Implantable vertebral frame systems and related methods for spinal repair

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10548645-B2
Application number	US-201414265166-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 29, 2014
Priority date	Nov 11, 2009
Publication date	Feb 4, 2020
Grant date	Feb 4, 2020

Abstract

A system for performing surgical repair of the spine includes a distractor and a permanently implanted bone plate system. A surgical repair methodology is also disclosed that employs an implanted bone plate system with a substantially void internal volume which is attached to adjacent vertebrae subsequent to the distraction and adjustment of curvature of the vertebrae and prior to the excision of disc and/or end plate tissue through the bone plate. The device further facilitates the subsequent delivery of an interbody repair device for the purpose of either fusion or dynamic stabilization, such as by disc arthroplasty. The plate may be permanently implanted, such as when a fusion between the attached vertebral bodies is desired, but it need not be permanently implanted.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for establishing and securing adjacent vertebrae in a defined spatial relationship, the system comprising:
at least one distraction device configured for temporary placement between adjacent vertebrae for achieving a desired spatial relationship between the vertebrae, the distraction device comprising a wedge portion and a head portion, the wedge portion having at least two non-parallel faces and configured to enter an intervertebral space between the adjacent vertebrae, the head portion having a height in a craniocaudal direction larger than a height of the wedge portion in the same direction to prevent the head portion from entering the intervertebral space, the head portion have an upper planar surface and an opposite lower planar surface;
at least one implantable vertebral frame configured to span between the adjacent vertebrae, the frame being configured to attach to each of the adjacent vertebrae while the distraction device is in place to postoperatively maintain the desired spatial relationship between the vertebrae after the distraction device is removed, the frame having an anterior face, a posterior face, and at least one internal operating aperture extending from the anterior face to the posterior face for providing access to the intervertebral space, the aperture being configured to fit over the head portion of the distraction device, the aperture having a height in the craniocaudal direction nominally larger than the height of the head portion, the aperture having an upper planar surface and an opposite lower planar surface configured to receive the corresponding upper and lower planar surfaces of the head portion of the distraction device, the posterior face having a first pair of opposing undercuts at the upper and lower planar surfaces of the aperture, respectively, and a second pair of opposing undercuts on mediolaterally opposite sides of the aperture, respectively;
at least one interbody repair implant sized in relationship to the aperture of the frame to fit there-through and into the intervertebral space; and
at least one retention member attachable to the frame to cover a majority of the area of the aperture, the at least one retention member having first and second tongues receivable in the second pair of opposing undercuts, respectively, thereby locking the at least one retention member to the frame, and the at least one retention member including a rotatable locking arm, wherein distal ends of the rotatable locking arm are receivable in the first pair of opposing undercuts, respectively, thereby permanently locking the at least one retention member to the frame.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said frame is configured to span between and remain postoperatively attached to at least three adjacent vertebrae.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein said frame comprises external walls having integrally manufactured retractor blade engaging features.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein said frame has a plurality of through holes to facilitate attachment of said frame to the adjacent vertebrae by means of bone screws.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein said frame has a plurality of protrusions thereon to facilitate attachment of said frame to the adjacent vertebrae by means of impingement into the bone tissue of the adjacent vertebrae.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said retention member is configured to retain the interbody implant in its surgically established position.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the frame is configured to receive bone screws there-through to attach the frame to the vertebrae, the retention member adapted to at least partially cover the bone screws when the member is attached to the frame to prevent back-out of the screws.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the frame has first and second coplanar reference surfaces located on opposite sides of the operating aperture along a longitudinal centerline of the frame.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the frame includes first and second slotted through holes located on opposite sides of the operating aperture along the longitudinal centerline of the frame.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least two non-parallel faces of the wedge portion of the distraction device include upper and lower non-parallel surfaces and first and second non-parallel side surfaces.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the head portion of the distraction device includes a central hole and two lateral holes configured to engage an implant insertion instrument.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the head portion of the distraction device does not extend beyond the anterior face of the frame.

13. A method for applying the system in claim 1 , wherein the adjacent vertebrae are distracted and spacially oriented with the distraction device, the vertebral frame is secured to the adjacent vertebrae, the damaged tissue is excised through the operating aperture in the vertebral frame, the vertebral interspace is prepared to receive the repair implant, said implant being placed through the operating aperture into said prepared interspace, and the retention member is then installed onto the vertebral frame.

14. A method for applying the system in claim 1 , wherein the vertebral frame is attached to one or more vertebrae, the vertebrae are then distracted and spacially oriented by operating through the operating aperture in the vertebral frame, the vertebral frame is secured to each adjacent vertebrae, the damaged tissue is excised through the operating aperture in the vertebral frame, the vertebral interspace is prepared through the operating aperture to receive the repair implant, said interbody implant is inserted through the operating aperture into the prepared interspace and the retention member is installed onto the vertebral frame.

Assignees

• Globus Medical Inc

Inventors

• Lowry David
• O'Farrell Desmond
• Tuinstra Scott
• Veldman Roger

Classifications

• A61B17/7059 Primary

  Cortical plates (A61B17/7007, A61B17/7058 take precedence) · CPC title

• A61B17/1671

  for the spine · CPC title

• A61B90/94

  coded with symbols, e.g. text · CPC title

• A61B17/885

  Tools for expanding or compacting bones or discs or cavities therein (A61B17/8805, A61B17/7097 take precedence) · CPC title

• A61B17/1757

  for the spine · CPC title