Non-Rigid Intervertebral Spacers
AssigneeWarsaw Orthopedic, Inc.
InventorsHai H. Trieu, Dimitri K. Protopsaltis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An intervertebral spacer includes a non-rigid body having an upper beam member and a lower beam member. The upper beam member may include a lower inner surface and may include an upper outer surface configured to interface with a vertebral plate of an upper vertebra. The lower beam member may include an upper inner surface and may include a lower outer surface configured to interface with a vertebral plate of a lower vertebra. The upper inner surface of the lower beam member and the lower inner surface of the upper beam member may define an oval-shaped hollow portion.
Claims35
An intervertebral spacer, comprising:
- a non-rigid body having an upper beam member and a lower beam member,
- wherein the upper beam member includes a lower inner surface and includes an upper outer surface configured to interface with a vertebral plate of an upper vertebra,
- wherein the lower beam member includes an upper inner surface and includes a lower outer surface configured to interface with a vertebral plate of a lower vertebra, and
- wherein the upper inner surface of the lower beam member and the lower inner surface of the upper beam member define an oval-shaped hollow portion.
An intervertebral spacer, comprising:
- a non-rigid body having an upper beam member and a lower beam member, the upper beam member having an arcing upper outer surface configured to interface with a vertebral plate of an upper vertebra, and the lower beam member having an arcing lower outer surface configured to interface with a vertebral plate of a lower vertebra,
- the body also having a hollow portion between the upper and lower outer surfaces,
- the upper and lower beam members being connected in a manner such that the body can be compressed from a first height to a second smaller height.
A method of surgically implanting an intervertebral spacer, comprising:
- accessing an intervertebral space defined by an upper vertebra and a lower vertebra;
- introducing a non-rigid intervertebral spacer having a body with an upper beam member and a lower beam member into the intervertebral space so that an arcing upper outer surface of the upper beam member interfaces with a vertebral plate of the upper vertebra, and so that an arcing lower outer surface of the lower beam member interfaces with a vertebral plate of the lower vertebra;
- and
- compressing the body from a first height to a second smaller height.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.