Artificial disc prosthesis for replacing a damaged nucleus
First Claim
1. An implantable prosthetic device for replacing an intervertebral disc of a spinal column, the device comprising:
- a housing further comprisingan upper plate member having an upper surface adapted for cooperative engagement with and fixation to a superior vertebra;
an opposing lower plate member having a lower surface adapted for cooperative engagement with and fixation to an inferior vertebra,a periphery of said upper plate member and of said lower plate member both being defined by a sidewall substantially orthogonal to said upper and lower surfaces and extending toward the opposing plate, said sidewalls slideably overlapping to form an enclosed void within said housing; and
a resilient member seated in said enclosed void, said resilient member engaging a lower surface of said upper plate member and an upper surface of said lower plate member so as to replicate the natural relative movement of the superior and inferior vertebra.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A multi-piece disc replacement implant device for replacing a disc removed by a discectomy including an upper plate member, a lower plate member, and an intermediate resilient member providing movement between the two plate members replicating the natural movement of the spine including flexion/extension, lateral bending, and, in some embodiments, rotation. The plate members are rigid and have orthogonal sidewalls forming an enclosure. The resilient member is an elastic solid or a multi-chamber balloon structure of fluid-filled sacks that collectively define a non-uniform shape such as an oblate spheroid, or a helically coiled string of beads. Such an implant is capable of supporting the compressive and cyclic loads required of a natural disc. The upper and lower plate members are cooperatively formed to selectively limit the allowable range of motion in any given direction. Alternate embodiments of the invention may be employed in conjunction with removal of the nucleus pulposus when removal of the annulus fibrosus (annulotomy) is not required or desirable.
4 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An implantable prosthetic device for replacing an intervertebral disc of a spinal column, the device comprising:
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a housing further comprising an upper plate member having an upper surface adapted for cooperative engagement with and fixation to a superior vertebra; an opposing lower plate member having a lower surface adapted for cooperative engagement with and fixation to an inferior vertebra, a periphery of said upper plate member and of said lower plate member both being defined by a sidewall substantially orthogonal to said upper and lower surfaces and extending toward the opposing plate, said sidewalls slideably overlapping to form an enclosed void within said housing; and a resilient member seated in said enclosed void, said resilient member engaging a lower surface of said upper plate member and an upper surface of said lower plate member so as to replicate the natural relative movement of the superior and inferior vertebra. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An implantable prosthetic device for replacing the nucleus of an intervertebral disc of a spinal column, the device comprising:
a resilient member comprised of a plurality of individually resilient sub-members, said sub-members further comprising a first resilient sub-member having a double toroid shape, a second resilient sub-member having a spherical shape and a third resilient sub-member having a spherical shape, the second resilient sub-member occupying a first central void of the first resilient sub-member, the third resilient sub-member occupying a second central void of the first resilient sub-member. - View Dependent Claims (19)
Specification