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US 2010/0168862 A1Published application
Expandable Intervertebral Spacers and Methods of Use
AssigneeWarsaw Orthopedic, Inc.
InventorsJason A. Edie, Lloyd Guyton Bowers Cooper, Jerrod Bradley Windham, John Caleb Dawson, Don Byron Walker, II
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An intervertebral spacer is inserted between vertebral members in a compact configuration and expanded post-insertion to contact the adjacent vertebral members. The intervertebral spacer comprises a first member and a second member movable with respect to the first member between retracted and extended positions.
Claims20
An intervertebral spacer comprising:
- first and second members each with an outer side and an inner side, the members positioned in a stacked orientation with the inner sides facing together;
- a threaded extension that extends outward from the inner side of the first member;
- a cavity formed on the inner side of the second member, the cavity including a floor opposite from an open side;
- a ring gear positioned in the cavity and against the floor, the ring gear including a threaded bore that receives the threaded extension and teeth that extend around an outer circumference;
- a worm gear positioned in the cavity and including helical teeth that engage with the teeth on the ring gear, the worm gear being rotatably positioned in the cavity with rotation in a first direction causing the first and second members to move apart and rotation in a second direction causing the first and second members to move together;
- and
- a longitudinal axis of the ring gear being offset from a longitudinal axis of the threaded extension such that the axes do not intersect.
4 more elements
An intervertebral spacer comprising:
- first and second members each with an outer side and an inner side, the first and second members positioned with the inner sides facing each other;
- a cavity extending into the inner side of the second member;
- a threaded extension that extends outward from the inner side of the first member and extends into the cavity;
- a ring gear positioned in the cavity and including an interior threaded bore that receives the threaded extension, the ring gear further including an exterior surface with a plurality of radial teeth that extend away from the bore and are longitudinally spaced between non-toothed sections;
- a rotational member positioned in the cavity and including helical teeth that engage with the plurality of teeth on the ring gear;
- and
- the spacer positionable between retracted and extended orientations with the first and second members spaced a greater distance apart in the extended orientation.
4 more elements
An intervertebral spacer comprising:
- a first member with a plate having an outer contact surface and an inner surface with an outwardly-extending threaded extension that includes a terminal end;
- a second member with an outer contact surface and an inner surface, the inner surface of the second member facing towards the inner surface of the first member and including a cavity that aligns with the extension, the cavity including a floor;
- a ring gear positioned in the cavity and including a threaded bore that receives the threaded extension, the ring gear further including an exterior surface with radial teeth;
- a rotational member positioned in the cavity and including helical teeth that engage with the teeth on the ring gear;
- and
- the spacer positionable between retracted and extended orientations with the first and second members spaced a greater distance apart in the extended orientation;
- the terminal end of the first member remaining with the ring gear in the retracted and extended orientations.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.