Prosthetic intervertebral devices
OwnerMichael H. Heggeness, Brian J. Dohertyinventors
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Abstract
Disclosed are prosthetic devices for insertion into intervertebral disc spaces after the removal of an intervertebral disc or after a corpectomy. Specifically, intervertebral devices having fixed shapes for accommodating the defined surface contours of vertebral endplates are disclosed. Also disclosed are intervertebral devices formed of osteoinductive materials, such as bone growth factors, to facilitate bone growth. A method for quantitatively determining the three-dimensional morphology of vertebral surfaces, particularly vertebral endplates, is also disclosed.
Claims36
A prosthetic intervertebral device comprising:
- (a) a body for insertion into an intervertebral disc space;
- (b) a superior surface integral with said body and having an anterior end, a posterior end, a left side, and a right side, and wherein said superior surface has a fixed shape which is configured to match the contours of an inferior vertebral endplate;
- and
- (c) an inferior surface integral with said body and having an anterior end, a posterior end, a left side, and a right side, and wherein said inferior surface has a fixed shape which is configured to match the contours of a superior vertebral endplate.
A prosthetic intervertebral device for insertion into a vertebral disc space comprising:
- (a) a body, said body further comprising a reservoir containing at least one osteoinductive material, and an outer ring integral with and surrounding said reservoir;
- (b) a superior surface integral with said body, wherein said superior surface has a fixed shape which is configured to match the contours of an inferior vertebral endplate;
- and
- (c) an inferior surface integral with said body, wherein said inferior surface has a fixed shape which is configured to match the contours of a superior vertebral endplate.
A prosthetic intervertebral device comprising:
- (a) a body for insertion into an intervertebral disc space;
- (b) a superior surface integral with said body for contacting an inferior vertebral endplate;
- and
- (c) an inferior surface integral with said body and having an anterior end, a posterior end, a left side, and a right side, and wherein said inferior surface has a fixed shape which is configured to match the contours of a superior vertebral endplate.
A prosthetic intervertebral device comprising:
- (a) a body for insertion into an intervertebral disc space;
- (b) a superior surface integral with said body and having an anterior end, a posterior end, a left side, and a right side, and wherein said superior surface has a fixed shape which is configured to match the contours of an inferior vertebral endplate;
- and
- (c) an inferior surface integral with said body for contacting a superior vertebral endplate.
The device of 34, wherein said fixed shape of said superior surface is a convexity for accommodating a bowl-shaped inferior vertebral endplate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.