# US 11,304,818 B2 · Expandable spinal interbody assembly

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- Number: US 11,304,818 B2
- Document ID: US11304818B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/009,616
- Filed: 2018-06-15
- Published: 2018-10-18
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2013-03-13
- Assignees: Life Spine, Inc.
- Applicants: Life Spine, Inc.
- Inventors: Michael S. Butler; Madeline Wolters; Daniel Predick
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11304818B2

## CPC

- A61F 2/4425: {made of articulated components}
- A61B 17/8858: {laterally or radially expansible (inflatable A61B17/8855)}
- A61F 2/30771: {applied in original prostheses, e.g. holes or grooves}
- A61F 2/442: {Intervertebral or spinal discs, e.g. resilient (non-disc-shaped intervertebral inflatable pockets A61F2/441; non-disc-shaped intervertebral fusion implants A61F2/4455)}
- A61F 2/4455: {for the fusion of spinal bodies, e.g. intervertebral fusion of adjacent spinal bodies, e.g. fusion cages (intervertebral discs A61F2/442)}
- A61F 2/446: {having a circular or elliptical cross-section substantially parallel to the axis of the spine, e.g. cylinders or frustocones}
- A61F 2/447: {substantially parallelepipedal, e.g. having a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section}
- A61F 2002/30133: {kidney-shaped or bean-shaped}
- A61F 2002/30143: {hexagonal}
- A61F 2002/30148: {lozenge- or diamond-shaped}
- A61F 2002/30158: {trapezoidal}
- A61F 2002/30164: {dovetail-shaped}
- A61F 2002/30179: {X-shaped}
- A61F 2002/30187: {D-shaped or half-disc-shaped}
- A61F 2002/3037: {Translation along the common longitudinal axis, e.g. piston}
- A61F 2002/30387: {Dovetail connection}
- A61F 2002/30428: {made by inserting a protrusion into a slot}
- A61F 2002/30471: {connected by a hinged linkage mechanism, e.g. of the single-bar or multi-bar linkage type}
- A61F 2002/30482: {using a locking cam}
- A61F 2002/30507: {using a threaded locking member, e.g. a locking screw or a set screw}
- A61F 2002/30523: {by means of meshing gear teeth}
- A61F 2002/30538: {for adjusting angular orientation}
- A61F 2002/3055: {for adjusting length}
- A61F 2002/30556: {for adjusting thickness}
- A61F 2002/30579: {with mechanically expandable devices, e.g. fixation devices}
- A61F 2002/30594: {slotted, e.g. radial or meridian slot ending in a polar aperture, non-polar slots, horizontal or arcuate slots}
- A61F 2002/30784: {Plurality of holes}
- A61F 2002/30827: {Plurality of grooves}
- A61F 2002/30841: {Sharp anchoring protrusions for impaction into the bone, e.g. sharp pins, spikes}
- A61F 2002/30904: {serrated profile, i.e. saw-toothed}
- A61F 2002/3092: {having an open-celled or open-pored structure}
- A61F 2002/30934: {Special articulating surfaces}
- A61F 2002/30985: {using three dimensional printing [3DP]}
- A61F 2002/4415: {elements of the prosthesis being arranged in a chain like manner}
- A61F 2310/00017: Iron- or Fe-based alloys, e.g. stainless steel
- A61F 2310/00023: Titanium or titanium-based alloys, e.g. Ti-Ni alloys
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

An expandable implant includes a top support assembly defining an upper surface configured to engage a first portion of bone, a first central aperture extending from the upper surface to an interior of the implant, and a first grid structure surrounding the first central aperture; a bottom support assembly defining a lower surface configured to engage a second portion of bone, a second central aperture extending from the lower surface to the interior, and a second grid structure surrounding the second central aperture; and a control assembly coupled to the top support assembly and the bottom support assembly and configured to control relative movement between the top support assembly and the bottom support assembly between a collapsed position and an expanded position.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An expandable implant, comprising:
a top support assembly comprising an upper surface configured to engage a first portion of bone, a first central aperture extending from the upper surface to an interior of the implant, and a first grid structure surrounding the first central aperture;
a bottom support assembly comprising a lower surface configured to engage a second portion of bone, a second central aperture extending from the lower surface to the interior, and a second grid structure surrounding the second central aperture; and
a control assembly coupled to the top support assembly and the bottom support assembly and configured to control relative movement between the top support assembly and the bottom support assembly between a collapsed position and an expanded position along a first direction, wherein the control assembly comprises a front portion coupled to a rear portion via a control shaft, the front portion comprising a solid bull nose;
wherein the first grid structure comprises a first plurality of elongated apertures extending from the upper surface toward the interior along the first direction, and the second grid structure comprises a second plurality of elongated apertures extending from the lower surface toward the interior along the first direction, each of the first plurality of elongated apertures and the second plurality of elongated apertures being elongated along the first direction such that a length of each aperture along the first direction is greater than a width of each aperture along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
wherein the control shaft includes a tool recess and an access port configured to provide fluid communication between an exterior of the implant and the interior and
wherein the access port is open to the tool recess at a proximal end of the control shaft and includes a distal port opening on a surface which is not parallel to the proximal end of the control shaft.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The expandable implant of claim 1, wherein the first grid structure forms a series of grooves and teeth on the upper surface and the second grid structure forms a series of grooves and teeth on the lower surface.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The expandable implant of claim 1, wherein the top support assembly includes at least one upper side portion defining an upper web structure and the bottom support assembly includes at least one lower side portion defining a lower web structure, wherein the upper web structure defines a first plurality of voids and the lower web structure defines a second plurality of voids.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The expandable implant of claim 3, wherein at least a portion of the first plurality of voids and at least a portion of the second plurality of voids extend from the exterior of the implant to the interior.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The expandable implant of claim 3, wherein the upper web structure and the lower web structure each form multiple web structures having honeycomb patterns.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The expandable implant of claim 1, wherein the upper support assembly and the lower support assembly are each formed by a single 3D printing operation.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The expandable implant of claim 1, wherein the upper support assembly and the lower support assembly are made of a titanium alloy.

### Claim 8

An expandable implant comprising:
a top support assembly comprising an upper surface and an upper side portion, the upper surface configured to engage a first portion of bone, the upper side portion extending downward from the upper surface and defining a first side surface, the upper side portion including an upper web structure defining a first plurality of voids extending from the first side surface in the upper side portion;
a bottom support assembly comprising a lower surface and a lower side portion, the lower surface configured to engage a second portion of bone, the lower side portion extending downward from the lower surface and defining a second side surface, the lower side portion including a lower web structure defining a second plurality of voids extending from the second side surface in the lower side portion;
a first wedge member slidably coupled to the top and bottom support assemblies, the first wedge member comprising a solid bull nose;
a second wedge member slidably coupled to the top and bottom support assemblies; and
a control shaft coupled to the first and second wedge members and configured to control relative movement between the top support assembly and the bottom support assembly between a collapsed position and an expanded position;
wherein the upper web structure and the lower web structure each form multiple web structures having honeycomb patterns;
wherein the control shaft includes a tool recess and an access port configured to provide fluid communication between an exterior of the implant and an interior of the implant; and
wherein the access port extends obliquely relative to a longitudinal axis of the control shaft.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The expandable implant of claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the first plurality of voids and at least a portion of the second plurality of voids extend from the exterior of the implant to the interior.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The expandable implant of claim 8, wherein the top support assembly includes a first central aperture extending from the upper surface to the interior of the implant, and a first grid structure surrounding the first central aperture, and wherein the bottom support assembly includes a second central aperture extending from the lower surface to the interior, and a second grid structure surrounding the second central aperture.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The expandable implant of claim 10, wherein the first grid structure includes a first plurality of elongated apertures extending from the upper surface toward the interior along a first direction, and the second grid structure includes a second plurality of elongated apertures extending from the lower surface toward the interior along the first direction such that a length of each elongated aperture along the first direction is greater than a width of each elongated aperture along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The expandable implant of claim 10, wherein the first grid structure forms a series of grooves and teeth on the top surface and the second grid structure forms a series of grooves and teeth on the lower surface.

### Claim 13

An expandable implant, comprising:
a top support assembly including:
an upper surface configured to engage a first portion of bone;
a first central aperture extending from the upper surface to an interior of the implant;
a first grid structure surrounding the first central aperture and comprising a first plurality of elongated apertures extending from the upper surface toward the interior along a first direction; and
at least one side portion extending downward from the upper surface and defining an upper web structure comprising a plurality of voids extending from a first side surface along a second direction generally perpendicular to the first direction;
a bottom support assembly including:
a lower surface configured to engage a second portion of bone;
a second central aperture extending from the lower surface to the interior;
a second grid structure surrounding the second central aperture and comprising a second plurality of elongated apertures extending from the lower surface toward the interior along the first direction; and
at least one lower side portion extending upward from the lower surface and defining a lower web structure comprising a plurality of voids extending from a second side surface along the second direction; and
a control assembly coupled to the top support assembly and the bottom support assembly and configured to control relative movement between the top support assembly and the bottom support assembly between a collapsed position and an expanded position;
wherein each of the first plurality of elongated apertures and the second plurality of apertures is elongated along the first direction such that a length of each aperture along the first direction is greater than a width of each aperture along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
wherein the control assembly comprises a front portion coupled to a rear portion via a control shaft, the front portion comprising a solid bull nose;
wherein the control shaft includes a tool recess and an access port configured to provide fluid communication between an exterior of the implant and the interior; and
wherein the tool recess is configured to interact with a driving tool, and wherein the access port Is configured such that the driving tool is not permitted to pass into the access port.