Nested expandable sleeve implant
AssigneeDePuy Synthes Products, Inc.
InventorHarry Thomas Hall
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An expandable implant for treating bone preferably in a minimally invasive manner includes a preferably cylindrical core element extending along a longitudinal axis and preferably a plurality of nestable, expandable sleeves extending along a longitudinal axis for placement radially about the core element. The plurality of nestable sleeves are sequentially insertable over the core element in such a manner that a first nestable sleeve is inserted over the core element and each subsequently inserted nestable sleeve is received between the core element and the previously inserted nestable sleeve such that the insertion of each additional sleeve causes each previously inserted sleeve to outwardly expand.
Claims21
(canceled)
A system, comprising:
- a spinal implant having:
- a core including a core body that defines a proximal end and a distal end spaced from the proximal end along a distal direction;
- a first sleeve having a first interior surface that defines a first internal bore, and a first exterior surface opposite the first interior surface, the first sleeve configured to be inserted over the core in the distal direction such that the first interior surface faces the core;
- and
- a second sleeve having a second interior surface that defines a second internal bore and a second exterior surface opposite the second interior surface, the second sleeve configured to be inserted in the distal direction between the first sleeve and the core such that the second exterior surface faces the first interior surface, the second interior surface faces the core, and the second sleeve causes the first sleeve to expand outwardly;
- and
- an insertion instrument having a shaft that releasably attaches to the core.
A method of inserting an implant into a target location in a spinal column, the method comprising steps of:
- attaching a shaft of an insertion instrument to a core having a core body that defines a proximal end and a distal end spaced from the proximal end along a distal direction;
- inserting the core and a first sleeve in the distal direction through an access path to the target location such that an interior surface of the first sleeve that defines an internal bore of the first sleeve faces the core;
- and
- advancing a second sleeve in the distal direction between the first sleeve and the core such that an exterior surface of the second sleeve faces the interior surface of the first sleeve, an interior surface of the second sleeve that defines an internal bore of the second sleeve implant faces the core, and the second sleeve causes the first sleeve to expand outwardly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.