Inserter for expanding an expandable interbody fusion device
AssigneeSpine Wave, Inc.
InventorsSpanky Allen Raymond, Scott McLean, Nicola Cullinan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An elongate inserter has a distal end releasably connected to an expandable interbody fusion device and a proximal end including a trigger actuator. The interbody fusion device comprises a superior endplate and an inferior endplate that are movable in an expansion direction relative to each other in the intradiscal space. The inserter includes a lifting platform and an elevator that define cooperatively engaging ramps and ramps surfaces that upon operation of the trigger actuator cause the superior and inferior endplates to move relatively away from each other. A driver is supported by the inserter for pushing an insert into the expanded device between the superior and inferior endplates.
Claims31
An inserter for expanding an expandable spinal interbody fusion device and inserting an insert therewithin, said device including a superior endplate having an outer surface configured to contact a first vertebral body of a spine and an inferior endplate movable relative to said superior endplate in an expansion direction, said inferior endplate having an outer surface configured to contact a second opposing vertebral body of said spine, comprising:
- an elongate barrel having a distal end and a proximal end, said distal end being releasably attachable to said device and comprising a trigger actuator at said proximal end,
- said barrel including at said distal end a lifting platform for engaging said superior endplate and an elevator for engaging said inferior endplate, said lifting platform being movable translationally relative to said elevator in a direction transverse to the direction of expansion of said device to cause during such translational movement said lifting platform to move away from said elevator in the direction of expansion and thereby lift said lifting platform relative to said inferior endplate and expand said device, one of said lifting platform and said elevator being operably coupled to said trigger actuator to cause said translational movement upon operation of said trigger actuator, and
- said barrel movably supporting at least one insert insertable upon operation of said trigger actuator into said device between said superior endplate and said inferior endplate after expansion of said device, said barrel supporting a driver coupled to said trigger actuator for translational movement relative to one of said lifting platform and said elevator, said driver having a distal end defining a pushing surface for engagement with a cooperative pushing surface on said insert.
An apparatus for use in spinal interbody fusion, comprising:
- an expandable interbody fusion device including an inferior endplate having an outer surface configured to contact a vertebral body of the spine, a superior endplate having an outer surface configured to contact an opposing vertebral body of said spine, said inferior endplate and said superior endplate being movable relative to each other in a direction of expansion, said device including at least one insert insertable into said device between said inferior endplate and said superior endplate upon expansion of said device;
- and
- an elongate inserter having a distal end and a proximal end, said distal end of said inserter being releasably attached to said device, said inserter including an actuator at said proximal end, said inserter comprising a lifting platform operably coupled to said actuator for engaging and lifting one of said superior endplate and an insert within said device, and a driver operably coupled to said actuator to insert said at least one insert into said device, said inserter including an elongate track linearly supporting a plurality of inserts for sequential insertion into said device one below the other.
22-25. (canceled)
A method of expanding an expandable spinal interbody fusion implant, in situ, said device including an inferior endplate having an outer surface configured to contact a vertebral body of the spine, a superior endplate having an outer surface configured to contact an opposing vertebral body of said spine, said inferior endplate and said superior endplate being movable relative to each other in a direction of expansion, comprising the steps of:
- releasably attaching a distal end of an inserter to said device, said inserter including an actuator at a proximal end thereof;
- initially operating said actuator to cause said inferior endplate and said superior endplate to move relative to each other in a direction of expansion to expand said device;
- and
- inserting a first insert movably supported by said inserter into said device after expansion of said device between said inferior endplate and said superior endplate;
- and then
- further operating said actuator to cause said superior endplate and said first insert to move jointly relative to said inferior endplate to further expand said device, and after said further expansion sequentially inserting a second insert movably supported by said inserter directly between said first insert and said inferior endplate.
A method of expanding an expandable spinal interbody fusion implant, in situ, said device including an inferior endplate having an outer surface configured to contact a vertebral body of the spine, a superior endplate having an outer surface configured to contact an opposing vertebral body of said spine, said inferior endplate and said superior endplate being movable relative to each other in a direction of expansion, comprising the steps of:
- releasably attaching a distal end of an inserter to said device, said inserter including an actuator at a proximal end thereof and an elongate track therebetween supporting a plurality of inserts, each insert having a thickness in the direction of expansion;
- operating said actuator for the individual insertion of said plurality of inserts, during said operation causing the inferior endplate and the superior endplate to move apart relative to each other in the direction of expansion independently of the insertion of each insert and creating for each insert an incremental space in the expanded device of dimension not less than the thickness of an insert;
- and
- sequentially individually inserting said plurality of inserts into a respectively created incremental space.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.