# US 12,758,399 B2 · Expandable cage adjustment tool and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,758,399 B2 - Document ID: US12758399B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/619,468 - Filed: 2024-03-28 - Published: 2024-07-18 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2020-07-06 - Assignees: Medos International Sarl - Applicants: Medos International Sarl - Inventors: Alec Manson; Sean Saidha; Connor Engstrom - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12758399B2 ## CPC - A61F 2/4611: {of spinal prostheses} - A61F 2/442: {Intervertebral or spinal discs, e.g. resilient (non-disc-shaped intervertebral inflatable pockets A61F2/441; non-disc-shaped intervertebral fusion implants A61F2/4455)} - A61F 2002/4627: {with linear motion along or rotating motion about the instrument axis or the implantation direction, e.g. telescopic, along a guiding rod, screwing inside the instrument} - A61F 2002/4629: {connected to the endoprosthesis or implant via a threaded connection} - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) ## Abstract An adjustment tool configured to adjust an intervertebral implant comprises a housing, a traveler member, a tether member, and a drive member. The traveler member is coupled to the housing. A proximal end of the tether member is coupled to the traveler, and a distal end of the tether member is configured to couple to the implant. The tether member is substantially linearly fixed to the traveler and rotatable relative to the traveler. The drive member is configured to transition between 1.) a first position in which the drive member is coupled to the tether such that rotation of the drive member causes rotation of the tether relative to the traveler, and 2.) a second position in which the drive member is coupled to the traveler such that rotation of the drive member causes rotation of the traveler relative to the housing. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tool configured to insert and adjust an intervertebral implant, the tool comprising: a housing; a traveler coupled to the housing; a tether coupled to the traveler with respect to linear translation; and a drive member movable between a first position whereby the drive member is rotatably coupled to the tether and rotatably decoupled from the traveler, and a second position whereby the drive member is rotatably decoupled from the tether, wherein 1) rotation of the drive member in the first position causes the tether to couple to the intervertebral implant, 2) distal movement of the drive member from the first position to the second position iterates the drive member to the second position, and 3) rotation of the drive member in the second position drives expansion of the intervertebral implant. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tool of claim 1, wherein the drive member is configured to rotatably couple to a drive shaft of the intervertebral implant when the drive member is moved to the second position, and rotation of the drive shaft expands the intervertebral implant. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The tool of claim 2, wherein the drive member is rotatably coupled to the traveler in the second position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The tool of claim 2, wherein the traveler is threadedly coupled to the housing at a threaded interface, such that rotation of the drive member in the second position causes the traveler to rotate at the threaded interface, which causes the traveler to translate, thereby causing the tether to translate with the traveler. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The tool of claim 3, wherein rotation of the drive member in the first position causes the tether to couple to a wedge assembly of the intervertebral implant that translates in response to rotation of the drive shaft, so as to cause the intervertebral implant to expand. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The tool of claim 5, wherein the tether is configured to translate at the same rate as the wedge assembly during rotation of the drive member in the second position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The tool of claim 6, wherein the tether is configured to translate at the same rate as the wedge assembly during rotation of the traveler. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The tool of claim 1, wherein the tether is received in the traveler, and the drive member is received in the traveler. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The tool of claim 1, wherein the tether comprises a drive connect portion and a drive disconnect portion that is adjacent the drive connect portion, the drive member is disposed in the drive connect portion in the first position, and the drive member is disposed in the drive disconnect portion in the second position. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The tool of claim 9, wherein the drive member comprises a tether drive member and a traveler drive member, wherein in the first position the tether drive member is coupled to the drive connect portion and is axially spaced from a connection portion of the traveler, and in the second position the tether drive member is disposed in the drive disconnect portion and the traveler drive member is rotatably coupled to the connection portion of the traveler. ### Claim 11 A method of inserting an intervertebral implant, comprising the steps of: coupling a tether to a wedge assembly of the intervertebral implant; coupling a drive member to a drive shaft of the intervertebral implant; and rotating the drive member, which correspondingly rotates the drive shaft, thereby causing the wedge assembly to translate, which causes the intervertebral implant to expand, wherein the rotating step causes the tether to translate with the wedge assembly, and wherein the tether is translatably coupled to a traveler that is threaded to a housing, and rotation of the drive member causes the traveler to rotate relative to the housing, which in turn causes the traveler to translate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the drive member extends through the housing and is rotatably coupled to the traveler. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the step of coupling the tether is performed while the drive member is in a first position whereby the drive member is rotatably coupled to the tether, such that rotation of the drive member causes the step of coupling the tether. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of moving the drive member from the first position to a second position, and performing the rotating step in the second position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein in the second position, the drive member is rotatably decoupled from the tether. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein moving the drive member from the first position to the second position comprises translating the drive member, which causes the step of coupling the drive member to the drive shaft. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein moving the drive member from the first position to the second position rotatably couples the drive member to the traveler. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the step of rotating the drive member causes the wedge assembly to translate at a rate of translation, and the step of rotating the drive further causes the tether to translate with the wedge assembly at the rate of translation.