Expandable cage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10398563-B2
Application number	US-201715589209-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 8, 2017
Priority date	May 8, 2017
Publication date	Sep 3, 2019
Grant date	Sep 3, 2019

Abstract

An intervertebral implant that iterates between collapsed and expanded configurations includes first and second plates spaced from one another along a first direction and defining bone-contacting surfaces facing away from each other along the first direction. An expansion assembly is positioned between the plates with respect to the first direction and includes a first support wedge that supports the first plate and defines a first ramp and a second support wedge that supports the second plate and defines second and third ramps. The expansion assembly includes an expansion wedge defining a fourth ramp. The first, second, third, and fourth ramps are each inclined with respect to a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction. At least one of the first and second support wedges is slidable along the respective supported first or second plate. The implant includes an actuator configured to apply a drive force to the expansion wedge so as to cause 1) the fourth ramp to ride along the third ramp so as to increase a distance between the bone-contacting surfaces along the first direction, and 2) the second ramp to ride along the first ramp, thereby further increasing the distance, thereby iterating the implant from the collapsed to the expanded configuration.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. An intervertebral implant configured to iterate between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration, the implant comprising:
a first plate and a second plate spaced from one another along a first direction, the first plate defining a first bone-contacting surface, the second plate defining a second bone-contacting surface facing away from the first bone-contacting surface along the first direction;
an expansion assembly disposed between the first and second plates with respect to the first direction, the expansion assembly including:
a first support wedge supporting the first plate, the first support wedge defining a first ramp;
a second support wedge supporting the second plate, the second support wedge defining a second ramp and a third ramp; and
an expansion wedge defining a fourth ramp,
wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth ramps is inclined with respect to a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and at least one of the first and second support wedges is slidable along the respective supported first or second plate; and

an actuator configured to apply a drive force to the expansion wedge so as to cause 1) the fourth ramp to ride along the third ramp so as to increase a distance between the first and second bone-contacting surfaces along the first direction, and 2) the second ramp to ride along the first ramp, thereby further increasing the distance, thereby iterating the implant from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration,
wherein the first and second support wedges and the expansion wedge are translatable relative to each other.

2. The implant of claim 1 , wherein the distance increases at least by a factor of 2.0 between the collapsed and expanded configurations.

3. The implant of claim 1 , wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth ramps is inclined at an incline angle in the range of 10 degrees to 60 degrees.

4. The implant of claim 3 , wherein the expansion wedge defines an additional ramp configured to ride along the first ramp responsive to the drive force, and the additional ramp is inclined at an angle in the range of 20 degrees to 50 degrees.

5. The implant of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is rotatable about an axis oriented along the second direction, and the actuator drives the expansion wedge to translate along the second direction as the fourth ramp rides along the third ramp.

6. The implant of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is threadedly coupled to the expansion wedge, such that rotation of the actuator about the axis causes the expansion wedge to threadedly translate along the actuator.

7. The implant of claim 1 , wherein:
the expansion assembly is a first expansion assembly; and
the implant further comprises a second expansion assembly disposed between the first and second plates with respect to the first direction, the second expansion assembly spaced from the first expansion assembly along the second direction, the second expansion assembly including:
a third support wedge supporting the first plate, the third support wedge defining a fifth ramp;
a fourth support wedge supporting the second plate, the second support wedge defining a sixth ramp and a seventh ramp; and
a second expansion wedge defining an eighth ramp,
wherein each of the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth ramps is inclined with respect to the second direction, and at least one of the third and fourth support wedges is slidable along the respective supported first or second plate, and

the actuator is configured to apply a second drive force to the second expansion wedge so as to cause 1) the eighth ramp to ride along the seventh ramp as the fourth ramp rides along the third ramp so as to collectively increase the distance between the first and second plates along the first direction, and 2) the sixth ramp to ride along the fifth ramp as the second ramp rides along the first ramp so as to collectively further increasing the distance between the first and second plates along the first direction, thereby iterating the implant from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration.

8. The implant of claim 1 , wherein the expanded configuration is a first expanded configuration, expansion assembly is a first expansion assembly, the distance is a first distance, and the implant further comprises:
a first side and a second side spaced from the first side along a third direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first and second directions, wherein the first distance is measurable at the first side of the implant;
a second expansion assembly disposed between the first and second plates with respect to the first direction, the second expansion assembly spaced from the first expansion assembly along the third direction, the second expansion assembly including:
a third support wedge supporting the first plate, the third support wedge defining a fifth ramp;
a fourth support wedge supporting the second plate, the second support wedge defining a sixth ramp and a seventh ramp; and
a second expansion wedge defining an eighth ramp,
wherein each of the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth ramps is inclined with respect to the second direction, and at least one of the third and fourth support wedges is slidable along the respective plate supported by the one of the third and fourth support wedges; and

a second actuator configured to apply a second drive force to the second expansion wedge so as to cause 1) the eighth ramp to ride along the seventh ramp so as to increase a second distance between the first and second plates along the first direction, wherein the second distance is measurable at the second side, and 2) the sixth ramp to ride along the fifth ramp so as to further increasing the second distance between the first and second plates along the first direction, thereby iterating the implant from the collapsed configuration to the second expanded configuration, wherein, in the second expanded configuration, the second distance is different than the first distance such that one of the first and second plates is tilted with respect to the other of the first and second plate.

9. An intervertabral implant configured to iterate between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration, the implant comprising:
a first plate and a second plate spaced from one another along a first direction, the first plate defining a first bone-contacting surface, the second plate defining a second bone-contacting surface facing away from the first bone-contacting surface along the first direction;
an expansion assembly disposed between the first and second plates with respect to the first direction, the expansion assembly including:
a first support wedge supporting the first plate, the first support wedge defining a first ramp;
the second support wedge supporting the second plate, the second support wedge defining a second ramp and a third ramp; and
an expansion wedge defining a fourth ramp,
wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth ramps is inclined with respect to a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and at least one of the first and second support wedges is slidable along the respective supported first or second plate; and

an actuator configured to apply a drive force to the expansion wedge so as to cause 1) the fourth ramp to ride along the third ramp so as to increase a distance between the first and second bone-contacting surfaces along the first direction, and 2) the second ramp to ride along the first ramp, thereby further increasing the distance, thereby iterating the implant from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration,
wherein:
when the im

Assignees

• Medos Int Sarl

Inventors

• Engstrom Connor

Classifications

• A61F2002/4638

  Tools for performing screwing, e.g. nut or screwdrivers, or particular adaptations therefor · CPC title

• A61F2002/30556

  for adjusting thickness · CPC title

• A61F2002/30538

  for adjusting angular orientation · CPC title

• A61F2002/30507

  using a threaded locking member, e.g. a locking screw or a set screw · CPC title

• A61F2002/30411

  having two threaded end parts connected by a threaded central part with opposite threads at its opposite ends, i.e. for adjusting the distance between both end parts by rotating the central part · CPC title