Distractible intervertebral implant

• US 9,320,615 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2013
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Depuy Synthes Products Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Depuy Synthes Products Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Suedkamp, Jann-Paul, Saidha, Sean, Brun, Philipp
• Primary Examiner(s): Hammond, Ellen C
• Application Number:
  US14/143,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20140114423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 623/17.16
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/86 Pins or screws or threaded wires; nuts therefor A61B17/72 take precedence
• 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 2/4425 made of articulated components
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4455 for the fusion of spinal bodies, e.g. intervertebral fusion of adjacent spinal bodies, e.g. fusion cages intervertebral discs A61F2/442
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/447 substantially parallelepipedal, e.g. having a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section
• 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 2002/3008 radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30387 Dovetail connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30433 using additional screws, bolts, dowels, rivets or washers e.g. connecting screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/305 Snap connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3052 unrestrained in only one direction, e.g. moving unidirectionally
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30579 with mechanically expandable devices, e.g. fixation devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30593 hollow
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30604 modular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30779 arcuate
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30787 inclined obliquely with respect to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30843 Pyramidally-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30845 with cutting edges
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0025 Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0041 using additional screws, bolts, dowels or rivets, e.g. connecting screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2240/001 : Designing or manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0008 : for adjusting a position by translation along an axis or two perpendicular axes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0098 : radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers
• 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 2310/00041 : Magnesium or Mg-based alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00131 : Tantalum or Ta-based alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00179 : Ceramics or ceramic-like structures
• 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

A distractible intervertebral implant configured to be inserted in an insertion direction into an intervertebral space that is defined between a first vertebral body and a second vertebral body is disclosed. The implant may include a first body and a second body. The first body may define an outer surface that is configured to engage the first vertebral body, and an opposing inner surface that defines a rail. The second body may define an outer surface that is configured to engage the second vertebral body, and an inner surface that defines a recess configured to receive the rail of the first body. The second body moves in a vertical direction toward the second vertebral body as the second body is slid over the first body and the rail is received in the recess.

Claims

1. A method for inserting an intervertebral implant into an intervertebral disc space that is defined between a first vertebral body and a second vertebral body that is spaced from the first vertebral body along a vertical direction, the method comprising:

inserting a first implant body into the intervertebral space so as to cause at least one of the first and second vertebral bodies to move away from the other of the first and second vertebral bodies, the first implant body including an outer surface that faces the first vertebral body, and an inner surface opposite the outer surface; and

inserting a second implant body into the intervertebral space such that an outer surface of the second implant body that faces the second vertebral body moves away from the outer surface of the first implant body as an inner surface of the second implant body is translated over the inner surface of the first implant body, the second implant body causing at least one of the first and second vertebral bodies to move further away from the other as the second implant body is being inserted.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of inserting a fixation member through a bore of the first implant body and into the first vertebral body to thereby affix the first implant body to the first vertebral body.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the step of inserting the fixation member comprises affixing the first implant body to the first vertebral body prior the second implant body being inserted.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising the step of inserting a second fixation member and a third fixation member through the second implant body and into the second vertebral body to thereby affix the second implant body to the second vertebral body.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of mating the inner surface of the second implant body with the inner surface of the first implant body to thereby interlock the first and second implant bodies such that no other implant bodies can be inserted between the first and second implant bodies.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the inner surface of one of the first implant body and the second implant body defines a rail and the inner surface of the other of the first implant body and second implant body defines a recess configured to receive the rail, and wherein the second inserting step comprises inserting the second implant body such that the recess receives the rail.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second inserting step comprises translating the second implant body over an angled trailing end of the first implant body.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the second inserting step further comprises translating the second implant body such that an angled leading end of the second implant body contacts a side region of the first implant body.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the intervertebral implant is devoid of a third implant body.

10. A method for inserting an intervertebral implant into an intervertebral disc space that is defined between a first vertebral body and a second vertebral body that is spaced from the first vertebral body along a vertical direction, the method comprising:

inserting a first implant body into the intervertebral space so as to cause at least one of the first and second vertebral bodies to move away from the other of the first and second vertebral bodies, the first implant body including an angled trailing end; and

inserting a second implant body into the intervertebral space such that the second implant body contacts the angled trailing end and translates along the angled trailing end to thereby cause at least one of the first implant body and the second implant body to move along the vertical direction, the second implant body causing at least one of the first and second vertebral bodies to move further away from the other as the second implant body is being inserted.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of inserting a fixation member through a bore of the first implant body and into the first vertebral body to thereby affix the first implant body to the first vertebral body.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of inserting the fixation member comprises affixing the first implant body to the first vertebral body prior the second implant body being inserted.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of inserting a second fixation member through the second implant body and into the second vertebral body to thereby affix the second implant body to the second vertebral body.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of inserting a third fixation number through the second implant body and into the second vertebral body.

15. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of mating an inner surface of the second implant body with an inner surface of the first implant body to thereby interlock the first and second implant bodies such that no other implant bodies can be inserted between the first and second implant bodies.

16. The method according to claim 10, wherein the second inserting step comprises causing an angled leading end of the second implant body to contact a side region of the first implant body.

17. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of interlocking the first and second implant bodies such that the assembled implant withstands translation and rotation in all six degrees of freedom.

18. A method for inserting an intervertebral implant into an intervertebral disc space that is defined between a first vertebral body and a second vertebral body that is spaced from the first vertebral body along a vertical direction, the method comprising:

inserting a first implant body into the intervertebral space;

inserting a first fixation member through the first implant body and into the first vertebral body to thereby affix the first implant body to the first vertebral body;

inserting a second implant body into the intervertebral space after affixing the first implant body to the first vertebral body such that the second implant body translates over the first implant body to thereby cause at least one of the first and second vertebral bodies to move away from the other; and

inserting a second fixation member through the second implant body and into the second vertebral body to thereby affix the second implant body to the second vertebral body.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the step of inserting a third fixation member through the second implant body and into the second vertebral body.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein inserting the second implant body comprises translating the second implant body over the first implant body so as to move an outer surface of the second implant body away from an outer surface of the first implant body.

21. The method according to claim 18, wherein inserting the first fixation member comprises inserting the first fixation member through an angled trailing end of the first implant body.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein inserting the second implant body comprises translating the second implant body along the angled trailing end of the first implant body such that the angled trailing end causes an outer surface of the second implant body to move away from an outer surface of the first implant body.

23. The according to claim 22, wherein inserting the second fixation member comprises inserting the second fixation member through an angled trailing end of the second implant body.