Medical installation tool
AssigneeDepuy Acromed, Inc.
InventorsRobert D. Fraser, Michael J. O'Neil, Mark Boomer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tool for installing an object, such as an artificial disk prosthesis, between adjacent vertebrae includes a pair of opposed levers separated by a fulcrum. Blade tips are disposed at the distal end of the levers. A pusher block is disposed distally of the fulcrum, and upon actuation by forward movement of a pusher rod, the pusher block moves the artificial disk prosthesis distally. The blade tips may be inserted between adjacent vertebral bodies as the disk moves forward thus causing the vertebral bodies to be separated until the disk is disposed therebetween. In one embodiment, the length of the blade tips may be selectively adjusted.
Claims32
A medical device installation tool, comprising:
- a pair of opposed levers, each having a proximal, handle portion and a distal portion;
- a fulcrum disposed between the pair of levers;
- a pusher block positioned between the pair of levers and slidably moveable between an initial location distal of the fulcrum and a final location adjacent a distal end of the levers;
- and
- a pusher rod having a distal end connected to the pusher block and a proximal, handle end.
A medical device installation tool, comprising:
- a pair of opposed levers, each having a proximal, handle portion and a distal portion;
- a fulcrum disposed between the pair of levers;
- a pusher block positioned between the pair of levers and selectively moveable between an initial location distal of the fulcrum and a final location adjacent a distal end of the levers;
- and
- a pusher rod having a distal end connected to the pusher block and a proximal, handle end,
- the device being constructed such that the opposed levers are moveable independent of the pusher block.
A medical device installation tool, comprising:
- a pair of separate, opposed levers, each having a proximal, handle portion and a distal portion;
- a fulcrum disposed between the pair of levers;
- a pusher block positioned between the pair of levers and selectively moveable between an initial location distal of the fulcrum and a final location adjacent a distal end of the levers;
- and
- a pusher rod having a distal end connected to the pusher block and a proximal, handle end.
A device for installing an intervertebral prosthesis, comprising:
- separate upper and lower elongate levers, each having a proximal handle portion and a distal portion which includes opposed inwardly facing, prosthesis-contacting surfaces, a stop wall forming a terminal portion of an outer-facing surface of each lever;
- a blade tip extending distally beyond the stop wall from the inwardly facing, prosthesis-contacting surface of each lever;
- a fulcrum secured between the levers in the proximal portion thereof;
- a pusher block positioned between the prosthesis-contacting surfaces of each lever and selectively moveable between an initial position at a proximal end of the distal portion of the levers and a final position adjacent the blade tips;
- and
- a pusher rod having a distal end connected to the pusher block and having a proximal, handle end.
A medical device installation tool, comprising:
- a pair of opposed levers, each having a proximal, handle portion and a distal portion, wherein the distal portion of each lever has longitudinally separate stop member components and blade member components in which the blade member and stop member components of each lever are moveable with respect to one another;
- a fulcrum disposed between the two levers;
- a pusher block positioned between the two levers and selectively moveable between an initial location distal of the fulcrum and a final location adjacent a distal end of the levers;
- and
- a pusher rod having a distal end connected to the pusher block and a proximal, handle end.
A medical device installation tool, comprising:
- a pair of opposed levers, each having a proximal, handle portion and a distal portion;
- a fulcrum disposed between the pair of levers;
- a pusher block positioned between the pair of levers and selectively moveable between an initial location distal of the fulcrum and a final location adjacent a distal end of the levers;
- and
- a pusher rod having a distal end connected to the pusher block and a proximal, handle end,
- wherein each lever is substantially elongate and the distal portion of each lever comprises an outwardly facing surface that terminates distally in a stop surface and an inwardly facing surface that extends distally beyond the stop surface, forming a blade tip and, wherein the pusher block has upper and lower recesses, each adapted to seat one of the levers, wherein each of the upper and lower recesses has opposed, substantially vertical walls separated by a substantially horizontal base wall.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.