Implants and implantation techniques for sacroiliac joint fusion
OwnerJohn Anthony Sazyinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sacroiliac joint implant includes an implant structure formed from an elongated base member, a forward end structure, an elongated first side member, and an elongated second side member, with an internal support structure extending in an implant plane. A fusion passage is defined in an area between the base member, first side member, and second side member. The fusion passage defines a respective open area through the implant to facilitate bone growth across the sacroiliac joint when the implant is properly implanted in the joint.
Claims20
An implant for effecting a fusion of an SI joint, the implant including:
- (a) a base extending transverse to an implant longitudinal axis;
- (b) a forward end structure spaced apart from the base along the implant longitudinal axis;
- (c) a first side structure extending along a first side longitudinal axis;
- (d) a second side structure extending along a second side longitudinal axis wherein the base, the forward end structure, the first side structure, and the second side structure are connected together and lie in an implant plane defined by an implant width axis and the implant longitudinal axis;
- (e) an internal support structure located in an area defined by the base, the forward end structure, the first side structure, and the second side structure, the internal support structure including a first internal structural element and a second internal structural element, wherein the first internal structural element extends to a first internal structural element forward part connected to the first side structure so as to provide support in the implant plane between the base and the first side structure and wherein the second internal structural element extends to a second internal structural element forward part connected to the second side structure so as to provide support in the implant plane between the base and the second side structure;
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- (f) a fusion passage located in the area defined between the base, the forward end structure, the first side structure, and the second side structure, the fusion passage extending in the direction of an implant thickness axis that is perpendicular to the implant plane.
A method for effecting a fusion of an SI joint with an SI joint implant that includes (i) a base extending transverse to an implant longitudinal axis, (ii) a forward end structure spaced apart from the base along the implant longitudinal axis, (iii) a first side structure extending along a first side longitudinal axis from the base to the forward end structure, and (iv) a second side structure extending along a second side longitudinal axis from the base to the forward end structure, the method including:
- (a) forming a sacral-side implant receiving surface in the sacral side of the SI joint, the sacral-side implant receiving surface being substantially decorticated;
- (b) forming an iliac-side implant receiving surface in the iliac side of the SI joint opposite the sacral-side implant receiving surface, the iliac-side implant receiving surface being substantially decorticated, wherein the sacral-side implant receiving surface and the iliac-side implant receiving surface define an SI joint implant receiving volume for receiving the SI joint implant along a plane of the SI joint implant receiving volume;
- (c) inserting the SI joint implant in the SI joint implant receiving volume to an implanted position in which an implant plane defined by the SI joint implant aligns with the plane of the SI joint implant receiving volume, wherein the SI joint implant includes a first side facing surface on one side of the implant plane and a second side facing surface on an opposite side of the implant plane, and wherein the SI joint implant includes a fusion passage extending in the direction of an implant thickness axis perpendicular to the implant plane and defining a first opening in the first side facing surface and a second opening in the second side facing surface;
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- (d) while inserting the SI joint implant to the implanted position, providing support between the base and first side structure with a first internal structural element extending to an intermediate location of the first side structure and providing support between the base and second side structure with a second internal structural element extending to an intermediate location of the second side structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.