Self-pivoting spinal implant and associated instrumentation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10195049-B2
Application number	US-201815863109-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 5, 2018
Priority date	Nov 5, 2009
Publication date	Feb 5, 2019
Grant date	Feb 5, 2019

Abstract

An intervertebral implant includes an insertion end, an opposing engagement end, and first and second opposed main surfaces configured to contact respective adjacent vertebral endplates. Each of the first and second main surfaces has an anterior edge, a posterior edge, and extends between the insertion and engagement ends. Anterior and posterior walls are formed between the first and second main surfaces and along the respective anterior and posterior edges and converge at the insertion and engagement ends. A slot is formed at the engagement end and extends continuously between and at least partially along the anterior and posterior walls. A post is positioned within the slot, spaced from at least one of the anterior and posterior walls and extending at least partially between the first and second main surfaces. The post includes a plurality of exposed facets and is configured for engagement with a pivotable insertion instrument.

First claim

We claim:

1. A system for spine surgery at a disc space disposed between first and second endplates of adjacent vertebral bodies of a patient, the system comprising:
an instrument defining a proximal end, a distal end, and a grasper at the distal end, an exterior of the grasper defining first and second abutment surfaces that are spaced from each other; and
an intervertebral implant having an insertion end and an opposed engagement end, the intervertebral implant including a post disposed within a slot at the engagement end, wherein the grasper is configured to releasably grasp the post such that the intervertebral implant is rotatable with respect to the instrument in a range of articulation defined between an initial articulation position and a final articulation position, the intervertebral implant defining a third abutment surface and a fourth abutment surface within the slot, wherein the third and fourth abutment surfaces are spaced from the post, the third and fourth abutment surfaces being angularly offset from one another, wherein the abutment surfaces are cooperatively configured such that, 1) at the initial articulation position, the second and fourth abutment surfaces abut one another in a manner preventing articulation of the intervertebral implant beyond the range of articulation, and 2) at the final articulation position, the first and third abutment surfaces abut one another in a manner preventing articulation of the intervertebral implant beyond the range of articulation.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the grasper comprises a first arm and a second arm each including a distal tip, the distal tip of the first arm converging toward the distal tip of the second arm so as to at least partially surround the post.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the distal end of the instrument is spaced from the proximal end of the instrument in a distal direction, the first arm defines the first abutment surface, the second arm defines the second abutment surface, and the first and second abutment surfaces converge toward each other with respect to the distal direction.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the first and second abutment surfaces are each linear.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the third and fourth abutment surfaces are each linear.

6. The system of claim 3 , wherein the third and fourth abutment surfaces are angularly offset from one another at an obtuse angle.

7. The system of claim 3 , wherein the third and fourth abutment surfaces each faces the post.

8. The system of claim 3 , wherein the instrument defines a first stop surface, and the intervertebral implant defines a second stop surface and a third stop surface, the second and third stop surfaces each located at the engagement end and angularly offset from one another, wherein the stop surfaces are cooperatively configured such that, 1) at the initial articulation position, the second stop surface abuts the first stop surface in a manner preventing articulation of the intervertebral implant beyond the range of articulation, and 2) at the final articulation position, the third stop surface abuts the first stop surface in a manner preventing articulation of the intervertebral implant beyond the range of articulation.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein each of the first and second arms defines an interior surface, the first and second arms are resiliently coupled to one another with respect to a transverse direction that is perpendicular to the distal direction such that the grasper is movable between a first position and a second position, wherein, in the first position, the interior surfaces are spaced from each other by a first distance along the transverse direction, and, in the second position, the interior surfaces are spaced from each by a second distance along the transverse direction, wherein the second distance is less than the first distance.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the post defines a central post axis oriented perpendicular to the distal and transverse directions, the interior surfaces of the first and second arms each define a plurality of arm engagement surfaces, the post defines an exterior surface having a plurality of post engagement surfaces, and the plurality of arm engagement surfaces and the plurality of post engagement surfaces are collectively configured such that, 1) when the grasper is in the first position, the post is rotatable with respect to the grasper about the central post axis, and 2) when the grasper is in the second position, the arm engagement surfaces engage the post engagement surfaces in a manner preventing rotation of the post with respect to the grasper about the central post axis.

11. A system for spine surgery at a disc space disposed between first and second endplates of adjacent vertebral bodies of a patient, the system comprising:
an instrument defining a proximal end, a distal end, a grasper at the distal end, and a first stop surface;
an intervertebral implant having an insertion end and an opposed engagement end, the intervertebral implant including a post disposed within a slot at the engagement end, wherein the grasper is configured to releasably grasp the post such that the intervertebral implant is rotatable with respect to the instrument in a range of articulation defined between an initial articulation position and a final articulation position, the intervertebral implant defining a second stop surface and a third stop surface at the engagement end, wherein the second and third stop surfaces are spaced from the post, the first and second stop surfaces angularly offset from one another, wherein the stop surfaces are cooperatively configured such that, 1) at the initial articulation position, the second stop surface abuts the first stop surface in a manner preventing articulation of the intervertebral implant beyond the range of articulation, and 2) at the final articulation position, the third stop surface abuts the first stop surface in a manner preventing articulation of the intervertebral implant beyond the range of articulation.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the intervertebral implant comprises:
first and second opposed main surfaces configured to contact the respective first and second endplates; and
an anterior side and a posterior side opposite one another, the anterior and posterior sides each extending between the engagement end and the insertion end and between the first and second opposed main surfaces,
wherein the second stop surface comprises a generally linear portion of the posterior side, and the third stop surface comprises a generally liner portion of the anterior side.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the second and third stop surfaces converge toward each other at the engagement end of the intervertebral implant.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the posterior side is generally convex, and the anterior side is generally concave.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein:
the instrument is elongate along a longitudinal direction extending between the proximal and distal ends, the instrument further defining a fourth stop surface spaced from the first stop surface along a second direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction;
the intervertebral implant defines a fifth stop surface and a sixth stop surface at the engagement end, the fifth and sixth stop surfaces angularly offset from one another, the second and fifth stop surfaces located on opposite sides of the slot with respect to the second direction, the third and sixth stop surfaces located on opposite sides of the slot with respect to the second direction, wherein the stop surfaces are cooperatively co

Assignees

• Depuy Synthes Products Inc

Inventors

• Lindenmann Philippe
• Saidha Sean
• Baudouin Cyril
• Fatone Peter

Classifications

• A61F2002/30593

  hollow · CPC title

• A61F2002/4627

  with linear motion along or rotating motion about the instrument axis or the implantation direction, e.g. telescopic, along a guiding rod, screwing inside the instrument · CPC title

• A61F2002/4622

  having the shape of a forceps or a clamp · CPC title

• A61F2002/30383

  made by laterally inserting a protrusion, e.g. a rib into a complementarily-shaped groove · CPC title

• A61F2310/00095

  Niobium or Nb-based alloys · CPC title