Minimally invasive intervertebral systems and methods
AssigneeEIT Emerging Implant Technologies GmbH
InventorsMorgan Packard Lorio, Thomas Purcell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A minimally invasive intervertebral implant includes a circuitous body defining a luminal axis extending longitudinally therethrough. The circuitous body includes proximal and distal ends oppositely disposed along a lateral axis of the circuitous body. Each of the proximal and distal ends includes an aperture disposed therethrough such that the circuitous body includes a first configuration wherein the proximal and distal ends are at a maximum separation and a second configuration wherein the proximal and distal ends are closer together than in the first configuration.
Claims18
A method of deploying an intervertebral cage apparatus within an intervertebral disc space, the method comprising:
- abutting a proximal end of an intervertebral cage apparatus against a cannula such that the cannula prevents movement of the intervertebral cage apparatus relative to the cannula in the proximal direction;
- after the abutting step, causing the cannula to position the intervertebral cage apparatus in the intervertebral disc space in an undeployed position;
- and
- applying a relative force along a direction between the proximal end and an opposed distal end of the intervertebral cage apparatus with the cannula to cause the intervertebral cage apparatus to move from the undeployed position to a deployed position, wherein in the deployed position the proximal and distal ends are closer together along the direction than in the undeployed position;
- wherein the cannula engages the proximal end of the intervertebral cage apparatus and an inner member that extends through the cannula engages the distal end during the applying step, and respective distal ends of the cannula and the inner member are opposite each other along the direction both when the intervertebral cage apparatus is in the undeployed position and when the intervertebral cage apparatus is in the deployed position.
An intervertebral cage assembly comprising:
- an intervertebral cage apparatus configured to be positioned in an intervertebral disc space in an undeployed position, the intervertebral cage apparatus defining a proximal end and a distal end opposite the proximal end in a distal direction;
- and
- an implantation tool having 1) an outer member that is configured to abut the proximal end of the intervertebral cage apparatus in the undeployed position, thereby preventing movement of the intervertebral cage apparatus relative to the outer member in a proximal direction that is opposite the distal direction, while the intervertebral cage apparatus extends out from the outer member in the distal direction, and 2) an inner member that extends through the outer member and is configured to engage the distal end, wherein the implantation tool is configured to apply a relative force along a direction between the proximal end and the distal end of the intervertebral cage apparatus so as to cause the intervertebral cage apparatus to move from the undeployed position to a deployed position, wherein in the deployed position the proximal and distal ends are closer together along the direction than in the undeployed position,
- wherein respective distal ends of the outer and inner members are opposite each other along the direction both when the intervertebral cage apparatus is in a undeployed position and when the intervertebral cage apparatus is in the deployed position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.