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US 6,602,257 B1Granted
Cervical plate
OwnerJeffrey J. Thramanninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides a cervical plate and bone graft(s) that are capable of being attached prior to insertion of the bone graft into an intervertebral space. After insertion, the vertebrae hold the bone graft and cervical plate in place facilitating the anchoring of the cervical plate to the vertebrae.
Claims42
An apparatus useful in placing bone grafts in a spine of a patient, comprising:
- a cervical plate;
- the cervical plate having a top side and a bottom side;
- at least one attachment mechanism;
- the cervical plate adapted to be attached to at least one vertebrae;
- and
- the attachment mechanism directly coupling at least a first bone graft to the bottom side of the cervical plate prior to insertion of at least the first bone graft into an intervertebral space,
- such that prior to attaching the cervical plate to the at least one vertebrae, the cervical plate is held in place by adjacent vertebrae squeezing the first bone graft.
4 more elements
An apparatus useful in placing bone grafts in a spine of a patient, comprising:
- a cervical plate;
- the cervical plate having a top side and a bottom side;
- at least one attachment mechanism;
- at least one bone graft coupled to the cervical plate by the at least one attachment mechanism;
- the at least one bone graft sized to fit into at least one intervertebral space;
- and
- the at least one bone graft coupled to the cervical plate prior to insertion of the at least one bone graft into the at least one intervertebral space such when the at least one bone graft is inserted into the at least one intervertebral space, the cervical plate is positioned such that it can be attached to at least one vertebrae.
4 more elements
An apparatus for use in replacing vertebral discs in a spine of a patient, comprising
- a cervical plate adapted to be attached to at least two vertebrae separated by at least one intervertebral space;
- at least one bone graft adapted to be inserted into the at least one intervertebral space;
- first means for attaching;
- and
- the first means for attaching attaches the at least one bone graft to the cervical plate prior to insertion of the at least one bone graft into the at least one intervertebral space;
- such that the at least one bone graft can be placed in the at least one intervertebral space and the cervical plate will be arranged and held by the bone graft in the intervertebral space so the cervical plate can be attached to the at least two adjacent vertebrae.
3 more elements
A system for inserting at least one bone graft in an intervertebral space, comprising:
- a cervical plate;
- the cervical plate having a top side and a bottom side;
- at least one bone graft sized to be inserted in at least one intervertebral space between adjacent vertebrae;
- an impactor for separating the adjacent vertebrae to allow the at least one bone graft to be inserted in the at least one intervertebral space;
- at least a first attachment mechanism that couples the at least one bone graft to the cervical plate;
- and
- at least a second attachment mechanism that releasably couples the impactor to the cervical plate,
- such that the impactor separates the adjacent vertebrae so the at least one bone graft coupled to the cervical plate can be inserted into the at least one intervertebral space and the impactor removed from the cervical plate causing the adjacent vertebrae to hold the bone graft such that the cervical plate is placed in position to be attached to the adjacent vertebrae.
5 more elements
A method for inserting a bone graft into an intervertebral space with a cervical plate attached to the bone graft, comprising the steps of:
- sizing an intervertebral space to identify an appropriate bone graft;
- selecting an appropriate cervical plate based on the sized intervertebral space and adjacent vertebrae;
- attaching the appropriate bone graft to the appropriate cervical plate;
- placing the appropriate bone graft in the intervertebral space with the appropriate cervical plate attached and positioned to be anchored to the adjacent vertebrae;
- allowing the vertebrae to hold the appropriate bone graft in place;
- and
- anchoring the appropriate cervical plate to the adjacent vertebrae.
4 more elements
A method for inserting a bone graft into an intervertebral space with a cervical plate attached to the bone graft, comprising the steps of:
- placing at least a first bone graft in at least a first intervertebral space;
- sizing at least a second intervertebral space to identify an appropriate second bone graft capable of fitting in the second intervertebral space;
- selecting a cervical plate based on the adjacent vertebrae surrounding the at least a first intervertebral space and the second intervertebral space;
- attaching the appropriate second bone graft to the cervical plate selected in the selecting step;
- placing the appropriate second bone graft in the second intervertebral space with the cervical plate selected in the selecting step attached and positioned to be anchored to the adjacent vertebrae spanning at least the appropriate second bone graft and the first bone graft;
- allowing vertebrae to hold the identified second bone graft in place;
- and
- anchoring the selected cervical plate to the vertebrae.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.