Expandable intervertebral spacer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-RE47427-E
Application number	US-201615159524-A
Country	US
Kind code	E1
Filing date	May 19, 2016
Priority date	Jan 27, 1999
Publication date	Jun 11, 2019
Grant date	Jun 11, 2019

Abstract

An expandable spacer, comprising: an axial tube having a surface, a proximal end and a distal end and a length, wherein, said surface defines a plurality of slits, said plurality of slits defining at least two axially displaced extensions, such that when said tube is axially compressed, said extensions extend out of said surface and define a geometry of an expanded spacer. Preferably the spacer is adapted to be inserted between two spinal vertebrae of a human.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Instrumentation for treatment of the spine, comprising:
an elongate member extending along a longitudinal axis and including a deformable distal end portion having an expandable length along said longitudinal axis and defining an initial configuration for placement adjacent a spinal structure and a deformed configuration defining a plurality of transverse projections, wherein each of said transverse projections is offset from an adjacent one of said transverse projections along said longitudinal axis, said transverse projections being positioned axially adjacent one another to define an expanded height of said deformable distal end portion along said expandable length for transverse engagement with at least a portion of the spinal structure,
wherein said deformable distal end portion is at least partially formed of a flexible material and said deformable distal end portion is reformed from said initial configuration toward said deformed configuration in response to the imposition of stress, and is reformed toward said initial configuration upon removal of said stress, and
wherein between three and eight of said transverse projections define an expanded height of said deformable distal end portion extending entirely over said expandable length.

2. The instrumentation of claim 1 , wherein said deformed configuration defines a pair of said transverse projections disposed generally opposite one another.

3. The instrumentation of claim 1 , wherein said deformed configuration results from a mechanically induced force.

4. The instrumentation of claim 3 , wherein said deformable distal end portion comprises a first member and a second member engaged with said first member; and
wherein said second member is reformed from said initial configuration toward said deformed configuration by relative displacement between said first and second members.

5. The instrumentation of claim 4 , wherein said relative displacement between said first member and said second member is relative linear displacement.

6. The instrumentation of claim 4 , further comprising an actuator mechanism operably coupled to said first and second members to impart said relative displacement therebetween.

7. The instrumentation of claim 1 , wherein said deformable distal end portion is at least partially formed of a relatively elastic material.

8. The instrumentation of claim 7 , wherein said relatively elastic material is a shape-memory material.

9. The instrumentation of claim 1 , wherein said transverse engagement comprises interbody distraction of a vertebral body.

10. Instrumentation for treatment of the spine, comprising: a first member;
a second member having a distal end portion engaged with said first member, said distal end portion having an expandable length along a longitudinal axis and defining an initial
configuration for placement adjacent a spinal structure and an expanded configuration including a plurality of transverse projections, wherein each of said transverse projections is offset from an adjacent one of said transverse projections along said longitudinal axis, said transverse projections being positioned axially adjacent one another to define an expanded height of said distal end portion along said expandable length for transverse engagement with at least a portion of the spinal structure;
wherein relative displacement between said first and second members causes said distal end portion to reform from said initial configuration toward said expanded configuration and said instrumentation further comprises an actuator mechanism coupled between said first and second members and being operable to impart said relative displacement therebetween, and
wherein said deformable distal end portion defines a non-expanded height when in said initial configuration and wherein said expanded height is at least two times larger than said non-expanded height.

11. The instrumentation of claim 10 , wherein said actuator mechanism is operable to reform said distal end portion of said second member from said expanded configuration back toward said initial configuration.

12. The instrumentation of claim 10 , wherein said distal end portion of said second member is at least partially formed of a relatively elastic material to facilitate reformation from said initial configuration to said expanded configuration and back toward said initial configuration.

13. The instrumentation of claim 10 , wherein said plurality of transverse projections each comprises an outward deformation.

14. The instrumentation of claim 13 , wherein said distal end portion of said second member includes a pair of said outward deformations positioned generally opposite one another when in said expanded configuration.

15. The instrumentation of claim 10 , wherein said distal end portion of said second member comprises at least one flexible strip of material, said flexible strip of material buckling outwardly in response to said relative displacement between said first and second members to form said plurality of transverse projections.

16. The instrumentation of claim 15 , wherein outward buckling of said flexible strip of material occurs in a predetermined direction.

17. The instrumentation of claim 15 , wherein said distal end portion of said second member comprises a pair of said flexible strips of material disposed generally opposite one another, said flexible strips of material buckling outwardly in response to said relative displacement between said first and second members to form a pair of said transverse projections disposed generally opposite one another.

18. The instrumentation of claim 15 , wherein said flexible strip of material has a predetermined shape to provide controlled outward buckling.

19. The instrumentation of claim 10 , wherein said distal end portion of said second member defines a plurality of slots, said slots facilitating outward buckling of said distal end portion in response to said relative displacement between said first and second members.

20. The instrumentation of claim 19 , wherein each of said plurality of slots has a predetermined shape to provide controlled outward buckling.

21. The instrumentation of claim 10 , wherein reformation between said initial configuration and said expanded configuration is directionally-controlled.

22. The instrumentation of claim 10 , wherein said distal end portion of said second member comprises at least one flexible strip of material, said flexible strip of material buckling outwardly in response to said relative displacement between said first and second members to form said expanded configuration, said flexible strip of material having a predetermined shape to provide controlled outward buckling, said predetermined shape including a series of arcuate portions.

23. The instrumentation of claim 10 , wherein said distal end portion of said second member defines a plurality of slots, said slots facilitating outward buckling of said distal end portion in response to said relative displacement between said first and second members, each of said plurality of slots has a predetermined shape to provide controlled outward buckling, said predetermined shape being at least partially comprised of an hour-glass shape.

24. The instrumentation of claim 1 , wherein said deformable distal end portion includes four of said transverse projections that are axially offset from an adjacent one of said transverse projections along said longit

Assignees

• Medtronic Holding Co Sarl

Inventors

• Globerman Oren
• Shavit Ronen

Classifications

• C25F3/22 Primary

  of heavy metals · CPC title

• A61F2250/0002

  for data transfer · CPC title

• A61F2002/30014

  differing in elasticity, stiffness or compressibility · CPC title

• A61F2250/0036

  differing in thickness · CPC title

• A61F2310/00017

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