Expandable intervertebral implant

• US 9,474,623 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2015
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Depuy Synthes Products Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Depuy Synthes Products Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Cain, Christopher Marden John
• Primary Examiner(s): SEVILLA, CHRISTIAN ANTHONY
• Application Number:
  US14/944,058
• Publication Number:
  US 20160067052A1
• Time in Patent Office: 343 Days
• Field of Search: 623 1711- 1716
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2/447 substantially parallelepipedal, e.g. having a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4611 of spinal prostheses
• 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 2002/30405 made by screwing complementary threads machined on the parts themselves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30462 retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30471 connected by a hinged linkage mechanism, e.g. of the single-bar or multi-bar linkage type
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30495 using a locking ring
• 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 2002/30537 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30538 for adjusting angular orientation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3055 for adjusting length
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30579 with mechanically expandable devices, e.g. fixation devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30601 telescopic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30616 Sets comprising a plurality of prosthetic parts of different sizes or orientations
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30841 Sharp anchoring protrusions for impaction into the bone, e.g. sharp pins, spikes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30884 Fins or wings, e.g. longitudinal wings for preventing rotation within the bone cavity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4415 elements of the prosthesis being arranged in a chain like manner
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/443 : having two transversal endplates and at least one intermediate component
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/448 : comprising multiple adjacent spinal implants within the same intervertebral space or within the same vertebra, e.g. comprising two adjacent spinal implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4485 : comprising three or more adjacent spinal implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4627 : with linear motion along or rotating motion about the instrument axis or the implantation direction, e.g. telescopic, along a guiding rod, screwing inside the instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4628 : with linear motion along or rotating motion about an axis transverse to the instrument axis or to the implantation direction, e.g. clamping
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0025 : Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0075 : sutured, ligatured or stitched, retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0091 : connected by a hinged linkage mechanism, e.g. of the single-bar or multi-bar linkage type
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0006 : for adjusting angular orientation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00023 : Titanium or titanium-based alloys, e.g. Ti-Ni alloys

Abstract

An expandable intervertebral implant is provided for insertion into an intervertebral space defined by adjacent vertebrae. The expandable intervertebral implant includes a pair of outer sleeve portions and an inner core disposed between the outer sleeve portions. Movement of the inner core relative to the outer sleeve portions causes the outers sleeve portions to deflect away from each other, thereby engaging the expandable intervertebral implant with the vertebrae and adjusting the height of the intervertebral space.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing an intervertebral implant comprising;

an upper portion having an upwardly-facing vertebral engagement surface and an opposed inner surface;

a lower portion having a downwardly-facing vertebral engagement surface and an opposed inner surface;

an inner core including a pair of first sloped engagement surfaces, one of the pair of first sloped engagement surfaces configured to engage the inner surface of the upper portion and a pair of second sloped engagement surfaces, one of the pair of second sloped engagement surfaces configured to engage the inner surface of the lower portion; and

a biasing member that abuts the inner core,

wherein the first sloped engagement surfaces are sloped in the same direction,

moving the inner core, thereby causing at least one of the pair of first sloped engagement surfaces to ride along the inner surface of the upper portion and at least one of the pair of second sloped engagement surfaces to ride along the inner surface of the lower portion, thereby causing the implant to move to an expanded position whereby the upper portion and the lower portion deflect away from each other; and

inserting the intervertebral implant into an intervertebral disc space.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the intervertebral implant further comprises a band having opposed ends and opposed sides connected between the ends.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the inner core is receivable through the band.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the upper portion defines a first groove, and the lower portion defines a second groove.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the upper portion includes a plurality of ramped surfaces.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the upper portion defines a first groove, and the lower portion defines a second groove.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the intervertebral implant further comprises a body having opposed ends and opposed sides connected between the ends, and the inner core is receivable in the body.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the upper portion includes a plurality of ramped surfaces.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the inner core is received between the upper portion and the lower portion, the intervertebral implant further comprises a band having opposed ends and opposed sides connected between the ends, and the method further comprises the step of actuating the biasing member to move the inner core, thereby causing the at least one of the pair of first sloped engagement surfaces to ride along the inner surface of the upper portion and the at least one of the pair of second sloped engagement surfaces to ride along the inner surface of the lower portion.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of actuating the biasing member to move the inner core, thereby causing the at least one of the pair of pair of first sloped engagement surfaces to push the upper portion outward, and the at least one of the pair of second sloped engagement surfaces to push the lower portion outward.

11. A method comprising:

providing an intervertebral implant comprising;

an upper component having an upwardly-facing vertebral engagement side and a lower side, wherein the upper component defines a first groove;

a lower component having a downwardly-facing vertebral engagement side and an upper side, wherein the lower component defines a second groove;

an inner core including a pair of first sloped engagement surfaces, one of the pair of first sloped engagement surfaces configured to engage a surface of the upper component and a pair of second sloped engagement surfaces, one of the pair of second sloped engagement surfaces configured to engage a surface of the lower component; and

a biasing member engaged with the inner core,

wherein the first sloped engagement surfaces are sloped in the same direction,

moving the inner core thereby causing at least one of the pair of first sloped engagement surfaces to ride along the surface of the upper component and at least one of the pair of second sloped engagement surfaces to ride along the surface of the lower component, thereby causing the implant to move to an expanded position whereby the upper component and the lower component move away from each other; and

inserting the intervertebral implant into an intervertebral disc space.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the intervertebral implant further comprises a body portion having opposed ends and opposed sides connected between the ends.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the inner core is receivable in the body portion.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the body portion comprises a band.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the biasing member abuts the inner core.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the biasing member abuts the inner core.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the upper component defines first and second upper portions that define the first groove therebetween, and the lower component defines first and second lower portions that define the second groove therebetween.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the upper component includes a plurality of ramped surfaces.

19. A method comprising:

providing an intervertebral implant comprising;

an upper component having an upwardly-facing vertebral engagement side and a lower side, wherein the upper component defines a first opening;

a lower component having a downwardly-facing vertebral engagement side and an upper side, wherein the lower component defines a second opening;

a body portion having opposed ends and opposed sides connected between the ends;

an inner core receivable in the body portion, the inner core including a plurality of first angled surfaces, one of the plurality of first angled surfaces configured to engage a surface of the upper portion and at plurality of second angled surfaces, one of the plurality of second angled surfaces configured to engage a surface of the lower portion; and

an actuation member engaged with the inner core,

wherein the first angled surfaces are sloped in the same direction,

moving the inner core thereby causing at least one of the plurality of first angled surfaces to push the upper portion outward, and at least one of the plurality of second angled surfaces to push the lower portion outward, thereby causing the implant to move to an expanded position whereby the upper and lower portions move away from each other; and

inserting the intervertebral implant into an intervertebral disc space.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the body portion comprises a band.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the moving step causes 1) the at least one of the plurality of first angled surfaces to ride along the surface of the upper portion, thereby pushing the upper portion outward, and 2) the at least one of the plurality of second angled surfaces to ride along the surface of the lower portion, thereby pushing the lower portion outward.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the actuation member comprises a biasing member that abuts the inner core.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of actuating the actuation member to move the inner core, thereby causing the at least one of the plurality of first angled surfaces to push the upper portion outward, and the at least one of the plurality of second angled surfaces to push the lower portion outward.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the actuation member comprises a biasing member that abuts the inner core.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the upper portion includes at least two ramped surfaces.

26. A method of stabilizing a spine comprising:

providing an intervertebral implant comprising;

an upper component having an upper vertebral-facing side and a lower side, wherein the upper component includes a first opening;

a lower component having a lower vertebral-facing side and an upper side, wherein the lower component includes a second opening;

an inner core including a plurality of first angled surfaces, one of the plurality of first angled surfaces configured to engage a surface of the upper component and a plurality of second angled surfaces, one of the plurality of second angled surfaces configured to engage a surface of the lower component; and

an actuation member engaged with the inner core,

wherein the first angled surfaces are sloped generally in the same direction,

moving the inner core thereby causing at least one of the plurality of first angled surfaces to push against the surface of the upper component and at least one of the plurality of second angled surfaces to push against the surface of the lower component, thereby causing outward expansion of the upper component and the lower component; and

positioning the intervertebral implant in an intervertebral disc space.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein 1) the intervertebral implant further comprises a body portion having a first and second ends and first and second sides each connecting the first and second ends, and 2) the inner core is receivable in the body portion.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the actuation member comprises a biasing member that abuts the inner core.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of actuating a biasing member of the implant to move the inner core, thereby causing the at least one of the plurality of first angled surfaces to push against the surface of the upper component and at least one of the plurality of second angled surfaces to push against the surface of the lower component.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the intervertebral implant further comprises a body portion having a first and second ends and first and second sides each connecting the first and second ends, and the inner core is received between the upper component and the lower component.