Expandable intervertebral interbody implants
AssigneeGlobus Medical, Inc.
InventorsMunish Gupta, Colm McLaughlin, Matthew Andraka
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Expandable fusion devices, systems, instruments, and methods thereof. The expandable fusion implant may include an upper endplate and a lower endplate configured to engage adjacent vertebrae, an expansion gear configured to adjust a height of the upper endplate, a locking collar configured to attach to an inserter instrument at multiple orientations for a desired surgical approach, and an actuation ram configured to lock, unlock, or change insertion orientation of the locking collar. The expandable fusion device is attachable to the inserter instrument to reorient the locking collar and expand the upper endplate.
Claims20
An expandable implant comprising:
- an upper endplate and a lower endplate configured to engage adjacent vertebrae;
- an expansion gear configured to adjust a height of the upper endplate, the expansion gear is coupled to the lower endplate and engaged with the upper endplate;
- a locking collar positioned between the expansion gear and the lower endplate and configured to attach to an inserter instrument at multiple orientations for a desired surgical approach;
- an actuation ram housed in the locking collar configured to lock, unlock, or change insertion orientation of the locking collar;
- and
- a robotic and/or navigational system configured to determine desired trajectories to allow for the positioning and expansion of the expandable implant.
An implantable system comprising:
- an expandable implant comprising an upper endplate configured to engage a superior vertebra, a lower endplate configured to engage an inferior vertebra, an expansion gear configured to adjust a height of the upper endplate, a locking collar configured to rotate about the lower endplate for a desired surgical approach, a spring for biasing the locking collar toward or away from the lower endplate and the expansion gear, and an actuation ram housed in the locking collar configured to lock, unlock, or change insertion orientation of the locking collar;
- and
- an inserter instrument having an attachment assembly configured to engage the locking collar and an expansion assembly configured to expand the implant, wherein the inserter instrument is attachable to the locking collar in a first position for fully locking the implant, a second position permitting the locking collar to freely spin for the desired surgical approach, and a third position allowing for expansion of the upper endplate
- a navigation guidance system configured to assist in orienting and installing the expandable implants along one or more of the directed trajectories.
A method of installing an expandable implant comprising:
- providing an expandable implant having an upper endplate, a lower endplate, an expansion gear configured to adjust a height of the upper endplate, a locking collar configured to rotate about the lower endplate for a desired surgical approach, and an actuation ram housed in the locking collar configured to lock, unlock, or change insertion orientation of the locking collar;
- employing robotic and/or navigational systems to determine potential trajectories to allow for optimal expandable implant location;
- providing an inserter instrument;
- controlling the position and orientation of the locking collar through the inserter instrument to determine a desired trajectory;
- docking a cannula on a disc space through the desired suitable trajectory including direct anterior, direct lateral, or a non-specified oblique approach between anterior and lateral;
- inserting the expandable implant into the disc space in a collapsed position through the desired trajectory with the inserter instrument;
- and
- expanding the expandable interbody in height to precisely restore disc height and spinal alignment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.