Structurally supporting insert for spinal fusion cage
AssigneeCoAlign Innovations, Inc.
InventorsMarcel Sicotte, Damien J. Shulock
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An expandable implant includes a structural insert to provide a robust connection between an insertion instrument and the expandable implant. The structural insert can be made from a different material than the remainder of the implant to withstand compressive, tensile, shear, and torsional loads which may be present while inserting the implant into a patient. The structural insert may be formed as part of a bottom member of the implant or may be a separate element inserted into the implant body. The structural insert may provide a threaded connection to an insertion instrument. The expandable implant may include a bone graft port in fluid communication with a bone graft opening extending through the implant body.
Claims20
An expandable implant comprising:
- a body having an attachment port and a bone graft port;
- a top member moveable with respect to the body;
- and
- a structural insert positioned at least partially within the body and configured to couple to an insertion instrument,
- wherein the structural insert is made from a different material than the body.
An expandable implant comprising:
- a body having an attachment port and a bone graft port;
- a top member;
- a bottom member;
- and
- a structural insert coupled to the bottom member and configured to couple to an insertion instrument;
- wherein the structural insert is made from a different material than the body.
A method of inserting an expandable implant comprising:
- providing an expandable implant having a top member and a body, wherein the implant is expandable from a first, contracted state to a second, expanded state;
- coupling an insertion instrument to the expandable implant by extending the instrument through an attachment port and into a structural insert made from a different material than the body;
- inserting the expandable implant through an incision;
- and
- expanding the implant.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.