Expandable intervertebral spine implant and methods of using the same

An expandable intervertebral spine implant having an anterior side, a posterior side, a distal end and a proximal end, the implant comprising:

• (a) a center rod having a center rod length comprising a proximal threaded portion having a proximal threading direction and a distal threaded portion having a distal threading direction opposite the proximal threading direction;
• (b) a proximal sled coupled to the proximal threaded portion and a distal sled coupled to the distal threaded portion;
• (c) at least one pair of anterior side plates comprising an anterior side top plate and an anterior side bottom plate, wherein said anterior side top plate is reversibly connected to said anterior side bottom plate and wherein each anterior side plate is discrete from, and oppose, each other;
• and
• (d) at least one pair of posterior side plates comprising a posterior side top plate and a posterior side bottom plate, wherein said posterior side top plate is reversibly connected to said posterior side bottom plate and wherein each posterior side plate is discrete from, and oppose, each other;
• wherein when the center rod is rotated in a first rotation direction, the distal sled and the proximal sled move further apart relative to one another along the length of the center rod and wherein when the center rod is rotated in a second rotation direction opposite the first rotation direction the distal sled and the proximal sled move closer along the length of center rod;
• and
• wherein the expandable intervertebral spine implant is configured so that:
• (i) when the distal sled and the proximal sled are positioned closest to each other within a central portion of the center rod, the implant is in a compact position;
• (ii) when the distal sled and the proximal sled move farther apart along a first length in each direction from the center portion of the center rod, the anterior side plates and the posterior side plates move farther apart from one another and from the center rod thereby expanding the implant in a first expansion direction;
• and
• (iii) when the distal sled and the proximal sled move farther apart from the center portion along a second length of the center rod, the anterior side top plate and the anterior side bottom plate move apart from one another thereby expanding the implant on the anterior side in a second expansion direction and the posterior side top plate angulates relative to the posterior side bottom plate;
• and wherein
• (I) the distal sled is connected to an anterior side distal articulating arm and a posterior side distal articulating arm and wherein the anterior side distal articulating arm and the posterior side distal articulating arm are configured to articulate relative to the distal sled;
• and
• (II) the proximal sled is connected to an anterior side proximal articulating arm and a posterior side proximal articulating arm and wherein the anterior side proximal articulating arm and the posterior side proximal articulating arm are configured to articulate relative to the proximal sled.

An expandable intervertebral spine implant having an anterior side, a posterior side, a distal end and a proximal end, the implant comprising:

• (a) a center rod having a center rod length comprising a proximal threaded portion having a proximal threading direction and a distal threaded portion having a distal threading direction opposite the proximal threading direction;
• (b) a proximal sled coupled to the proximal threaded portion and a distal sled coupled to the distal threaded portion;
• (c) at least one pair of anterior side plates comprising an anterior side top plate and an anterior side bottom plate, wherein said anterior side top plate is reversibly connected to said anterior side bottom plate and wherein each anterior side plate is discrete from, and oppose, each other;
• and
• (d) at least one pair of posterior side plates comprising a posterior side top plate and a posterior side bottom plate, wherein said posterior side top plate is reversibly connected to said posterior side bottom plate and wherein each posterior side plate is discrete from, and oppose, each other;
• wherein when the center rod is rotated in a first rotation direction, the distal sled and the proximal sled move further apart relative to one another along the length of the center rod and wherein when the center rod is rotated in a second rotation direction opposite the first rotation direction the distal sled and the proximal sled move closer along the length of center rod;
• and
• wherein the expandable intervertebral spine implant is configured so that:
• (i) when the distal sled and the proximal sled are positioned closest to each other within a central portion of the center rod, the implant is in a compact position;
• (ii) when the distal sled and the proximal sled move farther apart along a first length in each direction from the center portion of the center rod, the anterior side plates and the posterior side plates move farther apart from one another and from the center rod thereby expanding the implant in a first expansion direction;
• and
• (iii) when the distal sled and the proximal sled move farther apart from the center portion along a second length of the center rod, the anterior side top plate and the anterior side bottom plate move apart from one another thereby expanding the implant on the anterior side in a second expansion direction;
• and
• wherein the anterior side top plate has an anterior side top plate length in a direction from the distal end to the proximal end and the anterior side bottom plate has an anterior side bottom plate length in the direction from the distal end to the proximal end and wherein the anterior side top plate length is different than the anterior side bottom plate length and wherein the anterior side bottom plate is configured to reversibly slidably fit within the anterior side top plate or the anterior side top plate is configured to reversibly slidably fit within the anterior side bottom plate.