Expandable interbody spacer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10485674-B2
Application number	US-201615264677-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2016
Priority date	May 30, 2012
Publication date	Nov 26, 2019
Grant date	Nov 26, 2019

Abstract

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An expandable spacer comprising:
an upper endplate and a lower endplate, wherein the upper and lower endplates comprise a first endplate portion and a second endplate portion that can be separated from one another in a lateral direction,
wherein the expandable spacer has a first unexpanded configuration and a second expanded configuration that is larger than the first unexpanded configuration, and
wherein the first endplate portion and the second endplate portion are hinged in the first unexpanded configuration and the second expanded configuration,
wherein the expandable spacer comprises an actuation member and a translation member having laterally outwardly facing ramps for separating the first endplate portion from the second endplate portion,
wherein the translation member separates the first endplate portion from the second endplate portion laterally,
wherein the expandable spacer includes two side slots extending along a majority of a length of the first and second endplate portions,
wherein the two side slots are configured to receive an instrument for positioning the expandable spacer, and
wherein an inner surface of the first endplate portion and an inner surface of the second endplate portion are each curved from the upper endplate to the lower endplate in a manner to receive the actuation member,
wherein in the first unexpanded configuration, the inner surface of the first endplate portion and the inner surface of the second endplate portion form a circular opening to receive the actuation member,
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 are angled away from the actuation member.

2. The spacer of claim 1 , wherein the expandable spacer further comprises surface texturing on at least one of the upper endplate and the lower endplate.

3. The spacer of claim 2 , wherein the surface texturing comprises at least one of teeth, ridges or ribbing.

4. The spacer of claim 1 , wherein the first endplate portion and the second endplate portion are separated from one another along a midline that extends through the spacer.

5. The spacer of claim 1 , wherein the translation member comprises a first pair of ramps separated from a second pair of ramps by a bridge member.

6. The spacer of claim 1 , wherein the actuation member is operably attached to the translation member for actuating the translation member.

7. The spacer of claim 6 , wherein the actuation member comprises a hex screw opening.

8. An expandable spacer comprising:
an upper endplate and a lower endplate, a translation member and 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 first and second endplate portions of the spacer,
wherein the expandable spacer has a first unexpanded configuration and a second expanded configuration that is larger than the first unexpanded configuration, and
wherein the upper endplate and the lower endplate are hinged in the first unexpanded configuration and the second expanded configuration,
wherein the translation member includes laterally outwardly facing ramps for separating the first endplate portion from the second endplate portion,
wherein the translation member separates the first endplate portion from the second endplate portion laterally,
wherein the expandable spacer includes two side slots extending along a majority of a length of the first and second endplate portions,
wherein the two side slots are configured to receive an instrument for positioning the expandable spacer, and
wherein an inner surface of the first endplate portion and an inner surface of the second endplate portion are each curved from the upper endplate to the lower endplate in a manner to receive the actuation member,
wherein in the first unexpanded configuration, the inner surface of the first endplate portion and the inner surface of the second endplate portion form a circular opening to receive the actuation member,
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 are angled away from the actuation member.

9. The spacer of claim 8 , wherein the translation member further comprises a bridge member connecting the pair of ramps to a second pair of ramps.

10. The spacer of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the upper endplate and the lower endplate includes surface protrusions.

11. The spacer of claim 10 , wherein the surface protrusions comprise at least one of teeth, ridges, or ribbing.

12. The spacer of claim 8 , wherein the first endplate portion and second endplate portion are separable from one another in a v-shape configuration in the second expanded configuration.

13. The spacer of claim 8 , 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.

14. An expandable spacer comprising:
an upper endplate and a lower endplate, wherein the upper and lower endplates comprises a first endplate portion and a second endplate portion that can be separated from one another via a hinge member,
wherein the expandable spacer has a first unexpanded configuration and a second expanded configuration that is larger than the first unexpanded configuration, and
wherein the upper endplate and the lower endplate are hinged in the first unexpanded configuration and the second expanded configuration,
wherein the expandable spacer comprises a translation member having laterally outwardly facing ramps for separating the first endplate portion from the second endplate portion, and an actuation member rotatably coupled to the translation member,
wherein the translation member separates the first endplate portion from the second endplate portion laterally,
wherein the expandable spacer includes two side slots extending along a majority of a length of the first and second endplate portions,
wherein the two side slots are configured to receive an instrument for positioning the expandable spacer, and
wherein an inner surface of the first endplate portion and an inner surface of the second endplate portion are each curved from the upper endplate to the lower endplate in a manner to receive the actuation member,
wherein in the first unexpanded configuration, the inner surface of the first endplate portion and the inner surface of the second endplate portion form a circular opening to receive the actuation member,
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 sec

Assignees

• Globus Medical Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• A61F2002/30593

  hollow · CPC title

• A61F2002/30507

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

• A61F2002/30624

  Hinged joint, e.g. with transverse axle restricting the movement · CPC title

• A61F2002/3054

  about a connection axis or implantation axis for selecting any one of a plurality of radial orientations between two modular parts, e.g. Morse taper connections, at discrete positions, angular positions or continuous positions · CPC title

• A61F2002/30433

  using additional screws, bolts, dowels, rivets or washers e.g. connecting screws · CPC title