Trial and method for use thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10080671-B2
Application number	US-201615340749-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 1, 2016
Priority date	Nov 1, 2016
Publication date	Sep 25, 2018
Grant date	Sep 25, 2018

Abstract

A trial for insertion into a disc space between adjacent vertebrae in order to facilitate sizing of an interbody spinal implant includes an end portion and a shaft portion. The end portion is dimensioned to approximate the dimensions of an available interbody spinal implant. The trial includes passages extending through at least portions of the end portion and the shaft portion to facilitate access to the disc space during use of the trial.

First claim

We claim:

1. A trial used in sizing an interbody spinal implant for insertion into a disc space between adjacent vertebrae, the trial comprising:
a trailing end, an opposite leading end, and a length extending from the trailing end to the leading end, and a mid-longitudinal axis extending through the leading end and the trailing end;
a shaft portion extending from the trailing end toward the leading end, the shaft portion having a first end collocated with the trailing end, and an opposite second end, the shaft portion including a first passage extending therethrough between the first end and the second end of the shaft portion;
an end portion extending from the second end of the shaft portion to the leading end, the end portion including a first end adjacent the second end of the shaft portion, an opposite second end, a leading end surface at the second end of the end portion, a top surface, an opposite bottom surface, a first side surface, an opposite second side surface, and a second passage extending therethrough, the first and second passages communicating with one another, the second passage extending from the first passage to a first exit port and a second exit port, the first exit port being positioned on one of the first side surface and the second side surface, and the second exit port being positioned on the other of the first side surface and the second side surface; and
an instrument configured for insertion through at least portions of the first and second passages, the instrument being moveable from a first position to a second position in the first and second passages to facilitate pushing of implantation materials received in the first and second passageways out of the first exit port;
wherein dimensions of the end portion are sized to approximate dimensions of the interbody spinal implant; and
wherein at least a portion of the first side surface extends in a first plane substantially parallel to the mid-longitudinal axis and at least a portion of the second side surface extends in a second plane substantially parallel to the mid-longitudinal axis, a substantial majority of the end portion being positioned between the first plane and the second plane, and at least a portion of the leading end surface being located on an opposite side of the second plane from the substantial majority of the end portion.

2. The trial of claim 1 , wherein the second passage includes a stem portion directly communicating with the first passage in the shaft portion, a first branch portion extending from the stem portion to the first exit port, a second branch portion extending from the stem portion to the second exit port, and a bifurcation area between the first branch and the second branch.

3. The trial of claim 2 , wherein the second branch communicates more with the second branch portion than the first branch portion.

4. The trial of claim 1 , wherein portions of the first and second branches one of overlap with one another, and are completely separate from one another.

5. The trial of claim 1 , wherein the end portion is removably attached to the shaft portion.

6. The trial of claim 5 , wherein the end portion includes a trailing end surface opposite from the leading end surface, the trailing end surface provided adjacent an interface of the end portion with the shaft portion.

7. The trial of claim 1 , wherein the second passage includes a stem portion directly communicating with the first passage in the shaft portion, a first branch portion extending from the stem portion to the first exit port, a second branch portion extending from the stem portion to the second exit port, and a bifurcation area between the first branch and the second branch.

8. The method of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first branch and the second branch are curved, and the instrument includes a flexible head portion configured for insertion through the one of the first branch and the second branch that is curved.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first branch and the second branch are curved, and the instrument includes a flexible head portion configured for insertion through the one of the first branch and the second branch that is curved.

10. A trial used in sizing an interbody spinal implant for insertion into a disc space between adjacent vertebrae, the trial comprising:
a shaft portion having a first end, an opposite second end, and a first passage extending therethrough between the first and second ends;
an end portion extending from the second end of the shaft portion, the end portion including a first end, an opposite second end, a leading end surface at the second end, a top surface, an opposite bottom surface, a first side surface, an opposite second side surface, and a second passage extending therethrough, the first and second passages communicating with one another, the second passage extending from the first passage to a first exit port and a second exit port, the first exit port being positioned on one of the first side surface and the second side surface, and the second exit port being positioned on the other of the first side surface and the second side surface;
wherein dimensions of the end portion are sized to approximate dimensions of the interbody spinal implant, and wherein implantation materials received in the first and second passages can be pushed through the first exit port; and
wherein at least a portion of the first side surface extends in a first plane substantially parallel to the mid-longitudinal axis and at least a portion of the second side surface extends in a second plane substantially parallel to the mid-longitudinal axis, a substantial majority of the end portion being positioned between the first plane and the second plane, and at least a portion of the leading end surface being located on an opposite side of the second plane from the substantial majority of the end portion.

11. The trial of claim 10 , further comprising an Instrument configured for insertion through at least portions of the first and second passages, the instrument being moveable from a first position to a second position in the first and second passages to facilitate pushing of implantation materials received in the first and second passageways out of the first exit port.

12. A method of using a trial to size an interbody spinal implant for implantation into a disc space of between adjacent vertebrae of a patient, the method comprising:
providing the trial having a shaft portion and an end portion,
the shaft portion including a first end, an opposite second end, and a first passage extending therethrough between the first end and the second end, and
the end portion extending from the second end of the shaft portion, the end portion including a first end, an opposite second end, a leading end surface at the second end, a top surface, an opposite bottom surface, a first side surface, an opposite second side surface, and a second passage extending therethrough, the first and second passages communicating with one another, the second passage extending from the first passage to a first exit port and a second exit port, the first exit port being positioned on one of the first side surface and the second side surface, and the second exit port being positioned on the other of the first side surface and the second side surface,
at least a portion of the first side surface extending in a first plane substantially parallel to the mid-longitudinal axis and at least a portion of the second side surface extending in a second plane substantially parallel to the mid-longitudinal axis, a substantial majority of the end portion being positioned between the first plane and the second plane, an

Assignees

• Warsaw Orthopedic Inc
• Warsaw Orhtopedic Inc

Inventors

• Dewey Jonathan M
• Shimko Daniel A

Classifications

• A61F2/4684 Primary

  Trial or dummy prostheses · CPC title

• A61F2/442

  Intervertebral or spinal discs, e.g. resilient (non-disc-shaped intervertebral inflatable pockets A61F2/441; non-disc-shaped intervertebral fusion implants A61F2/4455) · CPC title

• A61F2002/4658

  for measuring dimensions, e.g. length · CPC title

• A61F2/4611

  of spinal prostheses · CPC title

• A61F2/4601

  for introducing bone substitute, for implanting bone graft implants or for compacting them in the bone cavity · CPC title