Articulating expandable intervertebral implant

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12527671-B2
Application number	US-202318303952-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 20, 2023
Priority date	Mar 1, 2013
Publication date	Jan 20, 2026
Grant date	Jan 20, 2026

Abstract

A spacer for separating bones of a joint includes a frame and a carriage. The carriage has ramped surfaces, and is slideably moveable in relation to the frame. A screw support is moveably connected to the frame to form a changeable angular orientation with respect to the frame. An actuating screw is supported by the screw support, and is connected to the carriage to cause the carriage to slideably move in relation to the frame when the actuating screw is rotated. Opposing endplates are configured to engage opposing bone of the joint, and each has ramped surfaces mateable with the ramped surfaces of the carriage. When the carriage is moved by rotation of the actuating screw, the ramped surfaces of the carriage and the endplates slide against each other, causing the endplates to move relatively apart, to increase the height of the spacer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for stabilizing adjacent vertebrae comprising:
accessing an intervertebral space between adjacent vertebrae; providing an expandable intervertebral spacer, the spacer including:
a frame;
a connector having an upper surface and a lower surface;
a first endplate having an upper surface and a lower surface having at least one angled surface engageable with the frame;
a second endplate having a lower surface and an upper surface having at least one angled surface engageable with the frame;
an actuating screw contacting the connector and the frame, rotation of the actuating screw results in the first endplate and the second endplate moving away from each other from a first position to a second position; and
a nut having a threaded bore configured to receive the actuating screw, wherein a nut is disposed within the carriage between the first endplate and the second endplate,
wherein the first endplate and the second endplate each include a recess, at least a portion of the connector is received in the recess of the first endplate and at least another portion of the connector is received in the recess of the second end plate, wherein the spacer has a curved longitudinal axis when viewed from a position normal to the upper surface of the first end plate, and the carriage is curved along the curved longitudinal axis of the spacer, positioning the intervertebral spacer between the adjacent vertebrae; and expanding the intervertebral spacer after the positioning.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein in the second position the upper surface of the connector is not generally aligned with the upper surface of the first endplate and the lower surface of the connector is not aligned with the lower surface of the second endplate.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein in the second position the upper surface of the first endplate is located above the upper surface of the connector and the lower surface of the second endplate is located below is the lower surface of the connector.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the connector includes a flanged portion, at least a portion of the flanged portion is received in the recess of the first endplate and at least a portion of the flanged portion is received in the recess of the second endplate.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the flanged portion of the connector and the recess of the first endplate form a dovetail connection and wherein the flanged portion of the connector and the recess of the second endplate form a dovetail connection.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the recess of the first endplate and the recess of the second endplate both extend generally vertically.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the flanged portion of the connector that is received in the recesses of the first and second endplates slides within the recesses of the first and second endplates when the first and second endplates move from the first position to the second position.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first endplate, the second endplate and the frame each include at least one vertically extending through hole.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the through holes of the first endplate, the second endplate, and the frame are at least partially aligned vertically in the first position and in the second position.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first endplate and the second endplate each have a distal portion and a proximal portion, the distal portions of the first and second endplates are at least partially arcuate.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first endplate includes a plurality of protrusions on the upper surface and the second endplate includes a plurality of protrusions on the lower endplate.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the intervertebral spacer further includes a screw support wherein the screw support includes an installation tool engaging portion.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein rotation of the actuation screw in a first direction results in the first endplate and the second endplate moving away from each other and rotation of the actuation screw in a second direction results in the first endplate and the second endplate moving toward each other.

14 . A method for stabilizing adjacent vertebrae comprising:
accessing an intervertebral space between adjacent vertebrae; providing an expandable intervertebral spacer, the spacer including:
a frame having a first angled surface sloping in a first direction and a second angled surface sloping in a second direction;
a connector having an upper surface and a lower surface and a flanged portion;
a first endplate having an upper surface and a lower surface having at least one angled surface engageable with the first angled surface of the frame;
a second endplate having a lower surface and an upper surface having at least one angled surface engageable with the second angled surface of the frame;
an actuating screw contacting the connector and the frame, rotation of the actuating screw in a first direction results in the first endplate and the second endplate moving away from each other from a first position to a second position; and
a nut having a threaded bore configured to receive the actuating screw, wherein a nut is disposed within the carriage between the first endplate and the second endplate,
wherein the first endplate and the second endplate each include a recess, at least a portion of the flanged portion of the connector is received in the recess of the first endplate and at least another portion of the flanged portion of the connector is received in the recess of the second endplate, wherein the flanged portion of the connector and the recess of the first endplate form a dovetail connection, wherein the flanged portion of the connector and the recess of the second endplate form a dovetail connection, wherein the spacer has a curved longitudinal axis when viewed from a position normal to the upper surface of the first endplate, and the carriage is curved along the curved longitudinal axis of the spacer; positioning the intervertebral spacer between the adjacent vertebrae; and expanding the intervertebral spacer after the positioning.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein in the first position the upper surface of the connector is generally aligned with the upper surface of the first endplate and the lower surface of the connector is generally aligned with the lower surface of the second endplate.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein in the second position the upper surface of the first endplate is located above the upper surface of the connector and the lower surface of the second endplate is located below is the lower surface of the connector.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the recess of the first endplate and the recess of the second endplate both extend generally vertically.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the flanged portion of the connector that is received in the recesses of the first and second endplates slides within the recesses of the first and second endplates when the first and second endplates move from the first position to the second position.

19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the first endplate, the second endplate and the frame each include at least one vertically extending through hole.

Assignees

• Globus Medical Inc

Inventors

• Weiman Mark
• Matthews John

Classifications

• A61F2/442

  Intervertebral or spinal discs, e.g. resilient (non-disc-shaped intervertebral inflatable pockets A61F2/441; non-disc-shaped intervertebral fusion implants A61F2/4455) · CPC title

• A61F2/4425

  made of articulated components · CPC title

• A61F2002/4629

  connected to the endoprosthesis or implant via a threaded connection · CPC title

• A61F2002/30904

  serrated profile, i.e. saw-toothed · CPC title

• A61F2002/30772

  Apertures or holes, e.g. of circular cross section · CPC title