Expandable inter-body fusion devices and methods
AssigneeSpectrum Spine IP Holdings, LLC
InventorsJames C. Robinson, John E. Pendleton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An expandable inter-body fusion device is presented. The expandable inter-body fusion device can have a first plate, a second plate, and an insert positioned substantially therebetween the first plate and the second plate. The first plate, the second plate, and the insert define an interior cavity. Moving the insert longitudinally with respect to the first and second plates increases or decreases the distance of the first plate with respect to the second plate, effectively expanding the inter-body fusion device and increasing the volume of the interior cavity.
Claims20
An expandable inter-body fusion device for use in surgery comprising:
- a first plate having an upper bone contact surface, an opposed first inner surface and at least one longitudinal sidewall extending from the first inner surface;
- a second plate underlying at least a portion of the first plate, the second plate having a lower bone contact surface, an opposed second inner surface and at least one longitudinal sidewall extending from the second inner surface;
- and
- an insert positioned substantially therebetween the first plate and the second plate, wherein the insert comprises a frame with a plurality of longitudinal frame sides, wherein a longitudinal rail protrudes from each of the longitudinal frame sides, and wherein each longitudinal rail comprises at least one ramp having at least one inclined surface and at least one substantially flat surface,
- wherein each longitudinal sidewall of the first plate substantially aligns with a longitudinal sidewall of the second plate to form a set of aligned longitudinal sidewalls, wherein at least one void is defined in each set of aligned sidewalls, wherein the expandable inter-body fusion device is selectively adjustable about and between a first unexpanded position, in which the at least one ramp of the insert is positioned substantially within the at least one void of the aligned sidewalls and the device has an interior cavity having a first cavity size, and a second expanded position in which the at least one ramp of the insert engages at least a portion of the first and second plates, and the interior cavity has a second cavity size that is greater than the first cavity size.
A method of using an expandable inter-body fusion device during an inter-body fusion procedure, the method comprises:
- accessing a desired disc space in a patient;
- selecting an expandable inter-body fusion device size with an appropriate device height and angle, the device comprising:
- a first plate having an upper bone contact surface, an opposed first inner surface and at least one longitudinal sidewall extending from the first inner surface;
- a second plate underlying at least a portion of the first plate, the second plate having a lower bone contact surface, an opposed second inner surface and at least one longitudinal sidewall extending from the second inner surface;
- and
- an insert positioned substantially therebetween the first plate and the second plate, wherein the insert comprises a frame with a plurality of longitudinal frame sides, wherein a longitudinal rail protrudes from each of the longitudinal frame sides, and wherein each longitudinal rail comprises at least one ramp having at least one inclined surface and at least one substantially flat surface,
- wherein each longitudinal sidewall of the first plate substantially aligns with a longitudinal sidewall of the second plate to form a set of aligned longitudinal sidewalls, and wherein at least one void is defined in each set of aligned sidewalls;
- inserting the expandable inter-body fusion device into the desired disc space in the patient;
- and
- expanding the expandable inter-body fusion device from a first unexpanded position having a first interior cavity volume to a second expanded position having a second interior cavity volume that is greater than the first interior cavity volume.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.