Expandable intervertebral implant
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An expandable intervertebral implant insertable into an intervertebral disc space defined between an upper vertebra and a lower vertebra, the expandable intervertebral implant comprising:
- an outer sleeve defining an internal void, the outer sleeve including
1) an upper sleeve portion having a) an upper cross beam that defines an upper vertebral engagement surface configured to abut the upper vertebra when the implant is disposed in the intervertebral disc space, and b) a pair of upper legs that each project down from laterally outer ends of the upper cross beam, and
2) a lower sleeve portion having a) a lower cross beam that defines a lower vertebral engagement surface spaced in its entirety from an entirety of the upper vertebral engagement surface along a transverse direction, the lower vertebral engagement surface configured to abut the lower vertebra when the implant is disposed in the intervertebral disc space, and b) a pair of lower legs that each project up from the lower cross beam toward the upper cross beam; and
an inner core translatable in the internal void along a longitudinal direction so as to expand the implant from an initial position to an expanded position, the longitudinal direction perpendicular to the transverse direction, wherein the inner core defines upper and lower engagement surfaces that are sloped in the transverse direction as they extend along the longitudinal direction, whereby translation of the inner core in the internal void along the longitudinal direction causes
1) the upper and lower engagement surfaces to ride along the upper and lower sleeve portions, respectively, so as to urge an entirety of each of the upper and lower sleeve portions to move away from the other of the upper and lower sleeve portions along the transverse direction, and
2) each of the upper and lower sleeve portions to expand along a lateral direction that is perpendicular to each of the transverse direction and the longitudinal direction, whereby
1) the legs of the pair of upper legs move away from each other along the lateral direction, and
2) the legs of the pair of lower legs move away from each other along the lateral directionwherein the upper vertebral engagement surface is oriented parallel to the lower vertebral engagement surface both when the implant is in the initial position and when the implant is in the expanded position.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
-
Citations
27 Claims
-
1. An expandable intervertebral implant insertable into an intervertebral disc space defined between an upper vertebra and a lower vertebra, the expandable intervertebral implant comprising:
-
an outer sleeve defining an internal void, the outer sleeve including
1) an upper sleeve portion having a) an upper cross beam that defines an upper vertebral engagement surface configured to abut the upper vertebra when the implant is disposed in the intervertebral disc space, and b) a pair of upper legs that each project down from laterally outer ends of the upper cross beam, and
2) a lower sleeve portion having a) a lower cross beam that defines a lower vertebral engagement surface spaced in its entirety from an entirety of the upper vertebral engagement surface along a transverse direction, the lower vertebral engagement surface configured to abut the lower vertebra when the implant is disposed in the intervertebral disc space, and b) a pair of lower legs that each project up from the lower cross beam toward the upper cross beam; andan inner core translatable in the internal void along a longitudinal direction so as to expand the implant from an initial position to an expanded position, the longitudinal direction perpendicular to the transverse direction, wherein the inner core defines upper and lower engagement surfaces that are sloped in the transverse direction as they extend along the longitudinal direction, whereby translation of the inner core in the internal void along the longitudinal direction causes
1) the upper and lower engagement surfaces to ride along the upper and lower sleeve portions, respectively, so as to urge an entirety of each of the upper and lower sleeve portions to move away from the other of the upper and lower sleeve portions along the transverse direction, and
2) each of the upper and lower sleeve portions to expand along a lateral direction that is perpendicular to each of the transverse direction and the longitudinal direction, whereby
1) the legs of the pair of upper legs move away from each other along the lateral direction, and
2) the legs of the pair of lower legs move away from each other along the lateral directionwherein the upper vertebral engagement surface is oriented parallel to the lower vertebral engagement surface both when the implant is in the initial position and when the implant is in the expanded position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. An expandable intervertebral implant insertable into an intervertebral disc space defined between an upper vertebra and a lower vertebra, the expandable intervertebral implant comprising:
-
an outer sleeve defining an upper vertebral engagement surface configured to abut the upper vertebra when the implant is disposed in the intervertebral disc space, and a lower vertebral engagement surface configured to abut the lower vertebra when the implant is disposed in the intervertebral disc space, wherein the outer sleeve defines an internal void; and an inner core translatable in the internal void along a longitudinal direction, wherein the inner core defines
1) a first pair of engagement surfaces spaced from each other along a transverse direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the engagement surfaces of the first pair sloped along the transverse direction as they extend along the longitudinal direction, and
2) a second pair of engagement surfaces spaced from each other along a lateral direction that is perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction, each of the engagement surfaces of the second pair sloped along the lateral direction as they extend along the longitudinal direction;wherein translation of the inner core in the internal void along the longitudinal direction causes
1) each of the first pair of engagement surfaces to ride along opposed transverse inner surfaces of the outer sleeve so as to cause the outer sleeve to expand along the transverse direction and
2) each of the second pair of engagement surfaces to ride along opposed lateral inner surfaces of the outer sleeve so as to cause the outer sleeve to expand along the lateral direction, andwherein the opposed lateral inner surfaces define an orientation relative to each other prior to translation of the inner core in the internal void along the longitudinal direction, and the opposed lateral inner surfaces maintain the orientation relative to each other after to translation of the inner core in the internal void along the longitudinal direction. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. An expandable intervertebral implant insertable into an intervertebral disc space defined between an upper vertebra and a lower vertebra, the expandable intervertebral implant comprising:
-
an outer sleeve that defines a generally rectangular outer surface, the generally rectangular outer surface including an upper vertebral engagement surface that is configured to abut the upper vertebra when the implant is disposed in the intervertebral disc space, the generally rectangular surface further including an upper inner surface that is opposite the upper vertebral engagement surface, the generally rectangular outer surface further including a lower vertebral engagement surface that is spaced in its entirety from an entirety of the upper vertebral engagement surface along a transverse direction, and the generally rectangular outer surface further including a lower inner surface opposite the lower vertebral engagement surface, the lower vertebral engagement surface configured to abut the lower vertebra when the implant is disposed in the intervertebral disc space, the generally rectangular outer surface further including opposed outer lateral surfaces that are spaced in their respective entireties from each other along a lateral direction that is perpendicular to the transverse direction, wherein the outer sleeve defines an internal void; an inner core translatable in the internal void along a longitudinal direction that is perpendicular to each of the transverse direction and the lateral direction, wherein translation of the inner core in the internal void along the longitudinal direction causes the inner core to ride along the outer sleeve so as to cause the upper and lower vertebral engaging surfaces to move away from each other along the transverse direction, and to further cause the opposed outer lateral surfaces to move away from each other along the lateral direction, and wherein the upper inner surface and the lower inner surface define an orientation relative to each other prior to translation of the inner core in the internal void along the longitudinal direction, and the upper inner surface and the lower inner surface maintain the orientation relative to each other after translation of the inner core in the internal void along the longitudinal direction. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
24. An intervertebral implant kit comprising:
-
an expandable intervertebral implant insertable into an intervertebral disc space defined between an upper vertebra and a lower vertebra, the expandable intervertebral implant including
1) an outer sleeve that defines an internal void, and
2) an inner core configured to translate in the internal void along a longitudinal direction, wherein the inner core defines an internal bore;a rod configured to extend into the internal bore; and an abutment member supported by the rod, the abutment member defining an abutment surface that is configured to face the inner core, such that a force applied to the abutment member along the longitudinal direction drives the inner core to translate in the internal void along the longitudinal direction with respect to the outer sleeve, thereby causing the implant to expand from an initial position to an expanded position whereby the outer sleeve expands along both a transverse direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and a lateral direction that is perpendicular with respect to both the transverse direction and the longitudinal direction. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
-
Specification