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Expandable interbody spacer device

  • US 9,149,364 B2
  • Filed: 09/13/2013
  • Issued: 10/06/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2008
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for restoring space between two adjacent vertebrae, the method comprising:

  • providing an expandable interbody spacer capable of having a collapsed condition and expanded condition, the spacer comprising;

    a superior component having an external surface for contacting at least a portion of one of the adjacent vertebrae,an inferior component having an external surface for contacting at least a portion of the other adjacent vertebrae, wherein the superior and inferior components are moveable relative to each other so that the spacer may move between the collapsed condition and the expanded condition;

    at least one boss member positioned between and moveable relative to at least one of the superior component and inferior component, the boss member including a side surface and a distal end surface; and

    a plurality of expandable clip members, each clip member having a top surface, a relaxed position, a deflected position, and a space, wherein the boss member is arranged and configured to pass through the space when the clip member is in the deflected position and the clip member interferes with the movement of and does not permit the boss member to pass through the space when the clip member is in the relaxed position, each of the clip members being in the deflected position when the spacer is in the collapsed condition;

    inserting the spacer into a cavity of a vertebral column, wherein the cavity is defined by an intervertebral disc space or a space in a vertebral body;

    expanding the spacer from the collapsed condition to the expanded condition by moving the superior component of the spacer relative to the inferior component of the spacer such that the distal end surface of the boss member passes a top surface of at least one of the plurality of clip members such that the at least one clip member moves from the deflected position to the relaxed position, wherein moving the superior component relative to the inferior component deflects the clip members in a series to the relaxed position and allows the spacer to expand in predefined increments, wherein the expansion of the spacer provides a correction to the vertebral column; and

    determining the total correction made to the vertebral column by the expansion of the spacer.

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