Expandable intervertebral implant, system, kit and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-RE49973-E
Application number	US-201916441356-A
Country	US
Kind code	E1
Filing date	Jun 14, 2019
Priority date	Feb 28, 2013
Publication date	May 21, 2024
Grant date	May 21, 2024

Abstract

An implant includes a first plate and a second plate, a first wedge member and a second wedge member spaced from the first wedge member that couple the first and second plates together. The first and second wedge members configured to translate along the first and second plates from a first contracted configuration into a second separated configuration. The implant includes an actuation member coupled to the first wedge member and the second wedge member. The actuating member defines a flange extending toward the first and second plates. The actuation member configured to move the first and second wedge members from the first contracted configuration into the second separated configuration so that the first and second plates separate from each other.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. An expandable implant for insertion in an intervertebral space defined between a first vertebral body and a second vertebral body, the implant defining an insertion end spaced apart from a trailing end along a longitudinal direction, the implant comprising:
a first plate defining a first connection groove and a first projection;
a second plate opposed to the first plate along a vertical direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the second plate defining a second connection groove and a second projection, wherein the first and second projections are positioned between the first and second connection grooves with respect to the vertical direction;
a first wedge member and a second wedge member spaced from the first wedge member along the longitudinal direction, each wedge member defining:
an inner end and a narrow end spaced apart from the inner end along the longitudinal direction, each wedge member tapering from the inner end to the narrow end, the inner ends of each wedge member facing one another;
a first side surface and a second side surface spaced from the first side surface along a transverse direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal and vertical directions;
a first ridge and a second ridge spaced from the first ridge with respect to the vertical direction, each of the first and second ridges 1) elongated in a direction extending from the narrow end to the inner end of the associated wedge member, and 2) protruding from one of the first and second side surfaces of the associated wedge member in the transverse direction,
wherein the first ridge is received within the first connection groove and overlaps the first projection in the transverse vertical direction so as to interlock the associated wedge member with the first plate, the second ridge is received within the second connection groove and overlaps the second projection in the transverse vertical direction so as to interlock the associated wedge member with the second plate, and the first and second wedge members are configured to translate away from one another along the longitudinal direction along the first and second plates from a first contracted configuration of the first and second wedge members into a second separated configuration of the first and second wedge members; and

an actuation member coupled to the first wedge member and the second wedge member, the actuation member defining a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end spaced from the proximal end along the longitudinal direction, the shaft defining a first threaded portion and a second threaded portion proximal to the first threaded portion, the actuation member defining a flange extending toward the first and second plates, the flange disposed between the first and second threaded portions, the actuation member configured to translate the first and second wedge members from the first contracted configuration into the second separated configuration so as to separate the first plate from the second plate along the vertical direction,
wherein the implant is configured to expand from a collapsed configuration into an expanded configuration, the expanded configuration is defined as when the first plate is spaced apart from the second plate along the vertical direction, and when the implant is in the collapsed configuration, the inner ends of each wedge member abut the flange.

2. The implant of claim 1 , wherein the first threaded portion has a first thread direction, and a the second threaded portion has a second thread direction that is different than the first thread direction.

3. The implant of claim 2 , wherein the first wedge member includes a first bore extending along the first direction between the narrow end and the inner end of the first wedge member, and the second wedge member includes a second bore extending along the first direction between the narrow end and the inner end of the second wedge member, wherein the first bore at least partially receives the first threaded portion of the actuation member, and the second bore at least partially receives the second threaded portion of the actuation member.

4. The implant of claim 1 , wherein the first plate defines a first proximal ramp inclined toward the trailing end of the implant, and the second plate defines a second proximal ramp inclined toward the trailing end of the implant, wherein either of the first or second wedge member is configured to translate along the first and second proximal ramp toward the trailing end of the implant.

5. The implant of claim 4 , wherein the first plate defines a first distal ramp inclined toward the insertion end of the implant, and the second plate defines a second distal ramp inclined toward either of the insertion end of the implant, wherein the other of the first or second wedge member is configured to translate along the first and second distal ramp toward the insertion end of the implant.

6. The implant of claim 1 , wherein each wedge member defines a body having a first inclined surface angularly offset from a second inclined surface, wherein the first and second inclined surfaces extend from the inner end toward the narrow end.

7. The implant of claim 6 , wherein the first ridge extends along the first inclined surface, the second ridge extends along the second inclined surface, and the first and second ridges are configured to slidably couple with the first and second plates, respectively.

8. The implant of claim 6 , wherein the first inclined surface defines a top surface of the associated wedge member, the second inclined surface defines a bottom surface of the associated wedge member, the first ridge is contiguous with the first inclined surface, and the second ridge is contiguous with the second inclined surface.

9. The implant of claim 1 , wherein the implant is configured to expand from a collapsed configuration into an expanded configuration, the expanded configuration is defined as when the first plate is spaced apart from the second plate along the vertical direction, and when the implant is in the collapsed configuration, the inner ends of each wedge member abut the flange.

10. The implant of claim 9 1, wherein the first plate defines a first lumen and the second plate defines a second lumen aligned with the first lumen, wherein when the implant is in the collapsed configuration, at least a portion of the first wedge member and the second wedge member is at least partially disposed in the first lumen and the second lumen.

11. The implant of claim 10 , wherein the inner end of each wedge member includes a superior tip and an inferior tip spaced apart from the superior tip along the vertical direction, wherein when the implant is in the collapsed configuration, the superior tip extends into the first lumen and is at least aligned with a first bone contacting surface of the first plate, and the inferior tip extends into the second lumen and is at least aligned with a second bone contacting surface of the second plate.

12. The implant of claim 1 , wherein the inner ends of the first and second wedge members are spaced apart to at least partially define a gap extending therebetween, and the flange is configured to extend through the gap and at least partially into the first and second plates.

13. The implant of claim 12 , wherein when the first wedge member and the second wedge member separate from the first contracted configuration into the second separated configuration, the dimension of the gap is increased.

14. The implant of claim 1 , wherein the first and second connection grooves and the first and second ridges are each sloped with respect to the longi

Assignees

• Depuy Synthes Products Inc

Inventors

• Miller William

Classifications

• A61F2/4455 Primary

  for the fusion of spinal bodies, e.g. intervertebral fusion of adjacent spinal bodies, e.g. fusion cages (intervertebral discs A61F2/442) · CPC title

• A61F2/447

  substantially parallelepipedal, e.g. having a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section · CPC title

• A61F2/4611

  of spinal prostheses · CPC title

• A61F2002/3008

  radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers · CPC title

• A61F2002/30156

  triangular · CPC title