Expandable intervertebral implant and associated method of manufacturing the same
First Claim
1. An expandable intervertebral implant that extends along a longitudinal axis, the expandable intervertebral implant comprising:
- a superior bone contacting member including at least a first superior bone contacting component, a second superior bone contacting component spaced from the first superior bone contacting component in a lateral direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and a first expandable lateral component interconnected between the first and second superior bone contacting components along the lateral direction;
an inferior bone contacting member spaced from the superior bone contacting member in a vertical direction that is perpendicular to both the lateral direction and the longitudinal axis, the inferior bone contacting member including at least a first inferior bone contacting component, a second inferior bone contacting component spaced from the first inferior bone contacting component in the lateral direction, and a second expandable lateral component interconnected between the first and second inferior bone contacting components along the lateral direction; and
at least one expandable vertical component interconnected between the superior and inferior bone contacting members along the vertical direction, wherein the implant is expandable in situ in both the vertical direction and the lateral direction from a first insertion configuration to a second expanded configuration, whereby
1) the first expandable lateral component expands in the lateral direction as the first superior bone contacting component and the second superior bone contacting component move away from each other in the lateral direction,
2) the second expandable lateral component expands in the lateral direction as the first inferior bone contacting component and the second inferior bone contacting component move away from each other in the lateral direction, and
3) the at least one expandable vertical component expands in the vertical direction as the superior bone contacting member and the inferior bone contacting member move away from each other in the vertical direction, andwherein the implant is expandable from the first insertion configuration to the second expanded configuration without causing the implant to change in length along the longitudinal axis.
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Abstract
An expandable intervertebral implant (10) includes superior (20) and inferior (30) bone contacting members and at least one vertical wire netting (50) interconnecting the superior and inferior bone contacting members. The superior and inferior bone contacting members include at least two bone contacting components interconnected via one or more lateral wire nettings such that the implant is vertically and laterally expandable in situ from a first insertion configuration to a second expanded configuration. The vertical and lateral wire netting are preferably constructed of a plurality of individual link members. The present invention also preferably relates to an associated method of manufacturing the intervertebral implant such that the intervertebral implant can be manufactured as an integral component or part.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An expandable intervertebral implant that extends along a longitudinal axis, the expandable intervertebral implant comprising:
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a superior bone contacting member including at least a first superior bone contacting component, a second superior bone contacting component spaced from the first superior bone contacting component in a lateral direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and a first expandable lateral component interconnected between the first and second superior bone contacting components along the lateral direction; an inferior bone contacting member spaced from the superior bone contacting member in a vertical direction that is perpendicular to both the lateral direction and the longitudinal axis, the inferior bone contacting member including at least a first inferior bone contacting component, a second inferior bone contacting component spaced from the first inferior bone contacting component in the lateral direction, and a second expandable lateral component interconnected between the first and second inferior bone contacting components along the lateral direction; and at least one expandable vertical component interconnected between the superior and inferior bone contacting members along the vertical direction, wherein the implant is expandable in situ in both the vertical direction and the lateral direction from a first insertion configuration to a second expanded configuration, whereby
1) the first expandable lateral component expands in the lateral direction as the first superior bone contacting component and the second superior bone contacting component move away from each other in the lateral direction,
2) the second expandable lateral component expands in the lateral direction as the first inferior bone contacting component and the second inferior bone contacting component move away from each other in the lateral direction, and
3) the at least one expandable vertical component expands in the vertical direction as the superior bone contacting member and the inferior bone contacting member move away from each other in the vertical direction, andwherein the implant is expandable from the first insertion configuration to the second expanded configuration without causing the implant to change in length along the longitudinal axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An expandable intervertebral implant that extends along a longitudinal axis that is oriented in a longitudinal direction, the expandable intervertebral implant comprising:
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a superior bone contacting member, and an inferior bone contacting member spaced from the superior bone contacting member in a vertical direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, wherein one of the superior and inferior bone contacting members includes a first bone contacting component and a second bone contacting component spaced from the first bone contacting component in a lateral direction that is perpendicular to both the vertical direction and the longitudinal direction; an expandable lateral component interconnected between the first and second bone contacting components along the lateral direction; and an expandable vertical component interconnected between the superior and inferior bone contacting members along the vertical direction, wherein the implant is expandable in situ in both the vertical direction and the lateral direction from a first insertion configuration to a second expanded configuration, whereby
1) the expandable lateral component expands in the lateral direction as the first bone contacting component and the second bone contacting component move away from each other in the lateral direction, and
2) the expandable vertical component expands in the vertical direction as the superior bone contacting member and the inferior bone contacting member move away from each other in the vertical direction, andwherein at least one of the superior and inferior bone contacting members defines opposed terminal ends that are separated from each other along a length in the longitudinal direction, and the length defines a full length of the implant when the implant is in the collapsed configuration, and the length between the opposed terminal ends remains constant as the implant expands from the first insertion configuration to the second expanded configuration. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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Specification