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US 2004/0176842 A1Published application
Artificial intervertebral disc
AssigneeHowmedica Osteonics Corp.
InventorLance M. Middleton
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AssigneeHowmedica Osteonics Corp.
InventorLance M. Middleton
Estimating the term…
An intervertebral prosthesis includes a disc member dimensioned for insertion within an intervertebral space between adjacent vertebrae to replace at least a portion of an intervertebral disc removed therefrom. The disc member has sufficient rigidity to support the adjacent vertebrae in spaced relation, and defines a longitudinal axis extending the height of the disc member and a lateral axis transverse to the longitudinal axis. The disc member includes an exterior wall which has a slit defined therein. The slit defines a longitudinal component of direction and a lateral component of direction. Preferably, the exterior wall includes a plurality of helical slits, adjacent slits being disposed in at least partial overlapping relation to define an overlapping region. Upon insertion of the disc member within the intervertebral space with the support surfaces in contacting engagement with respective vertebral portions of the adjacent vertebrae, forces exerted by the vertebral portions on the support surfaces are transferred along the exterior wall through the overlapping region.
An intervertebral prosthesis, which comprises a disc member dimensioned for insertion within an intervertebral space between adjacent vertebrae to replace at least a portion of an intervertebral disc removed therefrom, the disc member defining a longitudinal axis, the disc member including a substantially solid exterior wall having opposed longitudinal ends for positioning adjacent respective upper and lower vertebrae, the solid exterior wall having wall surface portions defining a helical slit therein extending therethrough continuously from a position adjacent the upper vertebrae to a position adjacent the lower vertebrae and being dimensioned to permit the exterior wall to elastically deform along the entire slit when subjected to a load.
An intervertebral prosthesis, comprising a disc member dimensioned for insertion within an intervertebral space between adjacent vertebrae to support the vertebrae in adjacent spaced relation, the disc member including a rigid substantially solid outer wall having wall surface portions defining a helical slit extending through the solid wall the solid outer wall and said slit subtending an angle greater than 360° relative to a central axis of the disc member.
An intervertebral prosthesis comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.