Intervertebral implants, systems, and methods of use

• US 9,867,718 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2014
• Issued: 01/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Depuy Synthes Products Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Depuy Synthes Products Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Schmura, Kurt, Chan, Edwin, Chronister, Benjamin, Murphy, Raymond, Jacene, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): GIBSON, ERIC SHANE
• Application Number:
  US14/520,690
• Publication Number:
  US 20160113774A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,182 Days
• Field of Search: 623 1711- 1716
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/86 Pins or screws or threaded wires; nuts therefor A61B17/72 take precedence
• 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 2/4637 for connecting or disconnecting two parts of a prosthesis
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30057 made from both cortical and cancellous adjacent parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30131 horseshoe- or crescent- or C-shaped or U-shaped
• 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 2002/30774 internally-threaded
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30787 inclined obliquely with respect to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30904 serrated profile, i.e. saw-toothed
• 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 2310/00023 Titanium or titanium-based alloys, e.g. Ti-Ni alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00359 Bone or bony tissue
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 dummy group

Abstract

An intervertebral implant frame that is configured to engage a spacer can include a pair of arms that extend longitudinally from a support member such that the arms engage the spacer. The spacer can be made from bone graft, and include a first spacer body made of cortical bone, and a second spacer body made of cancellous bone.

Claims

1. An intervertebral implant configured to be inserted into an intervertebral space, the intervertebral implant comprising:

a spacer including;

a cortical spacer body comprising a cortical bone graft material;

a cancellous spacer body comprising a cancellous bone graft material, the cancellous spacer body disposed proximal with respect to at least a portion of the cortical spacer body,

wherein the spacer defines a proximal end that comprises the cancellous spacer body and none of the cortical spacer body, and a distal end that is spaced from the proximal end in a distal direction, the distal end comprising the cortical spacer body and none of the cancellous spacer body; and

a frame including a support member disposed proximal with respect to the cancellous spacer body and configured to extend along a portion of the cancellous spacer body, such that the cancellous spacer body is disposed between the support member and the at least a portion of the cortical spacer body,

wherein the frame defines at least one fixation element receiving aperture that extends through the support member, such that a fixation element inserted through the fixation element receiving aperture toward the spacer travels from the support member and through the cancellous bone graft material without passing through any of the cortical bone graft material.

2. The intervertebral implant as recited in claim 1, wherein the frame further includes first and second opposed arms that extend from the support member and are configured to engage the cortical spacer body.

3. The intervertebral implant as recited in claim 2, wherein the frame includes at least one retention member that extends from the first arm along a direction toward the second arm, and at least one retention member that extends out from the second arm along a direction toward the first arm, and the cortical spacer body is configured to receive the retention members so as to attach the frame to the spacer.

4. The intervertebral implant as recited in claim 3, wherein the cortical spacer body defines at least one groove sized to receive the at least one retention member.

5. The intervertebral implant as recited in claim 3, wherein the at least one retention member is configured to bite into the cortical spacer body so as to create a recess that retains the at least one retention member.

6. The intervertebral implant as recited in claim 1, wherein the spacer includes opposed side surfaces spaced from each other along a lateral direction that is perpendicular to the distal direction,

wherein the intervertebral implant is configured for insertion in the distal direction, wherein the distal direction is oriented along a lateral approach, an anterior-posterior approach, or an oblique approach into the intervertebral space.

7. The intervertebral implant as recited in claim 6, wherein the distal end has a width along the lateral direction from one of the side surfaces to the other of the side surfaces, the proximal end has a width along the lateral direction from one of the side surfaces to the other of the side surfaces, and the width of the distal end is less than the width of the proximal end.

8. The intervertebral implant as recited in claim 1, wherein the frame defines four fixation element receiving apertures that extend through the support member, such that four fixation elements that are inserted through respective ones of the four fixation element receiving apertures and pass entirely through the spacer travel through the cancellous bone graft material without passing through any of the cortical bone graft material.

9. An intervertebral implant assembly comprising:

the intervertebral implant as recited in claim 8; and

the fixation elements as recited in claim 8.

10. The intervertebral implant as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one fixation element receiving aperture comprises a plurality of fixation element receiving apertures that extends through the support member, and all fixation elements that are inserted through respective ones of the fixation element receiving apertures pass entirely through the spacer travel through the cancellous bone graft material without passing through any of the cortical bone graft material.

11. An intervertebral implant comprising:

a spacer including a cortical spacer body that comprises a cortical bone graft material, and a cancellous spacer body that comprises a cancellous bone graft material; and

a frame including a support member configured to extend along a portion of the cancellous spacer body, the frame further including first and second opposed arms that extend from the support member and are configured to engage the cortical spacer body;

wherein the frame defines at least one fixation element receiving aperture that extends through the support member, such that a fixation element inserted through the fixation element receiving aperture toward the spacer travels from the support member and through the cancellous bone graft material without passing through any of the cortical bone graft material, and

wherein the spacer defines a proximal end surface and a distal end surface opposite the proximal end surface in a distal direction, the proximal end surface comprising the cancellous spacer body and none of the cortical spacer body, and the distal end surface comprising the cortical spacer body and none of the cancellous spacer body.

12. The intervertebral implant as recited in claim 11, wherein 1) the spacer defines a top surface that extends from the proximal end surface to the distal end surface, and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, the bottom surface extending from the proximal end surface to the distal end surface, 2) the at least one fixation element creates at least one channel in the cancellous spacer body after it extends through the at least one fixation element receiving aperture, and 3) the at least one channel defines a first opening in the proximal end surface and a second opening in the top surface.

13. The intervertebral implant as recited in claim 12, wherein the spacer further defines a pair of opposed side surfaces that extend between the proximal end surface and the distal end surface, the opposed side surfaces spaced from each other along a lateral direction, the distal end surface has a width along the lateral direction from one of the side surfaces to the other of the side surfaces, the proximal end surface has a width along the lateral direction from one of the side surfaces to the other of the side surfaces, and the width of the distal end is less than the width of the proximal end.

14. The intervertebral implant as recited in claim 12, wherein the first opening is completely encircled by the proximal end surface.

15. The intervertebral implant as recited in claim 12, wherein the at least one channel is open at an intersection of the proximal end surface and the top surface.

16. The intervertebral implant as recited in claim 12, wherein the at least one channel is open at an intersection of the proximal end surface and the bottom surface.

17. An intervertebral implant assembly comprising:

a spacer including a cortical spacer body comprising a cortical bone graft material, and a cancellous spacer body comprising a cancellous bone graft material, wherein the cortical spacer body at least partially surrounds the cancellous spacer body, such that a proximal end of the spacer comprises the cancellous spacer body and none of the cortical spacer body, and a distal end of the spacer comprises the cortical spacer body and none of the cancellous spacer body, the distal end opposite the proximal end in a distal direction;

a frame including a support member and first and second opposed arms that extend from the support member and are configured to engage the cortical spacer body so as to retain the spacer in a void that is defined by the support member and the first and second opposed arms; and

an expansion instrument including a first base and a first expansion arm that extends from the first base and is configured to be attached to the first arm of the frame, and a second base and a second expansion arm that extends from the second base and is configured to be attached to the second arm of the frame,

wherein the first base and the first expansion arm are separate from the second base and the second expansion arm, and a portion of one of the first and second bases is translatable in a portion of the other of the first and second bases as the first and second bases translate with respect to each other in their respective entireties so as to cause movement of at least one of the first and second expansion arms relative to the other of the first and second expansion arms, which in turn causes the respective at least one of the first and second arms of the frame to flex away from the other of the first and second arms of the frame.

18. The intervertebral implant assembly as recited in claim 17, wherein the first expansion arm defines a projection that is inserted into a receiving aperture of the first arm of the frame, so as to attach the first expansion arm to the first arm of the frame, and the second expansion arm defines a projection that is inserted into a receiving aperture of the second arm of the frame, so as to attach the second expansion arm to the second arm of the frame.

19. The intervertebral implant assembly as recited in claim 17, wherein the first expansion arm is monolithic with the first base, and the second expansion arm is monolithic with the second base.

20. The intervertebral implant assembly as recited in claim 17, wherein the first expansion arm is coupled to the first base, and the second expansion arm is coupled to the second base.

21. The intervertebral implant assembly as recited in claim 17, wherein the cancellous spacer body is disposed proximal with respect to at least a portion of the cortical spacer body, and the support member is disposed proximal with respect to the cancellous spacer body and configured to extend along a portion of the cancellous spacer body, such that the cancellous spacer body is disposed between the support member and the at least a portion of the cortical spacer body.

22. The intervertebral implant assembly as recited in claim 21, wherein the frame defines at least one fixation element receiving aperture that extends through the support member, such that a fixation element inserted through the fixation element receiving aperture toward the spacer travels from the support member and through the cancellous bone graft material without passing through any of the cortical bone graft material.

23. The intervertebral implant assembly as recited in claim 22, wherein the spacer includes opposed sides spaced from each other along a lateral direction that is perpendicular to the distal direction,

wherein the intervertebral implant is configured for insertion in the distal direction, wherein the distal direction is oriented along a lateral approach, an anterior-posterior approach, or an oblique approach into the intervertebral space.

24. The intervertebral implant assembly as recited in claim 23, wherein the cortical spacer body and the cancellous spacer body define an interface therebetween at each of the opposed sides between the proximal end and the distal end.

25. The intervertebral implant assembly as recited in claim 22, wherein 1) the spacer defines a proximal end surface, a distal end surface, a top surface that extends from the proximal end surface to the distal end surface, and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, the bottom surface extending from the proximal end surface to the distal end surface, 2) the at least one fixation element creates at least one channel in the cancellous spacer body after it extends through the at least one fixation element receiving aperture, and 3) the at least one channel defines a first opening in the proximal end surface and a second opening in the top surface.

26. The intervertebral implant assembly as recited in claim 25, wherein at least a portion of the proximal end surface is defined by the cancellous spacer body.

27. The intervertebral implant assembly as recited in claim 25, wherein the spacer further defines a pair of opposed side surfaces that extend between the proximal end surface and the distal end surface, the opposed side surfaces spaced from each other along a lateral direction, the distal end surface has a width along the lateral direction from one of the side surfaces to the other of the side surfaces, the proximal end surface has a width along the lateral direction from one of the side surfaces to the other of the side surfaces, and the width of the distal end is less than the width of the proximal end.

28. The intervertebral implant assembly as recited in claim 25, wherein the first opening is completely encircled by the proximal end surface.

29. The intervertebral implant assembly as recited in claim 25, wherein the at least one channel is open at an intersection of the proximal end surface and the top surface.

30. The intervertebral implant assembly as recited in claim 25, wherein the at least one channel is open at an intersection of the proximal end surface and the bottom surface.

31. The intervertebral implant assembly as recited in claim 17, wherein the frame includes at least one retention member that extends from the first arm along a direction toward the second arm, and at least one retention member that extends out from the second arm along a direction toward the first arm, and the cortical spacer body is configured to receive the retention members so as to attach the frame to the spacer.

32. The intervertebral implant assembly as recited in claim 31, wherein the cortical spacer body defines at least one groove sized to receive a respective one of the at least one retention members.

33. The intervertebral implant assembly as recited in claim 31, wherein a respective one of the at least one retention members is configured to bite into the cortical spacer body so as to create a recess that retains the respective one of the at least one retention members.