Adjustable intervertebral implant
AssigneeSynthes USA, LLC
InventorsMax Aebi, Inga Knothe, Alfred Benoit
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An intervertebral implant in the form of a support unit with a central yoke and four legs extending in a direction is described. The legs are configured in two substantially mutually parallel planes spaced apart by the yoke and are abuttable as support surfaces against adjacent vertebrae. A guide cylinder extending from the yoke in the same direction as the legs has at least on threaded surface. A dilator member is adapted to be fixed to the guide cylinder and to deformably spread the legs of the intervertebral implant a predetermined amount. The gaps between the legs which the dilator member spreads may have grooves to arrest the dilator member in a predetermined location.
Claims22
An intervertebral implant for insertion into an intervertebral space between adjacent vertebrae, the intervertebral implant comprising:
- a yoke member having an first surface facing in a first direction and a second surface facing in a second direction;
- four legs attached to the yoke member and extending in the second direction, the ends remote from the yoke member of the four legs being spaced apart from one another, wherein there is a first gap defined between first and second legs and a second gap defined between third and fourth legs;
- a guide cylinder attached to the yoke member and extending in the second direction, the guide cylinder having a threaded surface extending at least along a portion thereof, wherein the legs being sized and shaped to support abutting vertebrae, the first and third legs being shaped and sized to support a first vertebrae, and second and fourth legs being shaped and sized to support a second vertebrae;
- a dilator member configured to simultaneously spread the first gap and the second gap as the dilator member travels along the guide cylinder toward the yoke member;
- and
- a first groove in the first leg on the portion of the first leg facing the first gap that is contacted by the dilator member, wherein the first groove runs transverse to the guide cylinder, wherein the first groove is shaped and sized so that a portion of the dilator member can enter the first groove, and wherein the first groove is a predetermined distance from the yoke.
An intervertebral implant for insertion into an intervertebral space between adjacent vertebrae, the intervertebral implant comprising:
- a yoke member having an first surface facing in a first direction and a second surface facing in a second direction;
- four legs attached to the yoke member and extending in the second direction, the ends remote from the yoke member of the four legs being spaced apart from one another, wherein there is a first gap defined between first and second legs and a second gap defined between third and fourth legs, wherein the legs are integral with the yoke, wherein the first and third legs define a first vertebral plane and the second and fourth legs define a second vertebral plane, wherein the first vertebral plane and second vertebral plane are substantially mutually parallel, wherein the guide cylinder is rotationally stable with respect to the yoke;
- a guide cylinder attached to the yoke member and extending in the second direction, the guide cylinder having a threaded surface extending at least along a portion thereof, wherein the legs being sized and shaped to support abutting vertebrae, the first and third legs being shaped and sized to support a first vertebrae, and second and fourth legs being shaped and sized to support a second vertebrae;
- and
- an insertion bush, wherein said insertion bush is substantially cylindrical and comprises a hole running at least partially along the longitudinal axis of the insertion bush, wherein said hole is shaped and sized to permit the guide cylinder to slide into the hole.
An intervertebral implant for insertion into an intervertebral space between adjacent vertebrae, the intervertebral implant comprising:
- a yoke member having an first surface facing in a first direction and a second surface facing in a second direction;
- four legs attached to the yoke member and extending in the second direction, the ends remote from the yoke member of the four legs being spaced apart from one another, wherein there is a first gap defined between first and second legs and a second gap defined between third and fourth legs;
- a guide cylinder attached to the yoke member and extending in the second direction, the guide cylinder having a threaded surface extending at least along a portion thereof, wherein the legs being sized and shaped to support abutting vertebrae, the first and third legs being shaped and sized to support a first vertebrae, and second and fourth legs being shaped and sized to support a second vertebrae;
- and
- a guide spindle with a spindle thread on at least a portion of the outer surface, wherein said spindle thread is affixable in the thread of the guide cylinder, wherein said guide spindle extends in the second direction to a distance further from the yoke than the legs.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.