Intervertebral body fusion device expanded with hardening material
AssigneeStryker European Operations Holdings LLC
InventorsChristopher P. Bell, Agustin Quintana
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An expandable, intervertebral spacer includes a top component and a base component in engagement with the top component, the base component defining at least one channel for receiving a hardening material, and placement of the hardening material within the channel causes the top component to move between a first position in which the top component is a first distance from the base component and a second position in which the top component is a second distance from the base component, the second distance being greater than the first distance. The hardening material can be removed from the channel by a flexible coring tool, and the top component forced toward the base component to collapse the spacer.
Claims20
A method for spinal repair, the method comprising the steps of:
- removing a previously hardened material from a spacer positioned within an intervertebral disc space;
- and
- after the removing step, compressing the spacer.
A method for removing a spacer from an intervertebral disc space, the method comprising the steps of:
- removing a previously hardened material from the spacer with a tool;
- after the removing step, compressing the spacer to reduce a profile of the spacer;
- and
- removing the spacer from the intervertebral disc space.
A method for removing a spacer from an intervertebral disc space, the method comprising the steps of:
- removing a previously hardened material from a channel of the spacer with a flexible coring tool;
- after the removing step, compressing the spacer to reduce a profile of the spacer;
- and
- removing the spacer from the intervertebral disc space.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.