load bearing surface; and

said second frictional surface is a photoetched portion of said bottom load bearing surface.

29. The vertebral column support device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the top load bearing surface and at least a portion of the bottom load bearing surface are modified by photoetching to support osteointegration.

30. The vertebral column support device of claim 1, wherein:

said first frictional surface is a photoetched portion of said top load bearing surface, said photoetched portion having a defined 3D pattern having a depth of from 0.013 to 2.00 mm; and

said second frictional surface is a photoetched portion of said bottom load bearing surface, said photoetched portion having a defined 3D pattern having a depth of from 0.013to 2.00 mm.

31. The vertebral column support device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the top load bearing surface and at least a portion of the bottom load bearing surface are modified by photoetching to provide the surface with a defined 3D pattern having a depth of from 0.013 to 2.00 mm.