Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080275455 | Apparatus and Methods for Inserting an Implant - A system and method for inserting an implant into a cavity is disclosed, which may include advancing an implant insertion instrument toward a pair of adjacent bodies, the implant insertion instrument having two opposed ramps, wherein each ramp has a distal tip and wherein the longitudinal axes of the opposed ramps are separated by an initial angle; inserting the distal tips of the opposed ramps between the adjacent bodies, thereby creating an initial interbody cavity between the adjacent bodies; expanding the interbody cavity while maintaining the initial angle between the longitudinal axes of the opposed ramps; placing the implant in a final location between the adjacent bodies; transferring a compressive force urging the adjacent bodies together from the opposed ramps to the implant; and extracting the implant insertion instrument from the interbody cavity. | 11-06-2008 |
20100057208 | Expandable spinal fusion cage and associated instrumentation - An expandable spinal implant comprising a cage body including at least two movable branches having first end portions that are interconnected to one another and second end portions that are movable relative to one another. The movable branches include a first shell portion having a first pair of longitudinal edges and defining a first hollow region therebetween, and a second shell portion having a second pair of longitudinal edges and defining a second hollow region therebetween, with the first and second hollow regions cooperating to define at least a portion of a hollow interior of the cage body. An expansion member co-acts with the first and second shell portions to transition the cage body to an expanded configuration as the expansion member is axially displaced along said first and second pairs of longitudinal edges. In one embodiment, at least one of the shell portions defines a plurality of retention elements positioned at select axial locations along a corresponding one of the longitudinal edges, with the expansion member engaged with one or more of the retention elements to retain the expansion member at a select axial position to maintain the implant in the expanded configuration. | 03-04-2010 |
20100069914 | Methods and instrumentation for inserting intervertebral grafts and devices - Instruments for inserting an implant in a space between adjacent bony portions include upper and lower guide members separated by a spreader with the implant positioned forwardly of the spreader. The spreader is movable forwardly between the guide members with a drive member to position the implant in a space between the bony portions. The spreader contacts the adjacent bony portions to facilitate withdrawal of the inserter instrument when the implant is positioned in the space. | 03-18-2010 |
20100161057 | Interbody Vertebral Prosthetic Device With Self-Deploying Screws - An intervertebral prosthesis includes: a body including first and second spaced apart major surfaces and at least anterior and posterior sidewalls extending therebetween, the first major surface for engaging an endplate of a first vertebral bone of a spine, and the second major surface for engaging an endplate of an adjacent, second vertebral bone of the spine, and the first and second major surfaces defining a longitudinal axis extending substantially normal to said surfaces; a first aperture extending from within the body, transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis, and opening at the first major surface; a first anchoring element disposed within the first aperture and including a threaded shaft having proximal and distal ends; and a first gear disposed adjacent to and in meshed, threaded communication with the threaded shaft of the first anchoring element such that rotation of the first gear causes rotation of the first anchoring element, wherein a driving rotational force on the first gear causes the first anchoring element to rotate, deploy from the body, and thread into the first vertebral bone in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the body and the spine. | 06-24-2010 |
20100286780 | Expandable spinal fusion cage and associated instrumentation - An expandable spinal implant comprising a cage body including at least two movable branches having first end portions that are interconnected to one another and second end portions that are movable relative to one another. The movable branches include a first shell portion having a first pair of longitudinal edges and defining a first hollow region therebetween, and a second shell portion having a second pair of longitudinal edges and defining a second hollow region therebetween, with the first and second hollow regions cooperating to define at least a portion of a hollow interior of the cage body. An expansion member co-acts with the first and second shell portions to transition the cage body to an expanded configuration as the expansion member is axially displaced along said first and second pairs of longitudinal edges. In one embodiment, at least one of the shell portions defines a plurality of retention elements positioned at select axial locations along a corresponding one of the longitudinal edges, with the expansion member engaged with one or more of the retention elements to retain the expansion member at a select axial position to maintain the implant in the expanded configuration. | 11-11-2010 |
20110098818 | Radiolucent spinal fusion cage - An improved bone graft is provided for human implantation, particularly such as a spinal fusion cage for implantation into the inter-vertebral space between two adjacent vertebrae. The improved spinal fusion cage includes a substrate block of high strength biocompatible material having a selected size and shape to fit the anatomical space, and a controlled porosity analogous to natural bone. The substrate block may be coated with a bio-active surface coating material such as hydroxyapatite or a calcium phosphate to promote bone ingrowth and enhanced bone fusion. Upon implantation, the fusion cage provides a spacer element having a desired combination of mechanical strength together with osteoconductivity and osteoinductivity to promote bone ingrowth and fusion, as well as radiolucency for facilitated post-operative monitoring. The fusion cage may additionally carry one or more natural or synthetic therapeutic agents for further promoting bone ingrowth and fusion. | 04-28-2011 |
20130030531 | Radiolucent Spinal Fusion Cage - An improved bone graft is provided for human implantation, particularly such as a spinal fusion cage for implantation into the inter-vertebral space between two adjacent vertebrae. The improved spinal fusion cage includes a substrate block of high strength biocompatible material having a selected size and shape to fit the anatomical space, and a controlled porosity analogous to natural bone. The substrate block may be coated with a bio-active surface coating material such as hydroxyapatite or a calcium phosphate to promote bone ingrowth and enhanced bone fusion. Upon implantation, the fusion cage provides a spacer element having a desired combination of mechanical strength together with osteoconductivity and osteoinductivity to promote bone ingrowth and fusion, as well as radiolucency for facilitated post-operative monitoring. The fusion cage may additionally carry one or more natural or synthetic therapeutic agents for further promoting bone ingrowth and fusion. | 01-31-2013 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100160984 | Insertion tool for Inter-body Vertebral Prosthetic Device With Self-Deploying Screws - An apparatus for inserting an intervertebral prosthesis within a spine of a mammal includes: a handle disposed at a proximal end of the tool and including a drive nut operating to produce rotational torque in response to user-input about a central axis; a first drive shaft including proximal and distal ends; the proximal end in communication with the drive nut, receiving rotational torque therefrom, and imparting rotational torque to the first drive shaft about a first axis, which is laterally offset from the central axis; and the distal end of the first drive shaft including a first drive head; and a chuck disposed at a distal end of the tool and being sized and shaped to engage the intervertebral prosthesis during implantation, wherein the first drive shaft extends through the chuck and the first drive head engages a first gear of the intervertebral prosthesis, such that rotation of the first gear causes rotation and deployment of a first anchoring element of the intervertebral prosthesis. | 06-24-2010 |
20120029642 | Apparatus and Methods for Inserting an Implant - Methods and apparatus for inserting an implant into a cavity provide for: disposing an implant between opposing first and second ramps of an implant insertion instrument; orienting first and second vertebral contact surfaces of the ramps such that they define an initial, non-zero angle therebetween; inserting the first and second ramps into an intervertebral space of a spine; advancing the implant distally along and between the ramps such that the first and second vertebral contact surfaces of the first and second ramps separate while holding the initial angle substantially constant. | 02-02-2012 |
20130245768 | Apparatus and Methods for Inserting an Implant - A system and method for inserting an implant into a cavity is disclosed, which may include advancing an implant insertion instrument toward a pair of adjacent bodies, the implant insertion instrument having two opposed ramps, wherein each ramp has a distal tip and wherein the longitudinal axes of the opposed ramps are separated by an initial angle; inserting the distal tips of the opposed ramps between the adjacent bodies, thereby creating an initial interbody cavity between the adjacent bodies; expanding the interbody cavity while maintaining the initial angle between the longitudinal axes of the opposed ramps; placing the implant in a final location between the adjacent bodies; transferring a compressive force urging the adjacent bodies together from the opposed ramps to the implant; and extracting the implant insertion instrument from the interbody cavity. | 09-19-2013 |
20140058514 | Insertion tool for Inter-body Vertebral Prosthetic Device With Self-Deploying Screws - An apparatus for inserting an intervertebral prosthesis within a spine of a mammal includes: a handle including a drive nut operating to produce rotational torque in response to user-input about a central axis; a first drive shaft including a proximal end in communication with the drive nut, receiving rotational torque therefrom, and imparting rotational torque to the first drive shaft about a first axis, which is laterally offset from the central axis; and a distal end of the first drive shaft including a first drive head; and a chuck disposed at a distal end of the tool for engaging the intervertebral prosthesis during implantation, wherein the first drive shaft extends through the chuck and the first drive head engages a first gear of the intervertebral prosthesis, such that rotation of the first gear causes rotation and deployment of a first anchoring element of the intervertebral prosthesis. | 02-27-2014 |