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US 6,991,654 B2Granted
Systems and techniques for restoring and maintaining intervertebral anatomy
AssigneeSDGI Holdings, Inc.
InventorKevin T. Foley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Techniques and systems for distracting a spinal disc space and supporting adjacent vertebrae are provided. Trial instruments are insertable into the disc space to determine a desired disc space height and to select a corresponding implant. Implants can be also be self-distracting and the implant providing the desired disc space height can be implanted in the spinal disc space.
Claims11
A method for inserting an intervertebral implant, comprising:
- accessing a collapsed spinal disc space;
- sequentially inserting and removing a number of implants into the collapsed spinal disc space, each of said implants providing a different restored disc space height when inserted in the disc space, the spinal disc space at least partially collapsing when the inserted implant is removed therefrom;
- and
- leaving in the spinal disc space the implant from the number of implants providing a restored disc space height corresponding to a desired disc space height to post-operatively maintain the desired disc space height, wherein each implant of the number of implants has a leading end portion with a nose portion having the same height for each of the number of implants.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.