Expandable intervertebral spacers
AssigneeWarsaw Orthopedic, Inc.
InventorsKevin Foley, Harald Ebner, Mingyan Liu, Charles Branch, Lawrence M. Boyd
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Laterally expanding vertebral spacer devices are provided for repairing damaged vertebral discs. The vertebral spacer devices maintain the height of a distracted vertebral disc space while providing stability to the spine. In one form of the invention, a vertebral spacer device is provided with a first arm movably coupled to a second arm. The first and second arms are laterally expandable from a first width for insertion into the disc space to a second width after insertion into the disc space. The first and second arms also define a cavity therebetween for placement of bone growth material.
Claims26
-36. (canceled)
A vertebral spacer device configured for introduction into an intradiscal space between two adjacent vertebrae, comprising:
- a spacer having a height defined by opposite vertebral bearing surfaces adapted to contact each of the adjacent vertebrae, said spacer including a first arm movably coupled to a second arm to permit relative lateral movement therebetween;
- and
- wherein said first and second arms are initially positioned in an insertion configuration defining a first lateral width sized for introduction through a portal in a disc annulus and into the intradiscal space;
- and
- wherein said first and second arms are repositionable relative to one another to provide a laterally expanded configuration defining a second lateral width greater than said first lateral width, said first and second arms together defining a plurality of interdigitating elements that restrain lateral contraction of said first arm relative to said second arm to maintain said first and second arms in said laterally expanded configuration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.