Intervertebral implant

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9226831-B2
Application number	US-201213595137-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 27, 2012
Priority date	Aug 27, 2012
Publication date	Jan 5, 2016
Grant date	Jan 5, 2016

Abstract

An intervertebral spacer for therapeutic treatment of a patient includes at least one link sized and dimensioned to fit within an intervertebral space in the patient, and is configured to maintain a separation of two adjacent vertebrae for a period of time. A rigid guiding object, which may be a tool or a successive link, is insertable into the patient, to guide other links into the patient using an MIS approach. A pivot is connected between successive links, or between a guide tool and a link, configured to limit a relative range of angular orientation between the link and the guiding tool, or successive links. Multiple links are so joined to form a chain pushable by the last link, and pullable by the first link, to form a chain which may be formed into a curved configuration corresponding to the patient's intervertebral space.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An intervertebral spacer for therapeutic treatment of a patient, comprising:
at least one link having a body with a first opening extending from an upper surface to a lower surface sized and dimensioned to fit within an intervertebral space in the patient and configured to maintain a separation of two adjacent vertebrae for a period of time;
at least one rigid guiding object insertable into the patient, said at least one rigid guiding object and said at least one link sized to be insertable into the patient using an MIS approach;
at least one pivot connected between an end of one of said at least one link and an end of one of said at least one rigid guiding object, said at least one pivot configured to limit a relative range of angular orientation of said one of said at least one link and said one of said at least one rigid guiding object, said at least one pivot configured to transfer an insertion force from said at least one rigid guiding object to said at least one link, to advance said at least one link into the intervertebral space,
a pivoting joint connected between adjacent links, and
a resilient catch, the resilient catch being configured to couple to a hook element provided in an adjacent link having a body with a second opening therethrough, wherein the body with the first opening therethrough does not contact the body with the second opening therethrough when the resilient catch is coupled to the hook element,
wherein the upper surface of the body is configured to contact one of the two adjacent vertebrae and the lower surface of the body is configured to contact the other of the two adjacent vertebrae,
wherein the resilient catch bends to allow insertion of the hook element,
wherein the resilient catch and hook element are provided between the same adjacent links as the pivoting joint.

2. The spacer of claim 1 , further comprising:
a tube for receiving the spacer extendable from outside of the patient's body into the patient's body.

3. The spacer of claim 2 , further including
a flexible line through an aperture formed in a leading end of at least one of said at least one link, said leading end defined as the end first advanced into the intervertebral space, said line passable from outside of the patient's body, through said aperture, and back outside the patient's body, said line having sufficient strength to guide said leading end by exerting a force upon said leading end when said at least one link is advanced into the intervertebral space.

4. The spacer of claim 1 , wherein said at least one link includes at least three links, said at least three links insertable into the body in a first relative substantially aligned orientation relative to each other, and formable into a curved alignment in the intervertebral space, each link positionable at least in part over cortical bone in the intervertebral space.

5. The spacer of claim 1 , further including an elongated guiding member configured to pass into the body and push said at least one link into the intervertebral space.

6. The spacer of claim 1 , further including an elongated guiding member configured to extend from outside of the patient's body into the patient's body, and to push said at least one link within the intervertebral space.

7. The spacer of claim 1 , wherein the at least one link includes a curved surface opposite a flat surface.

8. The spacer of claim 1 , wherein the pivoting joint includes
a flexible connector extending between and connected to adjacent ones of said at least one link; and
a latch mechanism operative to maintain an angular displacement between said adjacent ones of said at least one link when said adjacent ones of said at least one link are pivoted to a predetermined angle relative to each other.

9. The spacer of claim 8 , comprising at least five links, wherein one of the links is larger than the other links.

10. The spacer of claim 1 , further including a stop projection adjacent at least one of said pivoting joint, said stop configured to limit an extent of angular displacement between adjacent ones of said at least one link.

11. The spacer of claim 1 , at least one of said at least one link including one or more apertures through which bone of the patient may grow.

12. The spacer of claim 1 , at least one of said at least one link including a therapeutic substance operative to promote at least one of healing, anti-microbial growth, and bone growth.

13. The spacer of claim 1 , wherein there are at least two of said at least one link, and said at least two links have a substantially different shape.

14. The spacer of claim 1 , further including a tapered edge formed along at least one end of at least one of said at least one link.

15. The spacer of claim 1 , further including an aperture formed in at least one end of at least one of said at least one link, said aperture sized to admit passage of a flexible line passable through said aperture when said link is within the intervertebral space to extend outside of the patient, whereby a force exerted upon said line is operative thereby to change a position of said spacer within the intervertebral space.

16. The spacer of claim 1 , wherein said at least one guiding object is a successive one of said at least one link.

17. The spacer of claim 1 , wherein the pivoting joint includes a connecting member and at least one pin, wherein the at least one pin pivotally connects the connecting member to the at least one link.

18. The spacer of claim 1 , wherein the pivoting joint includes a connecting member, a first pin, and a second pin, wherein the first pin pivotally connects a first end of the connecting member to one of the at least one link and the second pin pivotally connects a second end of the connecting member to the adjacent link.

19. An intervertebral spacer for therapeutic treatment of a patient, comprising:
a plurality of flexibly connected links sized and dimensioned to fit within an intervertebral space in the patient and configured to maintain a separation of two adjacent vertebrae for a period of time, said links insertable into the patient through a tube using a reduced size MIS incision, each of said links comprising a body with an enclosed perimeter; and
a plurality of pivots each forming said flexible connection between adjacent ones of said plurality of links, said plurality of pivots configured to limit a relative range of motion of adjacent links relative to each other, said plurality of pivots cooperative to form said plurality of links into a radiused configuration corresponding to cortical bone within an intervertebral space of the patient, and
a resilient catch, the resilient catch being configured to couple to a hook element provided in an adjacent link,
wherein the resilient catch bends to allow insertion of the hook element,
wherein the resilient catch and hook element are provided between the same adjacent links as at least one of the plurality of pivots.

20. The spacer of claim 19 , said plurality of pivots configured to form a chain of said plurality of links having a leading link and a trailing link, the trailing link pushable to advance said chain into the vertebral space, said leading link pullable to guide said chain into a curved configuration corresponding to the patient's intervertebral space.

Assignees

• Gahman Kevin
• Niemiec Marcin
• Paul David C
• Iott Andrew
• Globus Medical Inc

Inventors

• Gahman Kevin
• Niemiec Marcin
• Paul David C
• Iott Andrew

Classifications

• A61F2002/30624

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

• A61F2002/305

  Snap connection · CPC title

• A61F2002/30433

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

• A61F2002/30593

  hollow · CPC title

• A61F2002/30462

  retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable · CPC title