Expandable Intervertebral Spacer and Method of Posterior Insertion Thereof
AssigneeGlobus Medical, Inc.
InventorMark Weiman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An expandable intervertebral spacer has a plurality of arms. The arms can be retracted or extended. The spacer has a width that is narrower than the width between the nerve roots near the posterior approach to an intervertebral space. Once inserted into the intervertebral space, the arms can be deployed. The deployed arms expand the height and width of the spacer. Once deployed, the spacer stabilizes two adjacent vertebrae. The arms are interconnected mechanically to deploy simultaneously.
Claims17
An expandable intervertebral implant comprising:
- a body having a height and a width and configured for being positioned between adjacent vertebral bodies and in an intervertebral disc space;
- and
- an arm having an axis of rotation, said arm having a contact surface, a distance from said axis to a furthest distance on said contact surface being greater than a distance from said axis to a nearest edge of said body, said distance from said axis to a furthest distance on said contact surface being no greater than a distance from said axis to a furthest edge of said body, said arm being deployable, an overall height and an overall width of said body and said arm when deployed being greater than said height and said with of said body.
An expandable intervertebral implant comprising:
- a body having a height and a width and having a left lateral slot formed therein and a right lateral slot formed therein, said height and said width being narrower than a space between nerve roots in an intervertebral space to be filled, said body having a depth approximating a depth of the intervertebral space;
- a first arm assembly with three curved arms, each of said arms being connected by an axial spine, a first arm gear being formed around said axial spine;
- a second arm assembly with three curved arms, each of said arms being connected by the axial spine, a second arm gear being formed around said axial spine;
- said arms of said first arm assembly, said second arm assembly being configured to deploy to a height and width greater than said body when said central gear is operated and said implant having a height and width approximating an intervertebral disc that is to be replaced when said arm assemblies are deployed;
A method for stabilizing a first vertebra relative to a second vertebra which comprises:
- inserting an expandable intervertebral spacer in a retracted position into the intervertebral space;
- expanding the expandable intervertebral spacer;
- and
- wherein the expandable intervertebral spacer comprises a first arm having an axis of rotation and a second arm having an axis of rotation, and a central axle having a central gear engaged with the arm gear of the first arm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.