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US 7,344,539 B2Granted
Intervertebral connection system
AssigneeDepuy Acromed, Inc.
InventorsHassan A Serhan, Michael A Slivka, Christopher T Fair
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An intervertebral connection system having a fabric-based conformable ligament is disclosed herein.
Claims57
An intervertebral connection system comprising:
- a) a ligament having:
- i) a central portion,
- ii) first and second end portions, and
- iii) first and second conformable portions, each conformable portion comprising a fabric,
- wherein the first conformable portion is disposed between the central portion and the first end portion, and the second conformable portion is disposed between the central portion and the second end portion, and
- b) first and second shoulderless bone fasteners,
- wherein the first end portion is shaped to cooperatively connect to the first bone fastener, and the second end portion is shaped to cooperatively connect to the second bone fastener.
4 more elements
An intervertebral connection system comprising:
- a) a ligament comprising first and second end portions, and
- b) first and second bone fasteners,
- wherein the first bone fastener is connected to the first end portion of the ligament, and the second bone fastener is connected to the second end portion of the ligament, and
- wherein the first bone fastener is configured to accept a driver.
1 more element
An intervertebral connection system comprising:
- a) a conformable ligament comprising first and second end portions, each end portion comprising a fabric, and
- b) first and second bone fasteners,
- wherein the first bone fastener is connected to the first end portion of the ligament, and the second bone fastener is connected to the second end portion of the ligament,
- wherein the bone fastener is made of a bioresorbable PLA/PLG copolymer and is shoulderless.
1 more element
An intervertebral connection system comprising:
- a) a conformable ligament comprising first and second end portions, each end portion comprising a fabric, and
- b) first and second bone fasteners,
- wherein the first bone fastener is pre-connected to the first end portion of the ligament, and the second bone fastener is pre-connected to the second end portion of the ligament.
An intervertebral connection system comprising:
- a) a compressible ligament comprising first and second end portions and having at least one bioresorbable portion, and
- b) first and second bone fasteners,
- wherein the first end portion is shaped to cooperatively connect to the first bone fastener, and the second end portion is shaped to cooperatively connect to the second bone fastener.
An intervertebral connection system comprising:
- a) a compressible ligament comprising first and second end portions, and
- b) first and second bone fasteners,
- wherein each bone fastener and the ligament are bioresorbable.
An intervertebral connection system comprising:
- a) a ligament having:
- i) a central portion,
- ii) first and second end portions, and
- iii) first and second conformable portions,
- wherein the first conformable portion is disposed between the central portion and the first end portion, and the second conformable portion is disposed between the central portion and the second end portion
- b) first and second shoulderless bone fasteners,
- wherein the first end portion is connected to the first bone fastener, and the second end portion is connected to the second bone fastener, and
- wherein the central portion is made of a first material having a first resorption time, the end portion is made of a second material having a second resorption time, and the first material has a shorter resorption time than that of the second material.
5 more elements
An intervertebral connection system comprising:
- a) a compressible ligament comprising first and second end portions, and
- b) first and second bone fasteners, each bone fastener having an attachment end comprising a ceramic material and a shank comprising a polymer material.
An intervertebral connection system comprising:
- a) a ligament comprising first and second end portions, and
- b) first and second bone fasteners,
- wherein the first end portion is pivotally connected to the first bone fastener, and the second end portion is pivotally connected to the second bone fastener.
An intervertebral connection system comprising:
- a) a ligament having:
- i) a central portion,
- ii) first and second end portions, each end portion comprising a fabric, and
- iii) first and second intermediate portions,
- wherein the first intermediate portion is disposed between the central portion and the first end portion, and the second intermediate portion is disposed between the central portion and the second end portion, and
- b) first and second shoulderless bone fasteners,
- wherein the first end portion is shaped to cooperatively connect to the first bone fastener, and the second end portion is shaped to cooperatively connect to the second bone fastener, and
- wherein at least one of the central and intermediate portions is extensible.
5 more elements
An intervertebral connection system comprising:
- a) a ligament having:
- i) a central portion,
- ii) first and second end portions, and
- iii) first and second intermediate portions,
- wherein the lint intermediate portion is disposed between the central portion and the first end portion, and the second intermediate portion is disposed between the central portion and the second end portion, and
- b) first and second bone fasteners,
- wherein the first end portion has an upper surface, a lower surface and a first transverse hole therethrough, the hole having a shape for receiving the first bone fastener, and the second end portion has an upper surface, a lower surface and a second transverse hole therethrough, the hole having a shape for receiving the second bone fastener, and
- wherein the first bone fastener is received within the first transverse hole, and the second bone fastener is received within the second transverse hole,
- wherein the intermediate portions are conformable and made of a braided material, and
- wherein the upper surface of each end portion is smooth.
7 more elements
An intervertebral connection system comprising:
- a) a ligament having:
- i) a central portion,
- ii) first and second end portions, and
- iii) first and second intermediate portions,
- wherein the first intermediate portion is conformable and is disposed between the central portion and the first end portion, and the second intermediate portion is disposed between the central portion and the second end portion,
- b) a first shoulderless bone fastener, and
- c) a shouldered bone fastener,
- wherein the first end portion is shaped to cooperatively connect to the first shoulderless bone fastener, and the shouldered bone fastener is received through the second end portion.
5 more elements
A method of stabilizing a pair of vertebrae, each vertebrae having a surface, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing an intervertebral connection system comprising:
- i) a ligament having first and second end portions, and
- ii) first and second bone fasteners,
- wherein the ligament is between the first and second bone fasteners, the first end portion of the ligament being adjacent the first bone fastener, the second end portion of the ligament being adjacent the second bone fastener, and
- b) fully inserting time first bone fastener and at least a portion of the first end portion of the ligament into the first vertebra to a location below the first vertebral surface, and
- c) fully inserting the second bone fastener and at least a portion of the second end portion of the ligament into the second vertebra to a location below the second vertebral surface.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.