Expandable fusion device and method of installation thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12427037-B2
Application number	US-202217931913-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2022
Priority date	Sep 3, 2010
Publication date	Sep 30, 2025
Grant date	Sep 30, 2025

Abstract

The present invention provides an expandable fusion device capable of being installed inside an intervertebral disc space to maintain normal disc spacing and restore spinal stability, thereby facilitating an intervertebral fusion. In an exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides an intervertebral implant. The intervertebral implant may be configured to transition from a collapsed configuration having a first height and a first width to an expanded configuration having a second height and a second width.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vertically and laterally expandable intervertebral implant comprising:
an upper endplate having a first upper endplate and a second upper endplate each having front and rear angled upper endplate guides;
a lower endplate having a first lower endplate and a second lower endplate each having front and rear angled lower endplate guides;
an actuator assembly disposed between the upper endplate and the lower endplate and defining a longitudinal axis, the actuator assembly including:
a front actuator having a plurality of angled front actuator guides in mesh with corresponding upper and lower endplate guides of the upper and lower endplates; and
a rear actuator having a plurality of angled rear actuator guides in mesh with corresponding upper and lower endplate guides of the upper and lower endplates;

wherein each of the upper and lower endplate guides includes an elongate slot that receives a corresponding endplate guide of the actuator assembly, and
wherein movement of the front actuator relative to the rear actuator causes the upper and lower endplates to laterally and vertically expand simultaneously.

2. The intervertebral implant of claim 1 , further comprising:
a linear actuator rotatably coupled to the front and rear actuators and adapted to translate the front actuator relative to the rear actuator by rotation.

3. The intervertebral implant of claim 1 , further comprising:
a linear actuator coupled to the rear actuator and having an externally threaded extension; and
wherein the front actuator includes an inner threaded extension threadably receiving the externally threaded extension of the linear actuator such that rotation of the linear actuator causes the front actuator to move relative to the rear actuator.

4. The intervertebral implant of claim 1 , wherein each of the front and rear actuator guides of the actuator assembly includes a rib angled radially inwardly and towards the longitudinal axis.

5. The intervertebral implant of claim 4 , wherein each of the upper and lower endplate guides includes an elongate slot that receives a corresponding rib of the actuator assembly.

6. The intervertebral implant of claim 1 , wherein the front actuator includes a ramped surface in engagement with front ramped surfaces of the first and second upper endplates.

7. The intervertebral implant of claim 1 , further comprising:
first and second pins received in corresponding slots of the first and second upper endplates; and
third and fourth pins received in corresponding slots of the first and second lower endplates.

8. The intervertebral implant of claim 2 , wherein:
the front actuator includes a pair of extensions each having an inner threading coupled to the linear actuator.

9. The intervertebral implant of claim 8 , wherein the linear actuator includes an externally threaded extension coupled to the inner threading of the pair of extensions.

10. The intervertebral implant of claim 9 , wherein the linear actuator is rotationally coupled, but translationally fixed to the rear actuator.

11. A vertically and laterally expandable intervertebral implant comprising:
an upper endplate having a first upper endplate and a second upper endplate each having front and rear angled upper endplate guides;
a lower endplate having a first lower endplate and a second lower endplate each having front and rear angled lower endplate guides;
an actuator assembly disposed between the upper endplate and the lower endplate and defining a longitudinal axis, the actuator assembly including:
a front actuator having a plurality of angled front actuator guides in mesh with corresponding upper and lower endplate guides of the upper and lower endplates; and
a rear actuator having a plurality of angled rear actuator guides in mesh with corresponding upper and lower endplate guides of the upper and lower endplates, each of the front and read actuator guides being angled radially inwardly and towards the longitudinal axis;

a linear actuator rotatably coupled to the front and rear actuators and adapted to translate the front actuator relative to the rear actuator by rotation to cause the upper and lower endplates to laterally and vertically expand simultaneously,
wherein:
the linear actuator includes an externally threaded extension; and
the front actuator includes an inner threaded extension threadably receiving the externally threaded extension of the linear actuator such that rotation of the linear actuator causes the front actuator to move relative to the rear actuator.

12. The intervertebral implant of claim 11 , wherein each of the front and rear actuator guides of the actuator assembly includes a rib angled radially inwardly and towards the longitudinal axis.

13. The intervertebral implant of claim 11 , wherein each of the upper and lower endplate guides includes an elongate slot that receives a corresponding endplate guide of the actuator assembly.

14. The intervertebral implant of claim 12 , wherein each of the upper and lower endplate guides includes an elongate slot that receives a corresponding rib of the actuator assembly.

15. The intervertebral implant of claim 11 , wherein the front actuator includes a ramped surface in engagement with front ramped surfaces of the first and second upper endplates.

16. The intervertebral implant of claim 11 , further comprising:
first and second pins received in corresponding slots of the first and second upper endplates; and
third and fourth pins received in corresponding slots of the first and second lower endplates.

17. The intervertebral implant of claim 11 , wherein:
the front actuator includes a pair of extensions each having an inner threading coupled to the linear actuator.

18. The intervertebral implant of claim 17 , wherein:
the linear actuator includes an externally threaded extension coupled to the inner threading of the pair of extensions; and
the linear actuator is rotationally coupled, but translationally fixed to the rear actuator.

Assignees

• Globus Medical Inc

Inventors

• Glerum Chad
• Iott Andrew
• Adams Mark

Classifications

• A61F2/446

  having a circular or elliptical cross-section substantially parallel to the axis of the spine, e.g. cylinders or frustocones · CPC title

• A61F2/28

  Bones · CPC title

• A61F2002/30593

  hollow · CPC title

• A61F2002/30558

  Force-limiting means · CPC title

• A61F2002/30433

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