Spinal implants and methods of providing dynamic stability to the spine
First Claim
1. A spinal implant, effective to repair an annular defect in an annulus fibrosus of an intervertebral disc, comprising:
- a head portion configured to be placed between adjacent vertebrae, the head portion comprising a buttress portion that, when positioned between the adjacent vertebrae, spans a distance between, and contacts, the adjacent vertebrae;
wherein the buttress portion operates to maintain a substantially constant distance between facing endplates of the adjacent vertebrae, along a length of the buttress portion;
a barrier portion having a width that is greater than a width of the annular defect, the barrier portion being configured to prevent substantial extrusion of intervertebral disc material through the annular defect when the barrier portion is positioned to contact a surface of the annulus fibrosus; and
wherein the head portion is coupled to the barrier portion.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Spinal implants and methods to repair annular defects in intervertebral discs and provide dynamic stability to the spine near a repaired disc are described. Some implants include head and tail portions. In some embodiments, the head portion is enlarged relative to the tail portion. Some head portions and tail portions are adapted to support adjacent vertebrae to resist intervertebral disc collapse. Head portions provide a spacer function to maintain separation between adjacent vertebrae. In some implants, a tail portion engages end plates of adjacent vertebrae to resist extrusion of the implant from the intervertebral space. The tail portion of some implants includes a tail flange (in some embodiments of similar diameter to the head portion) abutting extradiscal lips of adjacent vertebrae and resisting forces tending to push the implant deeper into the intervertebral space. Some embodiments are compliant, while some include bone-compaction holes to stabilize the implant in situ.
109 Citations
22 Claims
-
1. A spinal implant, effective to repair an annular defect in an annulus fibrosus of an intervertebral disc, comprising:
-
a head portion configured to be placed between adjacent vertebrae, the head portion comprising a buttress portion that, when positioned between the adjacent vertebrae, spans a distance between, and contacts, the adjacent vertebrae;
wherein the buttress portion operates to maintain a substantially constant distance between facing endplates of the adjacent vertebrae, along a length of the buttress portion;
a barrier portion having a width that is greater than a width of the annular defect, the barrier portion being configured to prevent substantial extrusion of intervertebral disc material through the annular defect when the barrier portion is positioned to contact a surface of the annulus fibrosus; and
wherein the head portion is coupled to the barrier portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A spinal implant effective to repair an annular defect in an annulus fibrosus of an intervertebral disc, comprising:
-
a head portion configured to be placed between adjacent vertebrae, the head portion comprising a buttress portion that, when positioned between the adjacent vertebrae, spans a distance between, and contacts, the adjacent vertebrae;
wherein at least a portion of the implant is compliant such that it flexibly resists compressive forces imposed by the adjacent vertebrae; and
a barrier portion having a width that is greater than a width of the annular defect, the barrier portion being configured to prevent substantial extrusion of intervertebral disc material through the annular defect when the barrier portion is positioned to contact a surface of the annulus fibrosus;
wherein the head portion is coupled to the barrier portion.
-
-
18. A method of repairing an annular defect in the annulus fibrosus of an intervertebral disc, located between adjacent vertebrae of a spine, the method comprising:
-
providing a spinal implant, comprising;
a head portion configured to be placed between the adjacent vertebrae, the head portion comprising a buttress portion that, when positioned between the adjacent vertebrae, spans a distance between, and contacts, the adjacent vertebrae; and
a barrier portion having a width that is greater than a width of the annular defect, the barrier portion being configured to prevent substantial extrusion of intervertebral disc material from the intervertebral disc when the barrier portion is positioned to contact a surface of the annulus fibrosus;
wherein the head portion is coupled to the barrier portion; and
wherein the implant is compliant such that it flexibly resists compressive forces imposed by the adjacent vertebrae; and
positioning the head portion between the adjacent vertebrae. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
-
21. A method of repairing an annular defect in the annulus fibrosus of an intervertebral disc, located between adjacent vertebrae of a spine, the method comprising:
-
providing a spinal implant, comprising;
a head portion sized and shaped to be placed between the adjacent vertebrae, the head portion comprising a buttress portion that, when positioned between the adjacent vertebrae, spans a distance between, and contacts, the adjacent vertebrae; and
a barrier portion having a width that is greater than a width of the annular defect;
wherein the head portion is coupled to the barrier portion; and
positioning the barrier portion at the annular defect such that the barrier portion prevents substantial extrusion of intervertebral disc material from the intervertebral disc. - View Dependent Claims (22)
-
Specification