Instrumentation and method for inserting and deploying and expandable interbody spinal fusion implant
AssigneeSDGI Holdings, Inc.
InventorGary K. Michelson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Instruments and methods for inserting and expanding interbody spinal fusion implants having an expandable height.
Claims223
An implant holder for inserting an interbody spinal implant into the spine of a human, said implant holder comprising:
- an outer sleeve having a longitudinal axis, a passage along the longitudinal axis, and a distal end with an implant engagement area adapted to cooperatively engage the implant;
- and
- a shaft having a passage, said shaft being adapted to move along at least a portion of said passage of said outer sleeve, said passage of said shaft being adapted to permit the passage of an instrument or fusion promoting substances therethrough.
An apparatus for inserting an expandable spinal implant having an expander adapted to increase the height of the implant, said apparatus comprising:
- an implant holder having a longitudinal axis, a passage along the longitudinal axis, and a distal end with an implant engagement area adapted to cooperatively engage the implant;
- and
- an expander driver adapted to engage the expandable implant, said expander driver having a shaft adapted to pass through said passage of said implant holder, said shaft of said expander driver having a distal end adapted to engage the expander of the expandable implant.
An implant holder for inserting an interbody spinal implant having a trailing end, said implant holder comprising:
- a body having a distal end, a proximal end, and a length therebetween;
- and
- at least two extensions extending from said distal end of said body, said extensions having an interior surface and an exterior surface opposite said interior surface, said extensions being adapted to be moved toward one another by an inward force applied by a user to said exterior surface to permit said extensions of said implant holder to pass into the trailing end of the implant and for said exterior surface to cooperatively engage the trailing end of the implant after the inward force is removed.
A method for expanding an expandable spinal implant having an expander adapted to increase the height of the implant, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing an implant holder having a passage therethrough adapted to receive an expander driver;
- attaching the implant holder to the implant;
- inserting the expander driver having a shaft through the passage of the implant holder to engage the expander of the implant;
- and
- rotating the expander driver to expand the expandable implant.
A method for loading a spinal implant with fusion promoting substances, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing an implant holder having a passage therethrough;
- attaching the implant holder to the implant;
- and
- passing fusion promoting substances through the passage of the implant holder into the implant.
A method for inserting an interbody spinal implant into an implantation space, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing an implant holder having a body having a distal end, the implant holder having extensions extending from the distal end of the body, the extensions having an exterior surface, the extensions being adapted to be moved toward one another by an inward force applied to the extensions to permit the extensions of the implant holder to pass into the trailing end of the implant and for the exterior surface to cooperatively engage the implant after the inward force is removed;
- passing the extensions of the implant holder into the trailing end of the implant;
- and
- cooperatively engaging the exterior surface of the extensions of the implant holder to the implant.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.