Intervertebral prosthesis
AssigneeSulzer Brothers Limited
InventorWalter Baumgartner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The prosthesis has a valve at one end formed of a fixed base and a coiler body which is able to rotate on the base. A flexible elastic body defining a hollow chamber extends from the coiler body and is able to receive filling medium via the valve. A compact strand extends from the free end of the elastic body. An instrument is provided for implanting the prosthesis between two vertebrae along with a drive belt for rotating the coiler body about the fixed base and, thus the elastic body about the coiler body. Filling of the elastic body takes place after coiling.
Claims20
An intervertebral prosthesis comprising
- an elastic liquid-tight hollow body defining an elongated chamber for receiving an incompressible free-flowing medium, said body including opposing ends;
- a valve connected to said body at one end thereof for supplying an incompressible free-flowing medium into said chamber and attached to means for enabling said body to coil about said valve;
- and
- a compact strip extending from an opposite end of said body.
An intervertebral prosthesis comprising
- an elastic liquid-tight body defining an elongated chamber;
- and
- a valve in communication with said chamber to deliver a free-flowing medium thereto;
- said valve including a fixed base having a first tubular portion for conveying a free-flowing medium therethrough and a coiler body rotatably mounted on said base and secured to said elastic body to permit coiling of said elastic body thereon, said coiler body having a second tubular portion in communication with said first tubular portion and said chamber to deliver a free-flowing medium to said chamber.
An instrument for implanting an intervertebral prosthesis comprising
- a tubular guidepiece with at least one end and having a pair of axial channels, one of said channels being sized to convey a free-flowing medium therethrough to a chamber of a prosthesis and the other of said chamber being sized to receive a drive means for rotating the prosthesis about a central axis thereof;
- and
- means at one end of said guidepiece for detachable connection to the prosthesis.
In combination
- a prosthesis including an elastic body having an internal chamber and a valve secured to said body at one end thereof, said valve including a fixed base having a first tubular portion for conveying a free-flowing medium therethrough and a rotatable coiler body mounted on said base and secured to said elastic body to permit coiling of said elastic body thereon, said coiler body having a second tubular portion in communication with said first tubular portion and said chamber to deliver a free-flowing medium to said chamber;
- an instrument for inserting said prosthesis between two vertebrae, said instrument including a tubular guidepiece having a pair of channels, one of said channels being in communication with said chamber to convey a free-flowing medium to said chamber;
- and
- drive means passing through the other of said channels for rotating said coiler body relative to said base to coil said elastic body about said coiler body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.