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US 5,897,593 AGranted
Lordotic spinal implant
AssigneeSulzer Spine-Tech Inc.
InventorsDouglas W. Kohrs, Paul M. Sand
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lordotic implant has a frusto-conical shape with external threads. Prior to placement of the implant, vertebrae are distracted in a manner to provide a desired lordosis between the vertebrae. The pre-distracted vertebrae are then tapped to provide a tapped bore having a geometry matching the conical geometry of the implant. The threaded implant is then placed within the pre-tapped conical bore.
Claims13
A kit for placing an implant into a disk space between opposing vertebrae having opposing end plates to be separated by a predetermined degree of lordosis, said kit comprising:
- an implant having:
- a generally frusto-conical hollow body having a leading end and a trailing end with a leading end implant diameter at said leading end and a trailing end implant diameter at said trailing end, said trailing end implant diameter being greater than said leading end implant diameter;
- said frusto-conical body having a conical angle approximating said degree of lordosis;
- an implant thread pattern surrounding said body;
- openings formed through a conical wall of said body into an interior of said body with said openings formed at least on diametrically opposite sides of said body;
- a tap having:
- a shaft defining a longitudinal axis;
- a generally frusto-conical tapping head at a distal end of said shaft, said tapping head having a tapping thread surrounding said axis with a thread pattern substantially matching said implant thread pattern;
- said tapping thread includes a plurality of peaks and valleys around said axis with a leading end tap diameter adjacent said distal end and with a trailing end tap diameter spaced from said distal end, said trailing end tap diameter being greater than said leading end tap diameter;
- said leading end tap diameter being substantially equal to said leading end implant diameter;
- and
- a distraction spacer having:
- a rigid spacer body having a longitudinal axis extending from a leading end to a trailing end;
- and having two surfaces for contacting said opposing vertebrae, said surfaces diverging away from said longitudinal axis from said leading end to said trailing end.
11 more elements
A kit for placing an implant into a disk space between opposing vertebrae having opposing end plates to be separated by a predetermined degree of lordosis, said kit comprising:
- an implant having:
- a generally frusto-conical hollow body having a leading end and a trailing end with a leading end implant diameter at said leading end and a trailing end implant diameter at said trailing end, said trailing end implant diameter being greater than said leading end implant diameter;
- said frusto-conical body having a conical angle approximating said degree of lordosis;
- an implant thread pattern surrounding said body;
- openings formed through a conical wall of said body into an interior of said body with said openings formed at least on diametrically opposite sides of said body;
- said sides of said body between said diametrically opposite sides are recessed inwardly from a cone defined by said frusto-conical body to define first and second recesses;
- a tap having:
- a shaft defining a longitudinal axis;
- a generally frusto-conical tapping head at a distal end of said shaft, said tapping head having a tapping thread surrounding said axis with a thread pattern substantially matching said implant thread pattern;
- said tapping thread includes a plurality of peaks and valleys around said axis with a leading end tap diameter adjacent said distal end and with a trailing end tap diameter spaced from said distal end, said trailing end tap diameter being greater than said leading end tap diameter;
- a driver for advancing said implant, said driver having:
- a driver shaft having first and second prong members at a distal end of said shaft;
- said first and second prong members axially extending from said driver shaft and sized to be received within said first and second recesses with said implant positioned between said prong members and with a longitudinal axis of said implant aligned with a longitudinal axis of said driver shaft;
- said prong members include external threads sized and disposed to match and complete said implant thread pattern when said implant is received between said prong members.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.