Enhanced cage insertion assembly
AssigneeDePuy Synthes Products, Inc.
InventorsJohn C. Voellmicke, Michael J. O'Neil, Derek Shaw, Alexander Grinberg
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of delivering a fusion cage to an intervertebral disc space bounded by adjacent vertebral endplates, comprising the step of delivering the fusion cage into the disc space without contacting its teeth to the vertebral endplates during delivery, wherein a sheath is interposed between a cage surface and the endplates to prevent contact therebetween during delivery.
Claims20
A method of manipulating an intervertebral assembly including a fusion device having an upper surface, a lower surface disposed such that the upper and lower surfaces are spaced from each other along a vertical direction, an insertion nose, a proximal end portion that is spaced from the insertion nose in a proximal direction that is perpendicular to the vertical direction, and opposed sidewalls that are disposed between the insertion nose and the proximal end portion, the method comprising the steps of;
- attaching a distal end portion of a shaft to the proximal end portion of the fusion device, the shaft having a proximal end portion opposite the distal end portion;
- pivoting an upper leaf with respect to the upper surface about a first location that is offset from a distal end of the upper leaf in the proximal direction, wherein the upper leaf is disposed at least partially above the upper surface of the fusion device;
- pivoting a lower leaf with respect to the lower surface about a second location that is offset from a distal end of the lower leaf in the proximal direction, wherein the lower leaf is disposed at least partially below the lower surface of the fusion device;
- and
- wherein the pivoting steps move the intervertebral assembly between a closed arrangement whereby the distal ends of the upper and lower leaves are spaced apart a first distance along the vertical direction, and an open arrangement whereby the distal ends of the upper and lower leaves are spaced apart a second distance greater than the first distance along the vertical direction, and
- wherein the first and second locations are offset from each other along the vertical direction.
A method of manipulating an intervertebral assembly including a fusion device having an upper surface, a lower surface disposed such that the upper and lower surfaces are spaced from each other along a vertical direction, an insertion nose, a proximal end portion that is configured to attach to a shaft and is spaced from the insertion nose in a proximal direction that is perpendicular to the vertical direction, and opposed sidewalls that are disposed between the insertion nose and the proximal end portion, the method comprising the steps of:
- pivoting a plurality of leaves with respect to the fusion device about a respective location that is offset from a respective distal end of each of the plurality of leaves in the proximal direction, wherein the respective locations are offset from each other in a plane that is oriented perpendicular to the proximal direction;
- wherein the pivoting step moves the intervertebral assembly between a closed arrangement whereby the respective distal ends of an opposed pair of the plurality of leaves are spaced apart a first distance along the vertical direction, and an open arrangement whereby the respective distal ends of the opposed pair of the plurality of leaves are spaced apart a second distance greater than the first distance along the vertical direction,
- wherein when the intervertebral assembly is in the closed arrangement, the opposed pair of the leaves surround the upper and lower surfaces of the fusion device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.