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US 9,427,324 B1Granted
Intervertebral fusion device and method of use
AssigneeSpinelogik, Inc.
InventorJeffrey Paris Wensel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Some embodiments of the invention provide an apparatus that (1) delivers a fusion member between two vertebral bodies after at least a portion of the fibrocartilaginous disc between the vertebral bodies has been removed, and (2) affixes the fusion member to the vertebral bodies. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes (1) a fusion member that is delivered and positioned between the vertebral bodies, (2) a delivery member that delivers and positions the fusion member between the vertebral bodies.
Claims22
A fusion device system comprising:
- a fusion member, including a proximal-most end and a distal-most end, configured to position between two vertebral bodies, the fusion member comprising a channel and an indentation at the distal-most end of the fusion member;
- and
- a delivery member configured to traverse the channel from the proximal-most end to the distal-most end of the fusion member in order to couple to the fusion member while delivering the fusion member between the two vertebral bodies, the delivery member comprising a permanently affixed tooth for rotatably coupling with the indentation at the distal-most end of the fusion member, wherein a diameter of the indentation and a length of the tooth varies along a direction of rotation in order to ensure that the tooth and indentation unlock in only one direction of rotation.
A fusion device system comprising:
- a fusion member, having proximal-most and distal-most ends, configured to position between two vertebral bodies, the fusion member comprising a channel with (i) a first groove at the proximal-most end, (ii) a second groove at a distal-most end, and (iii) a well at the distal-most end;
- and
- a delivery member configured to enter the channel of the fusion member through the proximal-most end in order to deliver and position the fusion member between the two vertebral bodies, the delivery member comprising a rod with (i) a protrusion on a distal-most end of the rod configured to fit into the well at the distal-most end of the fusion member and (ii) permanently affixed protruding first and second teeth configured to controllably couple with the first and second grooves, respectively, in order to controllably hold the fusion member while delivering and positioning the fusion member.
A fusion device system comprising:
- a fusion member, including a proximal-most end and a distal-most end, configured to position between two vertebral bodies, the fusion member comprising a channel and an indentation at the distal-most end of the fusion member, wherein a width of the indentation is tapered;
- and
- a delivery member configured to traverse the channel from the proximal-most end to the distal-most end of the fusion member in order to couple to the fusion member while delivering the fusion member between the two vertebral bodies, the delivery member comprising a permanently affixed tooth for rotatably coupling with the indentation at the distal-most end of the fusion member, wherein a depth of the tooth is tapered to fit the tapered indentation, wherein the indentation comprise at least one protruding tip for preventing the delivery member from rotating more than a certain degree.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.