Zero-profile interbody spacer and coupled plate assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9414935-B2
Application number	US-201514689614-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 17, 2015
Priority date	Nov 7, 2008
Publication date	Aug 16, 2016
Grant date	Aug 16, 2016

Abstract

An implant for insertion into a disc space between vertebrae, wherein the implant includes a spacer portion, a plate portion coupled to the spacer portion, two bone fixation elements for engaging the vertebrae and a retention mechanism for preventing the bone fixation elements from postoperatively backing-out of the plate portion. The retention mechanism may be in the form of a spring biased snapper element that is biased into communication with the bone fixation elements so that once the bone fixation element advances past the snapper element, the snapper element is biased back to its initial position in which the snapper element interfaces with the bone fixation elements. Alternatively, the retention mechanism may be in the form of a propeller rotatable between a first position in which the bone fixation elements are insertable to a second position where the bone fixation elements are prevented from backing-out.

First claim

We claim:

1. An intervertebral implant comprising:
a spacer portion defining a spacer trailing surface, a spacer leading surface opposite the spacer trailing surface, a first side surface, a second side surface opposite the first side surface, and an inner surface, the inner surface including a first portion that is opposite the first side surface, a second portion that is opposite the spacer leading surface, and a third portion that is opposite the second side surface;
a plate portion defining a plate trailing surface and a plate leading surface opposite the plate trailing surface in a first direction, the plate portion configured to be coupled to the spacer portion such that the plate leading surface and the inner surface define an opening configured to
receive bone graft material; wherein the plate portion includes a top surface configured to face a first vertebral body when the intervertebral implant is implanted and a bottom surface configured to face a second vertebral body when the intervertebral implant is implanted, the bottom surface opposite the top surface along a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction; wherein the plate portion defines a recess configured to receive an implant insertion tool, the recess partially defined by the plate trailing surface such that the recess extends into the plate trailing surface toward the plate leading surface and terminates at a first surface that faces in a direction opposite the first direction, and the recess partially defined by the top surface such that the recess extends into the top surface and terminates at a second surface that faces in a direction opposite the second direction.

2. The intervertebral implant of claim 1 , wherein the plate portion includes a first projection and a second projection that each extend from the plate leading surface in the first direction, each of the first projection and the second projection configured such that when the plate portion is coupled to the spacer portion, a portion of the spacer portion is positioned between the first projection and the second projection.

3. The intervertebral implant of claim 2 , wherein the spacer portion includes a first recess and a second recess that are each configured to receive one of the first projection and the second projection to couple the spacer portion to the plate portion.

4. The intervertebral implant of claim 1 , wherein the spacer portion includes a first material, the plate portion includes a second material, and the first material is different than the second material.

5. The intervertebral implant of claim 4 , wherein the first material is a non-metallic material and the second material is a metallic material.

6. The intervertebral implant of claim 1 , wherein the spacer portion defines a spacer top surface configured to face a first vertebral body when the intervertebral implant is implanted and a spacer bottom surface configured to face a second vertebral body when the intervertebral implant is implanted, the spacer bottom surface opposite the spacer top surface in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction when the plate portion is coupled to the spacer portion, and the opening extends through both the spacer top surface and the spacer bottom surface.

7. The intervertebral implant of claim 1 , wherein the recess is a first recess, and the plate portion defines a second recess configured to receive the implant insertion tool, the second recess partially defined by the plate trailing surface such that the second recess extends into the plate trailing surface toward the plate leading surface and terminates at a third surface that faces in the direction opposite the first direction, and the second recess partially defined by the bottom surface such that the second recess extends into the bottom surface and terminates at a fourth surface that faces in the second direction.

8. An intervertebral implant comprising:
a spacer portion defining a spacer trailing surface and a spacer leading surface opposite the spacer trailing surface; and
a plate portion defining a plate trailing surface and a plate leading surface opposite the plate trailing surface in a first direction, the plate portion further defining a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface in a second direction, and a plate body that extends from the plate trailing surface to the plate leading surface and that further extends from the top surface to the bottom surface, the plate portion configured to be coupled to the spacer portion such that the plate leading surface faces the spacer trailing surface, the plate portion defining a recess configured to receive an implant insertion tool, the recess partially defined by the plate trailing surface such that the recess extends into the plate body toward the plate leading surface and terminates at a first surface that faces in a direction opposite the first direction, and the recess partially defined by the top surface such that the recess extends into the plate body and terminates at a second surface that faces in a direction opposite the second direction.

9. The intervertebral implant of claim 8 , wherein a first distance from the second surface to the top surface measured along a straight line that is parallel to the second direction is less than a second distance from the second surface to the bottom surface measured along the straight line.

10. The intervertebral implant of claim 9 , wherein a third distance from the first surface to the plate trailing surface measured along a straight line that is parallel to the first direction is less than a fourth distance from the first surface to the plate leading surface measured along the straight line that is parallel to the first direction.

11. The intervertebral implant of claim 8 , wherein the recess is a first recess, and the plate portion defines a second recess configured to receive the implant insertion tool, the second recess partially defined by the plate trailing surface such that the second recess extends into the plate body toward the plate leading surface and terminates at a third surface that faces in the direction opposite the first direction, and the second recess partially defined by the bottom surface such that the second recess extends into the plate body and terminates at a fourth surface that faces in the second direction.

12. The intervertebral implant of claim 11 , wherein a first distance from the second surface to the top surface measured along a first straight line that is parallel to the second direction is less than a second distance from the second surface to the bottom surface measured along the first straight line, and a third distance from the fourth surface to the bottom surface measured along a second straight line that is parallel to the second direction is less than a fourth distance from the fourth surface to the top surface measured along the second straight line.

13. The intervertebral implant of claim 12 , wherein the first distance is equal to the third distance, and the second distance is equal to the fourth distance.

14. The intervertebral implant of claim 12 , wherein a fifth distance from the first surface to the plate trailing surface measured along a first straight line that is parallel to the first direction is less than a sixth distance from the first surface to the plate leading surface measured along the first straight line that is parallel to the first direction, and a seventh distance measured along a second straight line that is parallel to the first direction is less than an eighth distance from the first surface to the plate leading surface measured along the secon

Assignees

• Depuy Synthes Products Inc

Inventors

• Mcdonough William P
• Strausbaugh William L
• Bonner Christopher
• Pepe Thomas
• Meili Ralph
• Hunziker Markus
• Jeger Michael
• Kueenzi Thomas
• Koch David
• Ponzer Rainer
• Richter Joern
• Berger Roger

Classifications

• A61F2002/3079

  Stepped or enlarged apertures, e.g. having discrete diameter changes · CPC title

• A61F2002/30593

  hollow · CPC title

• A61B17/88

  Osteosynthesis instruments;} Methods or means for implanting or extracting internal {or external} fixation devices {(A61B17/7074 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61F2002/30841

  Sharp anchoring protrusions for impaction into the bone, e.g. sharp pins, spikes · CPC title

• A61F2310/00017

  Iron- or Fe-based alloys, e.g. stainless steel · CPC title