Flexible Interbody Implant
AssigneeK2M, Inc.
InventorsJoseph Michael Meyer, Kevin Orbine
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lumbar interbody fusion device includes a first wing, a second wing, and a bridge. The bridge has an arcuate resting shape and include a first end connected to the first wing, a second end connected to the second wing, and at least one aperture extending through the bridge in a radial direction relative to the arcuate resting shape of the bridge. The bridge is elastically deformable such that a distance between the first wing and the second wing may vary according to elastic deformation of the bridge.
Claims20
A method of deploying a lumbar interbody fusion device in a spine, the method comprising:
- positioning a tube adjacent a disc space between first and second lumbar vertebrae;
- and
- inserting the device through the tube and into the space,
- wherein the device is configured to flex along a bridge extending along a path from a first wing and a second wing of the implant, and
- wherein the first and second wings are configured to spread apart as the bridge contacts an interior surface of the tube and the first and second wings are configured to elastically come together within the space.
A method of limiting displacement of tissue of a patient, the method comprising:
- inserting a cage into a tube, wherein the inserting step includes deforming the cage from a resting shape;
- and
- implanting the cage into an intervertebral space, wherein the implanting step includes elastically returning the cage to the resting shape.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.