Structurally supporting insert for spinal fusion cage
AssigneeHowmedica Osteonics Corp.
InventorsMarcel Sicotte, Damien J. Shulock
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An expandable implant includes a structural insert to provide a robust connection between an insertion instrument and the expandable implant. The structural insert can be made from a different material than the remainder of the implant to withstand compressive, tensile, shear, and torsional loads which may be present while inserting the implant into a patient. The structural insert may be formed as part of a bottom member of the implant or may be a separate element inserted into the implant body. The structural insert may provide a threaded connection to an insertion instrument. The expandable implant may include a bone graft port in fluid communication with a bone graft opening extending through the implant body.
Claims17
A spinal fusion cage, comprising:
- a body having a first surface for abutting a first vertebral body, an opposing second surface for abutting a second vertebral body, and a proximal surface extending transverse to the first and second surfaces, the proximal surface including an attachment port for receiving a threaded portion of an insertion instrument;
- and
- a structural insert made from a different material than the body, the structural insert being positioned within the body and spaced distally from the proximal surface, such that at least a portion of the body is defined between the structural insert and the proximal surface, the structural insert having a predefined threaded connection configured to detachably and rigidly couple to the threaded portion of the insertion instrument when the threaded portion is received within the attachment port, such that, when the structural insert is coupled to the insertion instrument, the orientation of the body of the implant is rigidly fixed with respect to the insertion instrument and a distal end of the insertion instrument does not exit the implant through the first surface or the second surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.