# US 2019/0167438 A1 · Expandable vertebral prosthesis

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- Number: US 2019/0167438 A1
- Document ID: US20190167438A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/260,314
- Filed: 2019-01-29
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2005-04-21
- Assignees: Globus Medical, Inc.
- Applicants: Globus Medical, Inc.
- Inventors: Noah Hansell; Paul W. Millhouse; Edward Karpowicz; Matthew Hansell; William Rhoda; Andrew Lee; Michael Lee Boyer, II; Craig Billman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190167438A1

## CPC

- A61F 2/442: {Intervertebral or spinal discs, e.g. resilient (non-disc-shaped intervertebral inflatable pockets A61F2/441; non-disc-shaped intervertebral fusion implants A61F2/4455)}
- A61F 2/44: for the spine, e.g. vertebrae or spinal discs
- A61F 2/4611: {of spinal prostheses}
- A61F 2/30744: {End caps, e.g. for closing an endoprosthetic cavity}
- A61F 2002/2835: {Bone graft implants for filling a bony defect or an endoprosthesis cavity, e.g. by synthetic material or biological material}
- A61F 2002/30112: {Rounded shapes, e.g. with rounded corners}
- A61F 2002/30235: {tubular, e.g. sleeves}
- A61F 2002/30331: {made by longitudinally pushing a protrusion into a complementarily-shaped recess, e.g. held by friction fit}
- A61F 2002/30364: {Rotation about the common longitudinal axis}
- A61F 2002/30365: {with additional means for limiting said rotation}
- A61F 2002/30367: {with additional means for preventing said rotation}
- A61F 2002/30372: {with additional means for limiting said translation}
- A61F 2002/30378: {Spherically-shaped protrusion and recess}
- A61F 2002/30405: {made by screwing complementary threads machined on the parts themselves}
- A61F 2002/30408: {Conical threadings}
- A61F 2002/30462: {retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable}
- A61F 2002/30471: {connected by a hinged linkage mechanism, e.g. of the single-bar or multi-bar linkage type}
- A61F 2002/30476: {locked by an additional locking mechanism}
- A61F 2002/30481: {using a locking clip}
- A61F 2002/30492: {using a locking pin}
- A61F 2002/30495: {using a locking ring}
- A61F 2002/305: {Snap connection}
- A61F 2002/30507: {using a threaded locking member, e.g. a locking screw or a set screw}
- A61F 2002/30517: {using a locking plate}
- A61F 2002/30523: {by means of meshing gear teeth}
- A61F 2002/30525: {Worm gears}
- A61F 2002/30538: {for adjusting angular orientation}
- A61F 2002/3055: {for adjusting length}
- A61F 2002/30601: {telescopic}
- A61F 2002/30784: {Plurality of holes}
- A61F 2002/30841: {Sharp anchoring protrusions for impaction into the bone, e.g. sharp pins, spikes}
- A61F 2002/4627: {with linear motion along or rotating motion about the instrument axis or the implantation direction, e.g. telescopic, along a guiding rod, screwing inside the instrument}
- A61F 2002/4628: {with linear motion along or rotating motion about an axis transverse to the instrument axis or to the implantation direction, e.g. clamping}
- A61F 2002/4629: {connected to the endoprosthesis or implant via a threaded connection}
- A61F 2220/0025: Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements
- A61F 2220/0033: made by longitudinally pushing a protrusion into a complementary-shaped recess, e.g. held by friction fit
- A61F 2220/0091: connected by a hinged linkage mechanism, e.g. of the single-bar or multi-bar linkage type
- A61F 2230/0004: Rounded shapes, e.g. with rounded corners
- A61F 2230/0069: cylindrical
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)

## Abstract

The present invention relates to an expandable prosthetic implant device for engagement between vertebrae generally comprising an inner member, outer member, and gear member positioned coaxial with respect to each other such that the inner and outer members are moveable relative to each other along an axis. The gear member is axially fixed to the outer member and freely rotatable with respect to the outer member and the gear member threadedly engages a threaded portion of the inner member to translate inner member along the axis. The implant is configured to engage the vertebrae in a predetermined alignment and the gear member includes gear teeth exposed to the exterior and configured to be accessible by a tool member at a plurality of angular positions around the perimeter of the implant device.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A tool configured to expand a prosthesis device, the tool comprising:
a bevel gear disposed at a distal end of the tool and configured to engage with teeth of a gear member of the prosthesis device,
wherein the tool is configured such that a longitudinal axis of the tool is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the prosthesis device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The tool of claim 1, further comprising:
a central shaft having a threaded distal tip portion that extends distally beyond the bevel gear and is configured to mount the prosthesis device onto the tool such that the bevel gear is in engagement with the teeth of the gear member.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The tool of claim 1, further comprising:
a pair of arms extending from a proximal end to a distal end, the pair of arms having a clamping portion at a distal end of the pair of arms and configured to engage lateral sides of the prosthesis device to hold the prosthesis device in plate.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The tool of claim 3, wherein the clamping portion includes teeth configured to enhance the grip of the tool on the prosthesis device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The tool of claim 3, wherein the pair of arms comprises a hinge disposed between the proximal end and the distal end of the pair of arms and configured to cause the clamp portion to compress inwardly as a proximal portion of the pair of arms is compressed inwardly.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The tool of claim 5, further comprising:
a screw extending through the proximal end of the pair of arms, wherein the proximal end of the pair of arms includes threads, and wherein the screw is configured to engage the threads of the proximal end to compress the proximal end of the pair of arms inwardly as the screw is rotated in a first direction.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The tool of claim 1, further comprising:
a dial coupled to the bevel gear via a shaft such that rotation of the dial causes rotation of the bevel gear.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The tool of claim 1, wherein a distal portion of the tool is disposed at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tool.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The tool of claim 8, wherein the angle is between about 30° and about 60°.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The tool of claim 8, further comprising:
a compressible handle,
wherein the distal portion includes a pair of prongs configured to hold the prosthesis device, and
wherein compression of the compressible handle actuates the pair of prongs in a distal direction to grip the prosthesis device.

### Claim 11

A tool configured to expand a prosthesis device, the tool comprising:
a bevel gear disposed at a distal end of the tool and configured to engage with teeth of a gear member of the prosthesis device;
a central shaft having a threaded distal tip portion that extends distally beyond the bevel gear and is configured to mount the prosthesis device onto the tool such that the bevel gear is in engagement with the teeth of the gear member; and
a pair of arms extending from a proximal end to a distal end, the pair of arms having a clamping portion at a distal end of the pair of arms and configured to engage lateral sides of the prosthesis device to hold the prosthesis device in plate,
wherein the tool is configured such that a longitudinal axis of the tool is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the prosthesis device.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The tool of claim 11, wherein the clamping portion includes teeth configured to enhance the grip of the tool on the prosthesis device.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The tool of claim 11, wherein the pair of arms comprises a hinge disposed between the proximal end and the distal end of the pair of arms and configured to cause the clamp portion to compress inwardly as a proximal portion of the pair of arms is compressed inwardly.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The tool of claim 13, further comprising:
a screw extending through the proximal end of the pair of arms, wherein the proximal end of the pair of arms includes threads, and wherein the screw is configured to engage the threads of the proximal end to compress the proximal end of the pair of arms inwardly as the screw is rotated in a first direction.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The tool of claim 11, further comprising:
a dial coupled to the bevel gear via a shaft such that rotation of the dial causes rotation of the bevel gear.