Distributing graft material from an expandable cage
AssigneeHighridge Medical, LLC
InventorsJOHN TO, JOHN J. FLYNN, PAUL J. BIRKMEYER
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Abstract
An expansion member for distributing graft material through a cage and into an intervertebral space is provided. The expansion member has a central beam with an entry port in fluid communication with an exit port for distribution of the graft material. The central beam is inserted into a cage having a reversible collapse from an expanded state into a collapsed state, the expanded state forming a graft distribution window. The expanded state, for example, can be configured to open the graft distribution window which at least substantially closes upon the reversible collapse.
Claims20
An expansion member for distributing graft material through a cage and into an intervertebral space, the expansion member comprising:
- a central beam with a central beam axis, the central beam having a graft distribution channel with an entry port in fluid communication with an exit port;
- wherein, the central beam configured for insertion into the cage to form a graft distribution system within the intervertebral space having a top vertebral plate and a bottom vertebral plate.
The method of claim 12, wherein the expanding includes expanding the intervertebral scaffolding into the intervertebral space in stages, the expanding including
- expanding the cage laterally in the intervertebral space;
- and,
- expanding the cage vertically in the intervertebral space.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.