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US 7,125,424 B2Granted
Skeletal stabilization implant
AssigneeZimmer Spine, Inc.
InventorsChristopher M. Banick, Jack A. Dant, David A. Hanson, Rodney L. Houfburg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A spinal implant is described in this disclosure. The implant includes first and second pieces separated by a controlled break location. Spinal implant kits having multiple spinal implant pieces derived from a common source also are disclosed.
Claims22
A skeletal implant comprising:
- first and second implant members, each comprising:
- a top surface adapted to engage and support an upper vertebra, and
- a bottom surface adapted to engage and support a lower vertebra;
- and
- a portion joining, and integral with, the first and second implant members, the portion having a convex outer boundary and a concave inner boundary and defining a first v-shaped notch at the outer boundary and a second v-shaped notch at the inner boundary, the first and second v-shaped notches configured to cause the joining portion to fracture at the tip of the first and second v-shaped notches under a torque applied to the implant members about an axis passing through the tip of the first and second v-shaped notches.
2 more elements
A spinal implant comprising:
- a spinal implant member including a first piece and an opposite second piece, each of which having a top surface for engaging and supporting an upper vertebra and a bottom surface for engaging and supporting a lower vertebra, the spinal implant member having a controlled break location positioned between the first and second pieces, the controlled break location having a convex outer boundary and a concave inner boundary, the break location including a first v-shaped notch at the outer boundary and a second v-shaped notch at the inner boundary, the controlled break location further including a region of reduced cross-sectional area between the first and second notches, the region of reduced cross-sectional area being smaller than nominal cross-sectional areas of each of the first and second pieces of the spinal implant member.
A spinal implant comprising:
- a spinal implant member including a first piece and an opposite second piece, each of which having a top surface for engaging and supporting an upper vertebra and a bottom surface for engaging and supporting a lower vertebra, the spinal implant member having a controlled break location positioned between the first and second pieces, the controlled break location having a convex outer boundary and a concave inner boundary, the controlled break location including a first v-shaped notch at the outer boundary and a second v-shaped notch at the inner boundary, the controlled break location further including a region of reduced cross-sectional area between the first and second notches, the region of reduced cross-sectional area being smaller than nominal cross-sectional areas of each of the first and second pieces of the spinal implant member, wherein the first notch is larger than the second notch, wherein the first and second pieces are symmetrically disposed with respect an axis of symmetry passing through the controlled break location.
A spinal implant comprising:
- a spinal implant member including a first piece and an opposite second piece, each of which having a top surface for engaging and supporting an upper vertebra and a bottom surface for engaging and supporting a lower vertebra, the spinal implant member having a controlled break location positioned between the first and second pieces, the controlled break location having a convex outer boundary and a concave inner boundary, the controlled break location including a first v-shaped notch at the outer boundary and a second v-shaped notch at the inner boundary, the controlled break location further including a region of reduced cross-sectional area between the first and second notches, the region of reduced cross-sectional area being smaller than nominal cross-sectional areas of each of the first and second pieces of the spinal implant member, wherein the first notch is larger than the second notch, wherein the spinal implant is generally C-shaped.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.