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US 12,178,712 B2Granted
Spinal implant with features facilitating independent expansion of portions thereof and method for use thereof
AssigneeWarsaw Orthopedic, Inc.
InventorsKeith E. Miller, John Stewart Young
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An expandable spinal implant having a first portion and a second portion is provided. The expandable implant includes a first moveable portion and a second moveable portion attached to the first portion. The first moveable portion and the second moveable portion are moveable independently of one another. The movement of the first moveable portion and the second moveable portion facilitate independent expansion of a trailing end portion and a leading end portion of the expandable implant.
Claims20
An expandable spinal implant comprising:
- a trailing end, an opposite leading end, a top, an opposite bottom, a first side, an opposite second side, and a mid-longitudinal axis extending through the trailing end and the leading end;
- a first portion provided at and adjacent the bottom of the expandable spinal implant, the first portion extending between the trailing end and the leading end, the first portion including a first aperture and a second aperture along the first side of the expandable implant, a lower surface, and a first inner surface, the first inner surface including a first surface configuration provided adjacent the first aperture, and a second surface configuration provided adjacent the second aperture,
- a first moveable portion receivable in the first surface configuration and moveable within a first area located between the first side and the second side of the expandable spinal implant, the first moveable portion including a first upwardly-oriented engagement surface;
- a second moveable portion receivable in the second surface configuration and moveable within a second area located between the first side and the second side of the expandable spinal implant, the second moveable portion including a second upwardly-oriented engagement surface;
- a first screw received through the first aperture to engage portions of the first moveable portion such that rotation of the first screw serves to move the first moveable portion;
- a second screw received through the second aperture to engage portions of the second moveable portion such that rotation of the second screw serves to move the second moveable portion;
- and
- a second portion provided at and adjacent the top of the expandable spinal implant, the second portion extending between the trailing end and the leading end, the second portion including an upper surface and a second inner surface, the second inner surface including a first downwardly-oriented engagement surface and a second downwardly-oriented engagement surface,
- wherein the first upwardly-oriented engagement surface engages the first downwardly-oriented engagement surface and the second upwardly-oriented engagement surface engages the second downwardly-oriented engagement surface,
- wherein the first upwardly-oriented engagement surface includes a first upwardly-oriented inclined surface and a second upwardly-oriented inclined surface, and the first downwardly-oriented engagement surface includes a first downwardly-oriented inclined surface and a second downwardly-oriented inclined surface, the first upwardly-oriented inclined surface engaging the first downwardly-oriented inclined surface, and the second upwardly-oriented inclined surface engaging the second downwardly-oriented inclined surface;
- wherein movement of the first moveable portion can force the first upwardly-oriented inclined surface to move along the first downwardly-oriented inclined surface to expand a trailing end portion of the expandable spinal implant,
- wherein movement of the first moveable portion can force the second upwardly-oriented inclined surface to move along the second downwardly-oriented inclined surface to further expand the trailing end portion of the expandable spinal implant, and
- wherein movement of the second moveable portion can force the second upwardly-oriented engagement surface to move along the second downwardly-oriented engagement surface to expand a leading end portion of the expandable spinal implant.
10 more elements
An expandable spinal implant comprising:
- a trailing end, an opposite leading end, a top, an opposite bottom, a first side, an opposite second side, and a mid-longitudinal axis extending through the trailing end and the leading end;
- a first portion provided at and adjacent the bottom of the expandable spinal implant, the first portion including a first aperture and a second aperture positioned along the first side of the expandable spinal implant, the first portion including a first inner surface including a first surface configuration provided adjacent the first aperture, and a second surface configuration provided adjacent the second aperture;
- a first moveable portion receivable in the first surface configuration and moveable within a first area located between the first side and the second side of the expandable spinal implant, the first moveable portion including a first upwardly-oriented engagement surface;
- a second moveable portion receivable in the second surface configuration and moveable within a second area located between the first side and the second side of the expandable spinal implant, the second moveable portion including a second upwardly-oriented engagement surface;
- a first screw received through the first aperture to engage portions of the first moveable portion such that rotation of the first screw actuates movement of the first moveable portion;
- a second screw received through the second aperture to engage portions of the second moveable portion such that rotation of the second screw actuates movement of the second moveable portion;
- and
- a second portion provided at and adjacent the top of the expandable spinal implant, the second portion including an upper surface and a second inner surface, the second inner surface including a first downwardly-oriented engagement surface and a second downwardly-oriented engagement surface,
- wherein the first upwardly-oriented engagement surface engages the first downwardly-oriented engagement surface and the second upwardly-oriented engagement surface engages the second downwardly-oriented engagement surface,
- wherein the first upwardly-oriented engagement surface includes a first upwardly-oriented inclined surface and a second upwardly-oriented inclined surface, and the first downwardly-oriented engagement surface includes a first downwardly-oriented inclined surface and a second downwardly-oriented inclined surface, the first upwardly-oriented inclined surface engaging the first downwardly-oriented inclined surface, and the second upwardly-oriented inclined surface engaging the second downwardly-oriented inclined surface;
- wherein movement of the first moveable portion can force the first upwardly-oriented inclined surface to move along the first downwardly-oriented inclined surface to move the first portion and the second portion apart from one another adjacent a trailing end portion of the expandable spinal implant,
- wherein movement of the first moveable portion can force the second upwardly-oriented inclined surface to move along the second downwardly-oriented inclined surface to further move the first portion and the second portion apart from one another adjacent the trailing end portion of the expandable spinal implant;
- and
- wherein movement of the second moveable portion can force the second upwardly-oriented engagement surface to move along the second downwardly-oriented engagement surface to expand a leading end portion of the expandable spinal implant.
11 more elements
An expandable spinal implant comprising:
- a trailing end, an opposite leading end, a top, an opposite bottom, a first side, an opposite second side, and a mid-longitudinal axis extending through the trailing end and the leading end;
- a first portion provided at and adjacent the bottom of the expandable spinal implant, the first portion including a first aperture and a second aperture positioned along the first side of the expandable spinal implant;
- a first moveable portion moveable with respect to the first portion, and including a first upwardly-oriented engagement surface;
- a second moveable portion moveable with respect to the first portion, and including a second upwardly-oriented engagement surface;
- a first screw received through the first aperture to engage portions of the first moveable portion such that rotation of the first screw actuates movement of the first moveable portion;
- a second screw received through the second aperture to engage portions of the second moveable portion such that rotation of the second screw actuates movement of the second moveable portion;
- and
- a second portion provided at and adjacent the top of the expandable spinal implant, the second portion including an upper surface and a second inner surface, the second inner surface including a first downwardly-oriented engagement surface adjacent the trailing end of the expandable spinal implant and a second downwardly-oriented engagement surface adjacent the leading end of the expandable spinal implant,
- wherein the first upwardly-oriented engagement surface engages the first downwardly-oriented engagement surface and the second upwardly-oriented engagement surface engages the second downwardly-oriented engagement surface,
- wherein the first upwardly-oriented engagement surface includes a first upwardly-oriented inclined surface and a second upwardly-oriented inclined surface, and the first downwardly-oriented engagement surface includes a first downwardly-oriented inclined surface and a second downwardly-oriented inclined surface, the first upwardly-oriented inclined surface engaging the first downwardly-oriented inclined surface, and the second upwardly-oriented inclined surface engaging the second downwardly-oriented inclined surface;
- wherein movement of the first moveable portion can force the first upwardly-oriented inclined surface to move along the first downwardly-oriented inclined surface to expand a trailing end portion of the expandable spinal implant,
- wherein movement of the first moveable portion can force the second upwardly-oriented inclined surface to move along the second downwardly-oriented inclined surface to further expand the trailing end portion of the expandable spinal implant,
- wherein movement of the second moveable portion can force the second upwardly-oriented engagement surface to move along the second downwardly-oriented engagement surface to expand a leading end portion of the expandable spinal implant;
- and
- wherein expansion of the trailing end portion and the leading end portion can occur independently.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.