In-situ formed intervertebral fusion device and method

US9788963B2 · US · B2

Patent metadata
FieldValue
Publication numberUS-9788963-B2
Application numberUS-201514886302-A
CountryUS
Kind codeB2
Filing dateOct 19, 2015
Priority dateFeb 14, 2003
Publication dateOct 17, 2017
Grant dateOct 17, 2017

How to read this patent

A practical reading order for non-experts. Skip the full description unless you need deep technical detail.

  1. Title

    What the patent document calls the invention.

  2. Abstract

    A short plain-language summary of the technical disclosure.

  3. Assignees and inventors

    Who owns or filed the patent and who is credited as inventor.

  4. Key dates

    Filing, priority, publication, and grant dates set the timeline.

  5. First independent claim

    The legal scope of protection — read this for what is actually claimed.

  6. CPC / IPC classifications

    Technology tags used to group this patent with similar filings.

  7. Citations and related patents

    Prior art links and similar publications in this corpus.

Abstract

Official abstract text for this publication.

An orthopedic device for implanting between adjacent vertebrae comprising: an arcuate balloon and a hardenable material within said balloon. In some embodiments, the balloon has a footprint that substantially corresponds to a perimeter of a vertebral endplate. An inflatable device is inserted through a cannula into an intervertebral space and oriented so that, upon expansion, a natural angle between vertebrae will be at least partially restored. At least one component selected from the group consisting of a load-bearing component and an osteobiologic component is directed into the inflatable device through a fluid communication means.

First claim

Opening claim text (preview).

What is claimed is: 1. An intervertebral fusion device, comprising an anterior endportion, a posterior endportion, an upper surface adapted for gripping a vertebral endplate, and a lower surface adapted for gripping a vertebral endplate, the upper and lower surfaces defining an anterior height at the anterior endportion and a posterior height at the posterior endportion, a pair of sidewalls connecting the two endportions and defining a vertical throughhole extending from the upper surface to the lower surface, wherein the device has: i) a collapsed configuration in which the anterior height is less than the posterior height, and ii) an expanded configuration in which the anterior height is greater than the posterior height; wherein the posterior height is greater in the expanded configuration than in the collapsed configuration. 2. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a longitudinal element detachably connected to the posterior endportion, actuation of the longitudinal element being effective to move the fusion device from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration. 3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device has a first width in the collapsed configuration and a second width in the expanded configuration, and wherein the second width is greater than the first width. 4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the anterior height is greater in the expanded configuration than in the collapsed configuration. 5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the upper and lower surfaces define a natural angle between adjacent vertebrae when the device is in the expanded configuration. 6. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of outward projections formed on at least one of the upper and lower surfaces. 7. The device of claim 1 , further comprising an osteogenic component disposed in the vertical throughhole. 8. A spinal assembly comprising: i) an intervertebral fusion device comprising a medial endportion, a lateral endportion, an upper surface adapted for gripping a vertebral endplate, and a lower surface adapted for gripping a vertebral endplate, the device having a medial height at the medial endportion and a lateral height at the lateral endportion, the lateral height being defined by the upper and lower surfaces, a pair of sidewalls extending between the two endportions and defining a throughhole extending from the upper surface to the lower surface, wherein the device extends from the medial endportion to the lateral endportion in a lateral direction, and wherein the device has: a) a collapsed configuration in which the lateral height is less than the medial height, and b) an expanded configuration in which the lateral height is greater than the medial height; and ii) a longitudinal element extending in a first direction and detachably connected to the medial endportion of the intervertebral fusion device; wherein the extension of the fusion device in the lateral direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction. 9. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein actuation of the longitudinal element is effective to move the fusion device from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration. 10. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the lateral height is greater in the expanded configuration than in the collapsed configuration. 11. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the upper and lower surfaces define a natural angle between adjacent vertebrae when the device is in the expanded configuration. 12. The assembly of claim 8 , further comprising a plurality of outward projections formed on at least one of the upper and lower surfaces. 13. The assembly of claim 8 , further comprising an osteogenic component disposed in the throughhole. 14. A spinal assembly comprising: a) an intervertebral fusion device comprising a medial endportion, a lateral endportion, an upper surface adapted for gripping a vertebral endplate, and a lower surface adapted for gripping a vertebral endplate, the device having a medial height at the medial endportion and a lateral height at the lateral endportion, the lateral height being defined by the upper and lower surfaces, a pair of sidewalls extending between the two endportions and defining a throughhole extending from the upper surface to the lower surface, wherein the device extends from the medial endportion to the lateral endportion in a lateral direction, and wherein the device has a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration; and b) a longitudinal element extending in a first direction and detachably connected to the medial endportion of the intervertebral fusion device; wherein, during expansion from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration, the upper surface moves in a direction along a medial-lateral axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction. 15. The assembly of claim 14 , wherein, during said expansion, the upper surface moves relative to the longitudinal element in the direction along the medial-lateral axis. 16. The assembly of claim 14 , wherein, during said expansion, the upper surface moves relative to the medial endportion in the direction along the medial-lateral axis. 17. The assembly of claim 14 , wherein actuation of the longitudinal element is effective to move the fusion device from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration. 18. The assembly of claim 14 , wherein the lateral height is greater in the expanded configuration than in the collapsed configuration. 19. The assembly of claim 14 , wherein the upper and lower surfaces define a natural angle between adjacent vertebrae when the device is in the expanded configuration. 20. The assembly of claim 14 , further comprising a plurality of outward projections formed on at least one of the upper and lower surfaces. 21. The assembly of claim 14 , further comprising an osteogenic component disposed in the throughhole. 22. An intervertebral fusion device, comprising: a first frame having upper and lower rims; and a second frame having upper and lower rims; wherein the upper and lower rims of the first frame have teeth configured to engage vertebral endplates; wherein the upper rim of the first frame is coupled to the upper rim of the second frame; wherein the lower rim of the first frame is coupled to the lower rim of the second frame; wherein the device has: i) a collapsed configuration in which an anterior end of the upper rim of the first frame is positioned below at least a portion of the upper rim of the second frame and in which the anterior end of the upper rim of the first frame and an anterior end of the lower rim of the first frame are separated by a first height; and ii) an expanded configuration in which the anterior end of the upper rim of the first frame is positioned above at least a portion of the upper rim of the second frame and in which the anterior end of the upper rim of the first frame and the anterior end of the lower rim of the first frame are separated by a second height that is greater than the first height. 23. The device of claim 22 , wherein, when the device is in the expanded configuration: the upper rim of the first frame and the upper rim of the second frame define an upper surface; the lower rim of the first frame and the lower rim of the second frame define a lower surface; and the upper and lower surfaces define a natural angle between adjacent vertebrae. 24. The device of claim 22 , further comprising an o

Assignees

Inventors

Classifications

  • using a remote computer network, e.g. Internet · CPC title

  • hollow · CPC title

  • obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds · CPC title

  • using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol · CPC title

  • toroidal, e.g. ring-shaped, doughnut-shaped · CPC title

Patent family

Related publications grouped by family.

External sources

Frequently asked questions

Answers are generated from the same data shown on this page.

What does patent US9788963B2 cover?
An orthopedic device for implanting between adjacent vertebrae comprising: an arcuate balloon and a hardenable material within said balloon. In some embodiments, the balloon has a footprint that substantially corresponds to a perimeter of a vertebral endplate. An inflatable device is inserted through a cannula into an intervertebral space and oriented so that, upon expansion, a natural an…
Who is the assignee on this patent?
Depuy Synthes Products Inc
What technology area does this patent fall under?
Primary CPC classification A61F2/441. Mapped technology areas include Human Necessities.
When was this patent published?
Publication date Tue Oct 17 2017 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) (B2). Legal status and post-grant events are not shown on this page.
What related patents are in patentsdb?
We list 12 related publications on this page (citations in our corpus or others sharing the same primary CPC).