Expandable interbody fusion device

• US 9,913,731 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2017
• Issued: 03/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Spine Wave Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Spine Wave Incorporated
• Inventors: Johnson, Wes, Lipschultz, Tyler, Wales, Larry, Kieval, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Philogene, Pedro
• Assistant Examiner(s): Comstock, David C
• Application Number:
  US15/598,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20170252184A1
• Time in Patent Office: 299 Days
• Field of Search: 606246, 606279, 606 99, 606104, 606 86 A, 623 1711, 623 1715, 623 1716
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/025 Joint distractors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/66 Alignment, compression or distraction mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7097 Stabilisers comprising fluid filler in an implant, e.g. balloon; devices for inserting or filling such implants disc prostheses made of inflatable chambers or pockets filled with fluid A61F2/441; replacing the nucleus pulposus A61F2002/444
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8852 capable of being assembled or enlarged, or changing shape, inside the bone or disc
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0256 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/28 Bones joints A61F2/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/44 for the spine, e.g. vertebrae, spinal discs
• 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 2/4611 of spinal prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30075 swellable, e.g. when wetted
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3008 radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30237 partial tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30261 parallelepipedal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30385 the rib and groove having non-parallel, e.g. conically-tapered, cooperating sides, e.g. having a trapezoidal front cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30387 Dovetail connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30392 Rotation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/304 with additional means for limiting said sliding
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30448 : using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30449 : the adhesive being cement
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30462 : retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30476 : locked by an additional locking mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3049 : using a slidable sleeve covering the connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/305 : Snap connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30599 : stackable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30604 : modular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30616 : Sets comprising a plurality of prosthetic parts of different sizes or orientations
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30772 : Apertures or holes, e.g. of circular cross section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4415 : elements of the prosthesis being arranged in a chain like manner
• 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 2002/4666 : for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0061 : swellable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0025 : Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/005 : using adhesives
• 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 2230/0069 : cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0082 : parallelepipedal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0063 : Nested prosthetic parts
• 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 2310/00029 : Cobalt-based alloys, e.g. Co-Cr alloys or Vitallium
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00071 : Nickel or Ni-based alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00203 : containing alumina or aluminium oxide
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00239 : containing zirconia or zirconium oxide ZrO2
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00293 : containing a phosphorus-containing compound, e.g. apatite
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00353 : Bone cement, e.g. polymethylmethacrylate or PMMA
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00359 : Bone or bony tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00365 : Proteins; Polypeptides; Degradation products thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 606/907 : Composed of particular material or coated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 606/912 : Radiolucent material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 606/914 : Toolkit for installing or removing spinal positioner or stabilizer

Abstract

An apparatus and method is provided for interbody fusion including distracting, in a given direction, and supporting opposing vertebral bodies. A plurality of wafers are consecutively inserted between the vertebral bodies to create a column of wafers. The column of wafers is oriented between the vertebral bodies so as to expand in the given direction as the wafers are consecutively added to the column.

Claims

1. A curved expandable interbody fusion device for implantation into the intradiscal space between opposing vertebral bodies in a spine, comprising:

a curved elongate upper element including an outer surface for engaging a first vertebral body, a lower surface generally opposite said outer surface, a leading end and a trailing end, said curved elongate upper element being curved in a first plane;

a curved elongate lower element including an outer surface for engaging an opposing vertebral body, a leading end and a trailing end, said curved elongate lower element being curved in a second plane, said first plane and said second plane being generally parallel to each other, said upper element being movable in an expansion direction away from said lower element;

an elongate expansion member between said upper element and said lower element and movable along a path in a first direction that is substantially perpendicular to said expansion direction, said expansion member including a beveled lifting surface operable upon movement of said expansion member to engage the lower surface of said upper element to move said upper element away from said lower element in the expansion direction and expand said device, said first plane and said second plane being generally parallel to said first direction.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said elongate expansion member has a leading end and a trailing end, said elongate expansion member being curved in a third plane between said leading end and said trailing end, said third plane being generally parallel to said first and second planes.

3. The device of claim 2, further comprising a cooperating constraint engageable upon slidable receipt of said expansion member between said upper element and said lower element to constrain relative movement between said upper element and said expansion member in a direction transverse to said first axial direction.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein said cooperating constraint comprises one of an elongate ridge or elongate groove on said lower surface of said upper element and a complementary elongate ridge or elongate groove on said expansion member, said complementary ridge and groove being engageable upon slidable receipt of said expansion member between said upper element and said lower element.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein said complementary ridge and groove define a dovetail configuration engageable upon slidable receipt of said expansion member between said upper element and said lower element.

6. The device of claim 3, wherein, said lower surface of said upper element includes a beveled surface.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein said expansion member includes thereon a second beveled surface axially spaced from said beveled lifting surface and a portion between and interconnecting said beveled lifting surface and said second beveled surface.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said beveled lifting surface and said second beveled surface are inclined in the same direction along the first direction.

9. The device of claim 6, wherein a detent on one of said upper element or said expansion member defines a cylindrical projection along the axial direction and wherein the other of said upper element or said expansion member defines a cylindrical recess along the axial direction for slidable receipt of said cylindrical projection therein.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising complementary detents on said upper element and said expansion member engageable upon slidable receipt of said expansion member between said upper element and said lower element to limit axial travel of said expansion member relative to said upper element.