×

Expandable support device and method of use

  • US 9,770,339 B2
  • Filed: 01/14/2008
  • Issued: 09/26/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2005
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
Patent Images

1. An expandable support device for placement within or between spinal vertebral bodies, comprising:

  • a radially non-expandable near end portion, a radially non-expandable far end portion and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween;

    backbone struts parallel to the longitudinal axis, the backbone struts each having a near end integral with the near end portion and a far end integral with the far end portion;

    deformable support struts located between each adjacent backbone strut, wherein the support struts have a support strut width perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and wherein the support struts have a support strut thickness parallel to the longitudinal axis, and wherein the support strut width is greater than the support strut thickness; and

    where each support strut is deformable such that, upon longitudinal expansion of the expandable support device from a radially expanded configuration, the adjacent backbone struts approach each other while the support struts deform;

    wherein a support strut comprises a bend when the device is in a radially contracted configuration, and wherein the bend defines an edge having a surface that is coincidental with the outer surface of the expandable support device;

    wherein when the device is in a radially contracted configuration a first length of the backbone struts is the same shape as the first length of the backbone struts when the device is in a radially expanded configuration;

    wherein when the device is in a radially expanded configuration, the device has a lumen along the longitudinal axis, and wherein the lumen is at least partially filled with a filler;

    wherein an outer cross section of the device perpendicular to the longitudinal axis when the device is in a radially expanded configuration is quadrilateral; and

    wherein lengths of at least two backbone struts are parallel with each other when the device is in a radially expanded configuration.

View all claims
  • 2 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×