Spinal fusion cage with removable planar elements
AssigneeKleiner Intellectual Property, LLC
InventorJeffrey B. Kleiner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure relates to a spinal fusion impactor tool that includes an attachment means for securing an implant device to the distal end of the tool, a means for adjusting the angle of the distal head relative to the handle to better position the implant for introduction into the implant site, means for remotely releasing the implant device at the distal end and a clamp device on the shaft of the tool to secure tabs, attachments and other devices. The impactor tool is preferably used in conjunction with implantation of an intervertebral fusion cage that is equipped with shims having tabs or other removing means, but may also be used to introduce, for example, an implant, graft, fusion device, wedge or distractor device into any joint space or bony region in preparation for implantation.
Claims11
A system for performing spinal fusion, comprising:
- an intervertebral fusion cage having a frame that comprises a top wall, a bottom wall, a leading end, a trailing end, and a pair of lateral walls, the intervertebral fusion cage having a hollow interior and an exterior, and the top wall and the bottom wall each have at least one opening allowing for fluid communication between the hollow interior and an exterior, said cage configured for receiving in its interior a fusion promoting material comprising bone graft material, for placement within the hollow interior of the fusion cage;
- said cage adapted to receive generally planar elements disposed on at least one of the top wall, bottom wall, and pair of lateral walls of the cage, said generally planar elements configured to reversibly cover the at least one opening in one of the top wall and the bottom wall, said generally planar elements preventing leakage of the fusion promoting material out of the at least one opening,
- said generally planar elements providing a barrier to the undesired translocation of the fusion-promoting material and substantially precluding fluid communication between the hollow interior and the exterior of the cage, such that said fusion promoting material is maintained within the hollow interior of the intervertebral fusion cage during insertion of the intervertebral fusion cage into the intervertebral space, and wherein said generally planar elements are configured to be removable from the intervertebral fusion cage when the intervertebral fusion cage is placed in the intervertebral space, wherein fluid communication is permitted between the hollow interior and the exterior of the cage and allows the fusion promoting material to move from the hollow interior to the exterior of the cage.
A system for performing spinal fusion, comprising:
- an intervertebral fusion cage having a frame comprised of a top wall, a bottom wall, a leading end, a trailing end, and a pair of lateral walls, the intervertebral fusion cage having a hollow interior and an exterior, and the top wall and the bottom wall each have at least one opening adapted to receive fusion promoting material, at least one recess located on an exterior surface of the top wall, and at least one recess located on an exterior surface of the bottom wall;
- a fusion promoting material configured for placement within the hollow interior of the fusion cage;
- at least two veneers, each having first and second elongated tangs, said first tang being configured to slidingly engage with the at least one recess located on an exterior surface of the top wall, and said second tang being configured to slidingly engage the at least one recess located on an exterior surface of the bottom wall, said at least two veneers configured to reversibly hold the intervertebral fusion cage in contact with the tangs so as to at least partially cover the at least one opening in the top wall and the at least one opening in the bottom wall, said at least two veneers being associated with said cage to substantially preclude fluid communication between the hollow interior and the exterior of the cage such that said fusion promoting material is maintained within the hollow interior of the intervertebral fusion cage during insertion of the intervertebral fusion cage into the intervertebral space, and wherein said at least two veneers are configured to be removable from the intervertebral fusion cage when the intervertebral fusion cage is placed in the intervertebral space.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.