US 8,556,936 B2Granted

Facet joint replacement

AssigneeGmedelaware 2 LLC

InventorsEugene Marlowe Goble, Thomas Wade Fallin, Robert W. Hoy, Daniel F. Justin, Alan Chervitz, Jude Paganelli, Daniel J. Triplett

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A prosthesis for the replacement of at least a portion of the bone of a facet located on a mammalian vertebra, comprising: an articulating surface that articulates with another facet; a bone contacting surface that contacts a surface of the vertebra, the articulating surface being connected to the bone contacting surface; and a fixation element that attaches the bone contacting surface to the vertebra, the fixation element being adapted for implantation into an interior bone space of a pedicle of the vertebra; wherein the prosthesis is configured so that no portion of the prosthesis contacts the posterior arch of the vertebra.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method for replacing at least a portion of a natural facet of a first vertebra, the method comprising:

positioning a superior articular surface to articulate with an adjacent inferior articular surface on an adjacent upper vertebra;
positioning an inferior articular surface at any of a plurality of orientations with respect to the superior articular surface to enable the inferior articular surface to articulate with an adjacent superior articular surface on an adjacent lower vertebra;
and
implanting a fixation member in the first vertebra to secure the positioned superior and inferior articular surfaces to the first vertebra,
wherein the superior articular surface is incorporated into a superior prosthesis and the inferior articular surface is incorporated into an inferior prosthesis, wherein positioning the superior articular surface comprises positioning the superior prosthesis, wherein positioning the inferior articular surface comprises positioning the inferior prosthesis,
wherein at least one of positioning the superior prosthesis and positioning the inferior prosthesis is carried out such that after the corresponding prosthesis has been positioned, no portion of the corresponding prosthesis encircles a spinous process of the first vertebra.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/670,292Filed 1 Feb 2007 · continuation
Priority: 29 Nov 2000
Published: US 2007/0270967 A122 Nov 2007
Granted: 15 Oct 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

A61F 2/4405
For the spine, e.g. vertebrae or spinal discs: for apophyseal or facet joints, i.e. between adjacent spinous or transverse processes
A61B 17/7064
Devices acting on, attached to, or simulating the effect of, vertebral processes, vertebral facets or ribs ; Tools for such devices: devices…
A61B 17/844
Fasteners therefor or fasteners being internal fixation devices: with expandable anchors or anchors having movable parts
A61F 2/4637
Special tools for implanting artificial joints: for connecting or disconnecting two parts of a prosthesis

Family

Application09/726,169Parent of this continuation · filed 29 Nov 2000
Application10/421,078Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 23 Apr 2003
US 6,579,319 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 17 Jun 2003
Application60/505,199Us provisional application · filed 23 Sep 2003
Application10/687,865Parent of this continuation · filed 17 Oct 2003
US 7,041,136 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 9 May 2006
US 2007/0270967 A1Pre-grant publication · published 22 Nov 2007
Application10/687,865Parent of this continuation-in-part
Application10/421,078Parent of this continuation
US 2002/0065557 A1Published application
US 2003/0191532 A1Published application
US 2005/0080486 A1Published application
US 8,556,936 B2This patent

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