Angled, rigid intervertebral scaffolding
AssigneeIntegrity Implants Inc.
InventorsJOHN TO, JOHN J. FLYNN, PAUL J. BIRKMEYER
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An intervertebral scaffolding system is provided having a central beam having a proximal portion having an end, a grafting portion having a top and a bottom, a distal portion having a end, a central beam axis, a graft distribution channel having an entry port at the end of the proximal portion, a top exit port at the top of the grafting portion, and a bottom exit port at the bottom of the grafting portion. These systems can also include a laterovertically-expanding frame operable for a reversible collapse from an expanded state into a collapsed state. The expanded state, for example, can be configured to have an open graft distribution window that at least substantially closes upon the reversible collapse.
Claims20
An intervertebral scaffolding system for use in a subject, comprising;
- a central beam;
- and,
- an expanding frame having a collapsed state and an expanded state, the frame configured for operably contacting the central beam to create an intervertebral scaffolding system in vivo, the frame having
- a first top beam, a first bottom beam, a second top beam, and a second bottom beam;
- wherein, the beams are in an at least substantially parallel arrangement with each other in the expanded state;
- a plurality of connector elements configured to connect the first top beam to the second top beam, the first bottom beam to the second bottom beam, the first top beam to the first bottom beam, and the second top beam to the second bottom beam, the connecting forming a square, cylindrical shape for engaging with the central beam in vivo to support the expanding frame in the expanded state;
- and,
- a guide that restricts the movement of the first top beam relative to the first bottom beam, the second top beam relative to the second bottom beam, the first top beam relative to the second beam, and the first bottom beam relative to the second bottom beam during the expanding;
- wherein, the connector elements and guide maintain structural stiffness in the expanding frame in vivo to adequately support localized loading in the intervertebral space in which bone tissue puts pressure on the expanding frame.
An intervertebral scaffolding system, comprising:
- a central beam;
- and,
- an expanding frame having a collapsed state and an expanded state, the frame configured for operably contacting the central beam to create an intervertebral scaffolding system in vivo, the frame having
- a first top beam, a first bottom beam, a second top beam, and a second bottom beam;
- wherein, the first top beam and the first bottom beam form an angle ⊖FS, the second top beam and the second bottom beam form an angle ⊖SS, and each of ⊖FS and ⊖SS are independently selected as something other than 0°, such that (i) the first top beam and the first bottom beam or (ii) the second top beam and the second bottom beam, are not substantially parallel in the expanded state;
- a plurality of connector elements configured to connect the first top beam to the second top beam, the first bottom beam to the second bottom beam, the first top beam to the first bottom beam, and the second top beam to the second bottom beam, the connecting forming a square, cylindrical shape for engaging with the central beam in vivo to support the expanding frame in the expanded state;
- and,
- a guide that restricts the movement of the first top beam relative to the first bottom beam, the second top beam relative to the second bottom beam, the first top beam relative to the second beam, and the first bottom beam relative to the second bottom beam during the expanding;
- wherein, the connector elements and guide function together to maintain structural stiffness in the expanding frame in vivo to adequately support localized loading in the intervertebral space in which bone tissue puts pressure on the expanding frame.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.