US 7,051,417 B2Granted

Method for forming an orthopedic implant surface configuration

AssigneeSDGI Holdings, Inc.

InventorGary K. Michelson

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Abstract

The present invention is a specialized orthopedic implant having an exterior surface for engaging bone. The surface comprises arrayed projections having at least one forward facing facet directed at least in part toward the leading end of the implant and at least one rearward portion directed at least in part toward the opposite trailing end of the implant. Each of the forward facet and rearward portion has a length and a slope. The length of the forward facet is longer than the length of the rearward facet. The slope of the rearward facet is steeper than the slope of the forward facet. The surface projections also have opposed side facets directed generally toward the sides of the implant. The side facets are located between the forward facet and rearward facet and converge toward each other in a direction away from the base of the surface projections. The surface may also include projections having left and right forward side facets and a rearward facet. The surface further may include projections having left and right rearward side facets and a forward facet.

Claims29

Dependent claims

A method for forming an interbody orthopedic implant having an exterior surface with a plurality of surface projections adapted for contact with bone, including adjacent bones and bone portions, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the implant comprising a leading end for introduction of the orthopedic implant into the bone, an opposite trailing end, spaced apart sides therebetween, and a mid-longitudinal axis passing through the leading and trailing ends, an exterior surface between said leading and trailing ends and said spaced apart sides;
and
forming surface projections as part of the exterior surface of the implant:
at least a first and a second surface projection each having a first facet configuration with at least one forward facet directed at least in part toward the leading end and at least one rearward facet directed at least in part toward the trailing end, said forward facet and said rearward facet having a length and a slope, the length of said forward facet being longer than the length of said rearward facet, the slope of said rearward facet being steeper than the slope of said forward facet, said first and second surface projections each having a peak along a first line that is transverse to the mid-longitudinal axis of said implant;
and
at least a third and a fourth surface projection each having a second facet configuration with at least one forward facet directed at least in part toward the leading end and at least one rearward facet directed at least in part toward the trailing end, said forward facet and said rearward facet of said second facet configuration having a length and a slope, the length of said forward facet of said second facet configuration being longer than the length of said rearward facet of said second facet configuration, the slope of said rearward facet of said second facet configuration being steeper than the slope of said forward facet of said second facet configuration, said third and fourth surface projections each having a peak along a second line that is transverse to the mid-longitudinal axis and off-set from the first line transverse to the mid-longitudinal axis, the second facet configuration of the third and fourth surface projections being different from the first facet configuration of the first and second surface projections.

3 more elements

A method for forming an interbody orthopedic implant having a plurality of surface projections adapted for contact with bone, including adjacent bones and bone portions, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the implant comprising a leading end for introduction of the orthopedic implant into the bone, an opposite trailing end, and spaced apart sides therebetween, opposite upper and lower surfaces between said leading and trailing ends and said spaced apart sides, an exterior surface between said leading and trailing ends and said spaced apart sides;
and
forming a plurality of surface projections as part of the exterior surface of the implant, each of the surface projections having a base, at least two of the surface projections each having at least one forward facet directed at least in part toward the leading end and at least one rearward facet directed at least in part toward the trailing end, said rearward facet terminating at a first location proximate the base, said rearward facet terminating at a second location proximate said forward facing facet, the first location being closer to the leading end of the implant than the second location, each of said at least two surface projections being formed to have opposed side facets extending from the base and being directed generally toward said spaced apart sides of the implant, respectively, said side facets being located between said forward facet and said rearward facet of each of said at least two surface projections.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/808,852Filed 25 Mar 2004 · continuation
Priority: 8 Dec 1999
Published: US 2004/0181286 A116 Sep 2004
Granted: 30 May 2006
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification27 codes

A61F 2/30771
Special external or bone-contacting surface, e.g. coating for improving bone ingrowth: applied in original prostheses, e.g. holes or grooves
A61F 2/4455
For the spine, e.g. vertebrae or spinal discs: for the fusion of spinal bodies, e.g. intervertebral fusion of adjacent spinal bodies, e.g. fusion…
A61F 2/28
Prostheses implantable into the body: bones
A61F 2/442
For the spine, e.g. vertebrae or spinal discs: intervertebral or spinal discs, e.g. resilient

Family

Application09/457,228Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 8 Dec 1999
Application09/572,518Parent of this continuation · filed 17 May 2000
US 2004/0181286 A1Pre-grant publication · published 16 Sep 2004
US 6,827,740 B1Parent of this continuation-in-part
Application09/572,518Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 7,115,143 B1Related patent
US 7,051,417 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.