EP0284210A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Spinal implant
Assignee: MTG Divestitures LLC
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Filing: 1988-02-24
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-02-24
Abstract
Abstract A spinal implant adapted to replace a disc between adjacent vertebrae having a predetermined thickness and profile chosen to match the space between said vertebrae and characterized by elongated protuberances (5) adapted to be located in grooves drilled in said vertebrae and a porous coating (7) on at least a portion of its surface. A method and apparatus for placement of said spinal implant are also disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert Vincent Kenna
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 15:51
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/30; A61F2/44; A61F2/442; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/16; A61B17/17; A61B17/1739; A61B17/1757; A61F2/30767; A61F2/4455; A61F2/46; A61F2/4603; A61F2/4611; A61F2/4657; B; B22; B22F; B22F7/00; B22F7/002; A61B90/00; A61B90/03; A61B2090/033; A61B90/06; A61B2090/062; A61F2/30771; A61F2002/30769; A61F2002/30795; A61F2002/30797; A61F2002/30878; A61F2002/30879; A61F2002/30929; A61F2002/448; A61F2002/4625; A61F2002/4627; A61F2310/00; A61F2310/00005; A61F2310/00011; A61F2310/00029
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
136 words
A spinal implant characterized in that it comprises a rigid solid body having a first surface 1, a second surface 2 and a third surface 3 of predetermined thickness between and perpendicular to said first and second surfaces, each of said first and second surfaces being defined by a substantially D-shaped profile the curved portion 4 of which conforms to the outer profile of the vertebrae between which the implant is adapted to be implanted, said predetermined thickness being chosen to correspond to the space between said vertebrae, each of said first and second surfaces having an elongated protuberance 5 of substantially semi-circular cross-section extending the full width of the surface parallel to the straight side of the D, and at least a portion of each first and second surface having a porous coating 7 thereon.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
136 words
A spinal implant characterized in that it comprises a rigid solid body having a first surface 1, a second surface 2 and a third surface 3 of predetermined thickness between and perpendicular to said first and second surfaces, each of said first and second surfaces being defined by a substantially D-shaped profile the curved portion 4 of which conforms to the outer profile of the vertebrae between which the implant is adapted to be implanted, said predetermined thickness being chosen to correspond to the space between said vertebrae, each of said first and second surfaces having an elongated protuberance 5 of substantially semi-circular cross-section extending the full width of the surface parallel to the straight side of the D, and at least a portion of each first and second surface having a porous coating 7 thereon.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
An implant according to claim 1, characterized in that said porous coating is applied to each of said protuberances.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
An implant according to claim 1, characterized in that a threaded hole 28 and an adjacent locking hole 29 are located in said third surface 3 parallel to the straight side 6 of the D, for holding said implant and placing it in position between vertebrae.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
An implant according to claim 1, characterized in that the rigid solid body is made from a high strength, biocompatible, corrosion-resistant, cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy and the porous coating comprises two layers of substantially spherical particles of the same or similar alloy as the body.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
110 words
A method of placing a spinal implant according to claim 1 between adjacent upper and lower vertebrae 8, 8 in a spinal column, which comprises removing the disc between said vertebrae, measuring the resulting space between said vertebrae, placing in said space a drill guide having dimensions matching said space, drilling semi-cylindrical grooves in the upper and lower vertebrae, which grooves are positioned by use of said guide to match with complimentary protuberances in the implant, removing said drill guide and inserting a spinal implant of predetermined thickness which matches said space by locating the protuberances 5 on the implant in the pre-drilled grooves in the upper and lower vertebrae.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 5, characterized in that the integrity of the space to receive the implant is maintained by appropriate spacers 18 prior to insertion of the implant.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method of replacing a degenerate disc between adjacent upper and lower vertebrae in a spinal column, characterized in that two spinal implants are inserted in side by side relationship in the space formed by removal of said disc according to the method of claim 5.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
308 words
An apparatus for placement of a spinal implant between adjacent upper and lower vertebrae in a spinal column, characterized in that it comprises:- (a) a drill guide comprising an elongated arm 10 with a distal end 11, a proximal end, an upper surface and a lower surface, said proximal end being attached to a handle 17, semi-cylindrical grooves 12 extending from said distal end to said proximal end in both the upper surface and the lower surface, each of said grooves being adapted to accommodate a drill bit of predetermined diameter; (b) at least one drill bit of predetermined diameter; (c) a measuring device 30, 31 associated with or incorporated in said drill guide comprising a linear gauge adapted to measure the depth of the drill bore in the vertebrae and stop means for preventing further drilling when the desired depth is achieved; (d) two spacers 18, each comprising an elongated arm having the same diameter as said drill bit of predetermined diameter, said arm being attached at its proximal end to a handle 19; (e) a positioning tool comprising an elongated member 21 with a distal end, a proximal end and an axial bore throughout its length, a cylindrical member 22 with a distal end and a proximal end located in said axial bore, the distal end 23 of said cylindrical member being threaded and being adapted to be screwed into a threaded hole 28 located in a spinal implant, the proximal end of said cylindrical member being attached to a knurled knob 24 for turning said cylindrical member to screw or unscrew said threaded distal end and a cylindrical locking key 25 extending from the distal end of said elongated member adjacent and parallel to said threaded axial cylindrical member, which locking key is adapted to slide into a locking hole 29 in a spinal implant.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
308 words
An apparatus for placement of a spinal implant between adjacent upper and lower vertebrae in a spinal column, characterized in that it comprises:- (a) a drill guide comprising an elongated arm 10 with a distal end 11, a proximal end, an upper surface and a lower surface, said proximal end being attached to a handle 17, semi-cylindrical grooves 12 extending from said distal end to said proximal end in both the upper surface and the lower surface, each of said grooves being adapted to accommodate a drill bit of predetermined diameter; (b) at least one drill bit of predetermined diameter; (c) a measuring device 30, 31 associated with or incorporated in said drill guide comprising a linear gauge adapted to measure the depth of the drill bore in the vertebrae and stop means for preventing further drilling when the desired depth is achieved; (d) two spacers 18, each comprising an elongated arm having the same diameter as said drill bit of predetermined diameter, said arm being attached at its proximal end to a handle 19; (e) a positioning tool comprising an elongated member 21 with a distal end, a proximal end and an axial bore throughout its length, a cylindrical member 22 with a distal end and a proximal end located in said axial bore, the distal end 23 of said cylindrical member being threaded and being adapted to be screwed into a threaded hole 28 located in a spinal implant, the proximal end of said cylindrical member being attached to a knurled knob 24 for turning said cylindrical member to screw or unscrew said threaded distal end and a cylindrical locking key 25 extending from the distal end of said elongated member adjacent and parallel to said threaded axial cylindrical member, which locking key is adapted to slide into a locking hole 29 in a spinal implant.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the distal end 11 of said elongated member 10 is shaped to match the profile of a spinal implant for which it is to be used.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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