US 9,480,573 B2Granted

Expandable interbody spacer

AssigneeGlobus Medical, Inc.

InventorsJonathan Perloff, William Rhoda, Mark Weiman, Chad Glerum, Edward Dwyer, Victoria Alexander, Brian Garvey, Daniel Waite, Conor Fleming, Samuel Petersheim, Bria Howell, Marcin Niemiec, Vipin Kunjachan, Jason Gray, Christopher Saville, James Himmelberger, Kevin Gahman

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Abstract

The present invention relates to devices and methods for treating one or more damaged, diseased, or traumatized portions of the spine, including intervertebral discs, to reduce or eliminate associated back pain. In one or more embodiments, the present invention relates to an expandable interbody spacer. The expandable interbody spacer may comprise a first jointed arm comprising a plurality of links pivotally coupled end to end. The expandable interbody spacer further may comprise a second jointed arm comprising a plurality of links pivotally coupled end to end. The first jointed arm and the second jointed arm may be interconnected at a proximal end of the expandable interbody spacer. The first jointed arm and the second jointed arm may be interconnected at a distal end of the expandable interbody spacer.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A surgical method comprising:

inserting in a disc space an expandable spacer, wherein the expandable spacer has a first unexpanded configuration and a second expanded configuration that is larger than the first unexpanded configuration, wherein the expandable spacer comprises:
an upper endplate and a lower endplate, wherein the upper endplate comprises a first endplate portion and a second endplate portion;
a translation member and an actuation member, wherein the actuation member is operably coupled to the translation member;
and
at least one side slot, wherein the at least one side slot extends a majority of the length of the translation member;
and
rotating the actuation member in a first direction to cause lateral translation of the translation member in the first direction to thereby cause sliding engagement between ramps of the translation member and ramps of inner sidewalls of the upper and lower endplates thereby causing outward expansion of the upper and lower endplates,
wherein an installation instrument engages with the at least one side slot,
wherein in the first unexpanded configuration, the first endplate portion and the second endplate portion align with one another such that no opening extends through a midline of the expandable spacer and the first endplate portion and second endplate portion are in contact with the actuation member, and in the second expanded configuration, the first endplate portion and the second endplate portion spread away from one another such that an opening extends through the midline of the expandable spacer and the first endplate portion and second endplate portion are no longer in contact with the actuation member, and
wherein the upper endplate and the lower endplate are hinged in the first unexpanded configuration and the second expanded configuration.

7 more elements

A surgical method comprising:

inserting in a disc space an expandable spacer, wherein the expandable spacer has a first unexpanded configuration and a second expanded configuration that is larger than the first unexpanded configuration, wherein the expandable spacer comprises:
a first endplate and a second endplate, wherein the first endplate comprises a first endplate portion and a second endplate portion;
a translation member;
an actuation member, wherein the translation member includes a pair of ramps that engage with inner sidewalls of the expandable spacer to cause expansion of the spacer, and
at least one side slot, wherein the at least one side slot extends a majority of the length of the translation member;
and
rotating the actuation member in a first direction to cause lateral translation of the translation member in the first direction to thereby cause sliding engagement between ramps of the translation member and ramps of inner sidewalls of the first and second endplates thereby causing outward expansion of the upper and lower endplates,
wherein the first endplate portion separates from the second endplate portion in a v-shape,
wherein the translation member is configured to remain positioned between the first endplate and second endplate in an expanded configuration,
wherein an installation instrument engages the at least one side slot,
wherein in the first unexpanded configuration, the first endplate portion and the second endplate portion align with one another such that no opening extends through a midline of the expandable spacer and the first endplate portion and second endplate portion are in contact with the actuation member, and in the second expanded configuration, the first endplate portion and the second endplate portion spread away from one another such that an opening extends through the midline of the expandable spacer and the first endplate portion and second endplate portion are no longer in contact with the actuation member, and
wherein the upper endplate and the lower endplate are hinged in the first unexpanded configuration and the second expanded configuration.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/941,095Filed 12 Jul 2013 · continuation in part
Priority: 30 May 2012
Published: US 2014/0052253 A120 Feb 2014
Granted: 1 Nov 2016
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification50 codes

A61F 2/4425
Intervertebral or spinal discs, e.g. resilient: made of articulated components
A61B 17/7097
Spinal positioners or stabilisers, e.g. stabilisers comprising fluid filler in an implant: stabilisers comprising fluid filler in an implant, e.g.…
A61F 2/442
For the spine, e.g. vertebrae or spinal discs: intervertebral or spinal discs, e.g. resilient
A61F 2/4455
For the spine, e.g. vertebrae or spinal discs: for the fusion of spinal bodies, e.g. intervertebral fusion of adjacent spinal bodies, e.g. fusion…

Family

Application13/483,852Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 30 May 2012
US 2014/0052253 A1Pre-grant publication · published 20 Feb 2014
US 2013/0325128 A1Published application
US 9,044,342 B2Related patent
US 9,480,573 B2This patent

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