Height-adjustable spinal fusion cage
AssigneeL&K Biomed Co., Ltd.
InventorGook Jin Kang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a spinal fusion cage which is inserted between vertebral bodies at the lowest height and is height-adjustable in the inserted state, and has improved fixing strength by insertion of a bone screw through an end plate, wherein cages having heights within a predetermined range can be replaced by a single cage. Therefore, manufacturers can reduce the number of product groups that need to be produced, and can also reduce product stock. In addition, unlike the conventional cages having preset heights at regular intervals, the height can be linearly adjusted according to the distance between the vertebral bodies of a patient, and thus surgery can be performed using the cage adjusted to an optimum height according to the patient's condition.
Claims25
A spinal fusion cage for anterior lumbar interbody fusion, comprising:
- a first end plate and a second end plate which are configured to be in contact with adjacent vertebral bodies, wherein the first end plate has a first window formed at a central portion, and the second end plate has a second window formed at a central portion;
- a distal movable block connected to be movable relative to distal portions of the first end plate and the second end plate;
- a proximal movable block connected to be movable relative to proximal portions of the first end plate and the second end plate;
- an adjustment member capable of adjusting the distance between the distal movable block and the proximal movable block by adjusting the distance between the proximal movable block and the distal movable block by rotation;
- and
- a vertical guide portion disposed in the first end plate and the second end plate, to support a load in the longitudinal direction or width direction of the first end plate and the second end plate,
- wherein a block slider is formed on each of the distal movable block and the proximal movable block, and a plate slider slidable relative to the block slider is formed on each of the first and second end plates, and the maximum distance of the block slider of the distal movable block from the axis of the adjustment member in the width direction is longer than the maximum distance of the block slider of the proximal movable block from the axis of the adjustment member in the width direction, and
- wherein the maximum distance of the block slider of the proximal movable block in the width direction is shorter than the maximum distance of the first window and the second window in the width direction,
- wherein both widthwise ends of the block slider of the proximal movable block are located within the width of the first window and the second window,
- wherein the maximum width of the distal movable block is longer than the maximum width of the proximal movable block.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.