Methods and apparatus for vertebral body distraction and fusion employing flexure members
AssigneeSpineX Tec, LLC
InventorsOmar F. Jimenez, Nicholas Ransom Powley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Improved methods and apparatuses for vertebral body distraction and fusion in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention employ flexure members. Flexure members connect a plurality of structural members to end plates on one end and blocks on another end. Upon insertion into the disc space, a drive screw or similar mechanism can be actuated to drive expansion blocks closer together, which causes flexure members to deflect, resulting in expansion of the structural members and distraction of the end plates. The distracted device can then remain in the body and be used for vertebral body fusion.
Claims17
A distractible intervertebral body fusion device for implantation into an intervertebral disc space in a patient's body, comprising:
- a top end plate having a top bearing surface configured to interface with an end plate of a superior vertebra of the intervertebral disc space;
- a bottom end plate having a bottom bearing surface configured to interface with an end plate of an inferior vertebra of the intervertebral disc space;
- and
- at least two struts connecting the top end plate and the bottom end plate, each strut comprising first and second structural members and a block, wherein each structural member is connected at one end to one of the end plates with a flexure member and at an opposed end to the block with a flexure member, and wherein the blocks include apertures enabling operable access to an expansion tool such that actuation of the expansion tool in a first direction drives the blocks closer together, causing the struts to expand, thereby distracting the top end plate and the bottom end plate with respect to each other,
- wherein one of the end plates provides a backstop for each flexure connecting one of the structural members with the respective end plate, the backstop providing a rolling contact with the flexure that guides a curvature of the flexure as the top and bottom end plates distract, the curvature of the flexure conforming to a shape of the backstop, and wherein the backstops are one of concave or convex.
A distractible intervertebral body fusion device for implantation into an intervertebral disc space in a patient's body, comprising:
- a top end plate having a top bearing surface configured to interface with an end plate of a superior vertebra of the intervertebral disc space;
- a bottom end plate having a bottom bearing surface configured to interface with an end plate of an inferior vertebra of the intervertebral disc space;
- and
- at least two struts connecting the top end plate and the bottom end plate, each strut comprising first and second structural members and a block, wherein each structural member is connected at one end to one of the end plates with a flexure member and at an opposed end to the block with a flexure member, and wherein the blocks include apertures enabling operable access to an expansion tool such that actuation of the expansion tool in a first direction drives the blocks closer together, causing the struts to expand, thereby distracting the top end plate and the bottom end plate with respect to each other,
- wherein one of the end plates provides a backstop for each flexure connecting one of the structural members with the respective end plate, the backstop providing a rolling contact with the flexure that guides a curvature of the flexure as the top and bottom end plates distract, the curvature of the flexure conforming to a shape of the backstop, and wherein there are three struts on the first side and three struts on the opposing side.
A medical device capable of being distracted from a collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration, comprising:
- a top end plate;
- a bottom end plate;
- and
- at least two struts connecting the top end plate and the bottom end plate, each strut comprising first and second structural members and a block, wherein each structural member is connected at one end to one of the end plates with a flexure member and at an opposed end to the block with a flexure member, and wherein the blocks include apertures enabling operable access to an expansion tool such that actuation of the expansion tool in a first direction drives the blocks closer together, causing the struts to expand, thereby distracting the top end plate and the bottom end plate with respect to each other,
- wherein one of the end plates provides a backstop for each flexure connecting one of the structural members with the respective end plate, the backstop configured to provide a rolling contact with the flexure and guide a curvature of the flexure as the top and bottom end plates distract, the curvature of the flexure conforming to a shape of the backstop, wherein the backstops are one of concave or convex.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.