US 8,940,050 B2Granted

Flexible vertebral spacer

AssigneeDePuy Synthes Products, Inc.

InventorsLawton Laurence, Wamis Singhatat

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Abstract

A flexible implant system for positioning a flexible spacer between adjacent vertebrae including and interbody spacer and an insertion instrument. The interbody spacer including a central axis, a lateral axis, a top surface positioned generally parallel to the central axis and a plurality of hinge sections extending generally perpendicular to the central axis. A plurality of notches making up the plurality of hinge sections adjacent the top surface that permit the interbody spacer to flex. The interbody spacer further including a groove extending along a lateral side surface, generally parallel to the central axis. An insertion instrument includes a proximal end, a distal end and a tongue extending from the proximal end to the distal end along a non-linear path. The groove slidably engages the tongue to guide the interbody spacer from the proximal end to the distal end along the non-linear path.

Claims54

Dependent claims

An implant system for positioning a flexible spacer between adjacent vertebrae, the implant system comprising:

a flexible interbody spacer including a spacer body that defines a top surface and a bottom surface each configured to engage one of the adjacent vertebrae, opposed side surfaces extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, a lateral axis extending between the opposed side surfaces and substantially parallel to the top and bottom surfaces, and a plurality of hinge sections that permit the interbody spacer to flex about the lateral axis, the interbody spacer defining a height measured from the top surface to the bottom surface at a location between adjacent ones of the plurality of hinge sections, and the interbody spacer defining a width perpendicular to the height, the width measured from one of the opposed side surfaces to the other of the opposed side surfaces at a location between the adjacent ones of the plurality of hinge sections, the width being greater than the height, and the interbody spacer including a mating surface extending along one of the opposed side surfaces, wherein each of the plurality of hinge sections is defined by a notch that extends into the spacer body from the bottom surface and terminates within the spacer body prior to reaching the top surface;
and
a guide rail including a guide rail body that defines a proximal end, an opposed distal end, an inner surface that faces either the top or bottom surface of the interbody spacer when the interbody spacer is received by the guide rail, the guide rail body further including a track extending between the proximal end and the distal end along a non-linear path, the mating surface slidably engagable with the track to guide the flexible interbody spacer from the proximal end to the distal end along the non-linear path;
wherein the inner surface defines a curvature about an axis that is parallel to the lateral axis when the mating surface is slidably engaged with the track.

1 more element

A flexible interbody spacer for positioning between adjacent vertebrae, the flexible spacer comprising:

a top vertebra contacting surface and an opposed bottom vertebra contacting surface each configured to engage one of the adjacent vertebrae, and opposed side surfaces each extending between the top vertebra contacting surface and the bottom vertebra contacting surface, the top vertebra contacting surface spaced from the bottom vertebra contacting surface in a first direction;
a front end and an opposed back end extending between the top and bottom vertebra contacting surfaces, a central axis extending between the front end and the back end, and a lateral axis extending between the opposed side surfaces and perpendicular to the central axis, the spacer defining a length from the front end to the back end along the central axis;
and
at least one hinge section positioned between the front end and the back end, each of the at least one hinge sections allowing the spacer to flex about a respective axis that is:
1) perpendicular to the first direction and 2) parallel to the lateral axis;
wherein each of the respective axes is positioned closer to the top vertebra contacting surface than the bottom vertebra contacting surface, each of the at least one hinge sections extends into the flexible spacer from the bottom vertebra contacting surface and terminates within the flexible spacer between the bottom surface and the top vertebra contacting surface, and the flexible spacer is devoid of any hinge sections that allow the flexible spacer to flex about a respective axis that is positioned closer to the bottom vertebra contacting surface than the top vertebra contacting surface.

3 more elements

A guide rail instrument configured to position a flexible spacer between adjacent vertebrae, the guide rail instrument comprising:

a guide rail body portion defining a proximal end and a distal end opposite the proximal end, the guide rail body portion having a non-linear shape so as to define a non-linear delivery path between the proximal and distal ends, the guide rail body portion further defining a track that extends between the proximal and distal ends along the non-linear delivery path, the track including a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the flexible spacer enters the track at the first end, travels in a direction along the non-linear delivery path, and exits the track at the second end, the track configured to engage a corresponding mating surface of the flexible vertebral spacer, so as to allow the spacer to travel from the first end to the second end;
and
an engagement mechanism including an engagement member that extends beyond both the distal end of the guide rail body and the second end of the track with respect to the direction, a drive mechanism opposite the engagement mechanism, and a drive body operably connecting the engagement member to the drive mechanism such that the drive body is configured to transfer a rotational force that is applied to the drive mechanism to the engagement member;
wherein the engagement member is configured to be driven through an exterior surface of one of the vertebrae such that the guide rail instrument is secured relative to the one of the vertebrae prior to insertion of the spacer between the adjacent vertebrae.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/760,956Filed 15 Apr 2010 · us provisional application
Priority: 15 Apr 2009
Published: US 2011/0106260 A15 May 2011
Granted: 27 Jan 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification16 codes

A61F 2/4425
Intervertebral or spinal discs, e.g. resilient: made of articulated components
A61F 2/4465
For the fusion of spinal bodies, e.g. intervertebral fusion of adjacent spinal bodies, e.g. fusion cages: having a circular or kidney shaped…
A61F 2/4611
For insertion or extraction of endoprosthetic joints or of accessories thereof: of spinal prostheses
A61F 2002/30014
The prosthesis being made from materials having different values of a given property at different locations within the same prosthesis: differing…