Expanding interbody implant and articulating inserter and method
AssigneeWarsaw Orthopedic, Inc.
InventorsRoy K. Lim, Kevin T. Foley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device to space vertebral members with first and second members that may have at least one ramped section. The first and second members may be positioned in a vertically overlapping arrangement with interior sides of the members facing together. The device may be positionable between a first orientation with the ramped section of the first member positioned away from the ramped section of the second member, and a second orientation with the ramped section of the first member positioned against the ramped section of the second member. The device may include a greater height measured between the exterior sides in the second orientation than in the first orientation.
Claims20
A method of spacing vertebral members comprising the steps of:
- placing a spacer between the vertebral members, the spacer being in a first orientation and having opposing exterior sides distanced at a first height;
- and
- moving a first ramped surface within the spacer along a second ramped surface within the spacer until the first ramped surface is spaced apart from the second ramped surface to move the spacer to a second orientation in which the opposing exterior sides are distanced a second height that is greater than the first height.
A method of spacing vertebral members comprising the steps of:
- attaching a spacer to a delivery device;
- manipulating the delivery device and positioning the spacer between the vertebral members;
- deploying a pushrod through the delivery device with a distal end of the pushrod contacting a first member of the spacer;
- moving the first member of the spacer from a proximal position towards a distal position;
- and
- slidably engaging a first ramped surface on the first member with a second ramped surface on a second member of the spacer as the first member moves from the proximal position towards the distal position until the first ramped surface is spaced apart from the second ramped surface and a width of the spacer is increased.
A method of spacing vertebral members comprising the steps of:
- positioning a spacer between the vertebral members with the spacer in a closed orientation such that a third member is positioned between a first member and a second member;
- pushing the third member from a proximal position towards a distal position;
- and
- slidably engaging a first ramped surface on the first member with a second ramped surface on the third member as the third member moves from the proximal position towards the distal position until the first ramped surface is spaced apart from the second ramped surface to move the spacer from the closed orientation to an open orientation in which a height of the spacer is increased from the closed orientation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.