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US 5,836,948 AGranted
Spine distraction implant and method
AssigneeSaint Francis Medical Technologies, LLC
InventorsJames F. Zucherman, Ken Y. Hsu, T. Wade Fallin, Henry A. Klyce
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A spine distraction implant alleviates pain associated with spinal stenosis and facet arthropathy by expanding the volume in the spine canal and/or neural foramen. The implant provides a spinal extension stop while allowing freedom of spinal flexion.
Claims25
An implant for flattening the spine in order to increase the volume of at least one of the spinal canal and the neural foramen comprising:
- a central body with first and second saddles which are adapted to receive adjacent spinous processes;
- first and second arms projecting from the first saddle and third and fourth arms projecting from the second saddle;
- said first and fourth arms are longer than the central body with the first arm being longer than the fourth arm;
- and
- the second and third arms are about the length of the central body and/or shorter than the central body with the second arm being shorter than the third arm.
2 more elements
An implant for flattening the spine in order to increase the volume of at least one of the spinal canal and the neural foramen comprising:
- a central body with first and second saddles which are adapted to receive adjacent spinous processes;
- first and second arms projecting from the first saddle and third and fourth arms projecting from the second saddle;
- said first and fourth arms are longer than the second and third arms;
- and
- said third arm is located below said first arm and said fourth arm is located below said second arm, with said fourth arm located diametrically opposite said first arm in order to facilitate the implantation of the implant between adjacent spinous.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.