US 11,850,166 B2Granted

Systems and methods for an expandable interbody device

AssigneeDignity Health

InventorsMichael D. White, Dakota Graham

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

Various embodiments of an expandable interbody cage device configured to reduce subsidence into an endplate of a vertebral body by including a plurality of arms that engage the cortical tissue of the vertebral body. The plurality of arms increase the surface area and improve distribution of force, especially around stronger parts of the endplate such as the cortical bone at the rim of the endplate. The expandable interbody cage device maintains a low or slim profile while in a “closed” configuration during insertion between vertebrae and is further operable to laterally expand into an “open” configuration that increases the surface area of the expandable interbody cage device after insertion to securely engage the expandable interbody cage device between the vertebra. The expandable interbody cage device further includes one or more ports and/or cavities in which bone graft material can be disposed within.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An expandable interbody cage device, comprising:

an axle including a first axle head and an opposite second axle head,
wherein the first axle head defines a first worm threading and wherein the second axle head defines an opposite second worm threading,
wherein the axle is rotatable about a direction of elongation of the axle in a first direction C or an opposite second direction D;
a plurality of arms in association with the axle, including:
a first arm in association with the first axle head, wherein the first arm includes a joint portion and a member portion, wherein the first arm is rotatable in a first direction A or an opposite second direction B about the joint portion by the first axle head of the axle, and wherein the first arm defines a first planar surface configured to contact a cortical bone surface of a first vertebra and an opposite second planar surface configured to contact a cortical bone surface of a second vertebra;
and
a second arm in association with the opposite second axle head, wherein the second arm includes a joint portion and a member portion, wherein the second arm is rotatable in the first direction A or the opposite second direction B about the joint portion by the opposite second axle head of the axle, and wherein the second arm defines a first planar surface configured to contact the cortical bone surface of the first vertebra and an opposite second planar surface configured to contact the cortical bone surface of the second vertebra;
and
a cage assembly encapsulating the axle and the joint portion of the first arm and the joint portion of the second arm, wherein the cage assembly includes a first external planar surface configured to contact an endplate surface of the first vertebra and an opposite second external planar surface configured to contact an endplate surface of the second vertebra.

6 more elements

A method, comprising:

providing an expandable interbody cage device, comprising:
an axle including a first axle head having a first threading and an opposite second axle head having an opposite second threading, wherein the axle is rotatable about a direction of elongation X of the axle in a first direction C or an opposite direction D;
and
a plurality of arms in association with the axle, including:
a first arm in association with the first axle head, wherein the first arm includes a joint portion and a member portion and wherein the first arm is rotatable in a first direction A or an opposite second direction B about the joint portion by the first axle head of the axle;
and
a second arm in association with the opposite second axle head, wherein the second arm includes a joint portion and a member portion, wherein the second arm is rotatable in the first direction A or the opposite second direction B about the joint portion by the opposite second axle head of the axle;
wherein the expandable interbody cage device is operable to assume a closed configuration and an open configuration;
inserting the expandable interbody cage device between a first endplate surface of a first vertebra and a second endplate surface of a second vertebra;
and
rotating the axle in the first direction C or the opposite direction D such that each arm of the plurality of arms is resultantly rotated in the first direction A or the opposite second direction B such that the expandable interbody cage device assumes the open configuration.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/042,319Filed 1 Sep 2021 · us provisional application
Priority: 1 Sep 2020
Published: US 2023/0240860 A13 Aug 2023
Granted: 26 Dec 2023
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification15 codes

A61F 2/4455
For the spine, e.g. vertebrae or spinal discs: for the fusion of spinal bodies, e.g. intervertebral fusion of adjacent spinal bodies, e.g. fusion…
A61F 2/447
For the fusion of spinal bodies, e.g. intervertebral fusion of adjacent spinal bodies, e.g. fusion cages: substantially parallelepipedal, e.g.…
A61F 2002/285
Support means for bone substitute or for bone graft implants, e.g. membranes or plates for covering bone defects: fixation appliances for…
A61F 2002/30405
Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements: made by screwing complementary threads…