The present inventors have recognized the yet unsolved problem of a spine implant fitting through a low diameter portal (in some cases as low as 8 mm diameter or less), and then expanding both vertically and horizontally into a lordotic profile. Other proposed solutions for the problem of a spine implant fitting through a 8 mm portal and then expanding both vertically and horizontally into a lordotic profile may exist in the prior art, but such solutions have proven inadequate. For instance, expansion in both the vertical and horizontal dimensions remains an unsolved problem, as does the footprint surface area to enable sufficient contact with a vertebral endplate. Other solutions have failed to provide an adequate void for the placement of bone graft, facilitating fusion of the inferior and superior vertebral bodies via bone healing through the implant. In prior art expandable implant solutions, the expansion of the implant places too much stress upon the arms of the implant, thereby causing structural failure. In prior art solutions, the positioning of the expandable device into the ideal location within the disc space is difficult. In prior art solutions, making sure the expandable implant is fully extended beyond the opening of the access portal is difficult. In prior art solutions, the implant assembly is associated with instability, as it accompanies a high degree of “toggle” or “slop” between the components. In prior art solutions, the expandable implant may become trapped resulting from partial deployment within the disc space. Prior art solutions are also difficult to remove following placement.
The preferred embodiment of the present invention is described as an expandable spinal implant. Generally, the inventor intends for the expandable spinal implant to function as an low profile implant that transits through a low diameter sheath or portal in its compressed form, with mechanisms to subsequently translate compressive force into anterior-posterior and vertical force to enable the implant to both distract and expand between two endplates of adjacent vertebral bodies, optionally into a lordotic profile, in its deployed form. In such configuration, the expandable spinal implant may be placed between two vertebral bodies and subsequently expanded from a compressed form into a deployed form.
In its preferred embodiment, the expandable spinal implant is configured such that it may transition from a compressed form having a lower diameter (in the preferred embodiment, 9 millimeters or less) into a deployed form having a larger expanded footprint in its deployed form. Once the expandable spinal implant is in its deployed form, the expandable spinal implant may then subsequently be locked to ensure stability by mechanisms readily apparent by those skilled in the art, such as by the placement of a locking screw.
In varying embodiments, the implant is placed through a portal, such as that described in provisional patent application No. 62/639,677, entitled “Expanding Surgical Portal”, filed Mar. 7, 2018, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. The present inventors intend for the expandable spinal implant to be placed in any variety of spinal fusion procedures, but specifically intend for it to be utilized in association with the oblique lateral lumbar interbody fusion (OLLIF) procedure, and more precisely the version of the OLLIF procedure described within nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 15/791,241, entitled “System and Method for Spinal Surgery Utilizing a Low-Diameter Sheathed Portal Shielding an Oblique Lateral Approach Through Kambin's Triangle,” filed Oct. 23, 2017, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. The present inventors contemplate that the expandable spinal implant may be placed during a procedure using any variety of known spinal instrumentation, including that more precisely described in nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 15/862,257 entitled “System for Approaching the Spine Laterally and Retracting Tissue in an Anterior to Posterior Direction,” which is incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
An embodiment of the invention incorporates one or more compressive ends 1. A single compressive end is depicted within
An embodiment of the invention incorporates a plurality of pivot pin holes 15, a sub-component of links 22 associated with embodiments of the invention. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, each link 22 consists of a 30 degree link 12, as depicted by FIG. 6. In the preferred embodiment, each pivot pin hole 15 has a diameter of 1 millimeter. In the preferred embodiment, the pivot pin hole 15, comprises a void within a surrounding Medical Grade Titanium piece in its composition. A pivot pin hole 15 in an embodiment of the invention is described as a through hole allowing for the placement of a pivot pin 24 through the related components, and thereby enabling rotational motion of the surrounding part that the pivot pin hole 15 exists within about said pivot pin 24.
In an embodiment of the invention, a pivot pin hole 15 and a compressive end 1 are related, as the pivot pin hole 15 cut into a portion of the compressive end 1.
An embodiment of the invention incorporates a 30 degree link 12, as depicted by
In an embodiment of the invention, a 30 degree link 12 and one of the ends of the expandable spinal implant, optionally comprising a compressive end 1 are related. In an embodiment, the 30 degree link 12 and a compressive end 1 are related to one another in such embodiment by the 30 degree link connects to the compressive end 1 by pivot pin attachment, which connects the 30 degree link 12 and one of the compressive ends 1 by placement of the pivot pin 24 through each related component's pivot pin hole 15.
An embodiment of the invention incorporates at least two connecting beams 13, as depicted by
An embodiment of the invention incorporates a pivot pin hole 15, a sub-component of a 30 degree link 12, as depicted by
An embodiment of the invention incorporates a center stem 16, as depicted by
A center stem 16 and at least one compressive end 1 are related to one another in an embodiment as the center stem 16 is fixedly welded to at least one compressive end 1 at or near the atraumatic conical tip 14.
In the preferred embodiment, the atraumatic conical tip 14 comprises the following dimensions: 8 mm in diameter at its widest point. Another embodiment of the atraumatic conical tip 14 comprises a 45 degree taper from the narrowest point at the distal end, as depicted in
An embodiment of the invention incorporates threads 26, preferably female threads, as a sub-component of a center stem 16, as depicted by
An embodiment of the invention incorporates a 45 degree link, as depicted by
In an embodiment of the invention, a 45 degree link 17 and a connecting beam 13 are related. A 45 degree link 17 and a connecting beam 13 are related to one another in such embodiment by the 45 degree link relates to the connecting beam by a pivot pin attachment, whereby a pivot pin 19 slides through the pivot pin holes 15 located in each related component.
In an embodiment of the invention, a 45 degree link 17 and compressive ends 1 are related. A 45 degree link 17 and a compressive ends 1 are related to one another in such embodiment by the 45 degree link relates to the compressive ends by pivot pin attachment, whereby a pivot pin 19 slides through the pivot pin holes 15 located in each related component.
In an embodiment of the invention, a 45 degree link 17 and a pivot pin hole 15 are related. Moreover, the pivot pin hole 15 is a sub-component of a 45 degree link 17 in such embodiment.
An embodiment of the invention incorporates a pivot pin hole 15, a sub-component of a 30 degree link 12, as depicted by
An embodiment of the invention incorporates a endplate mesh. In such embodiment, the endplate mesh exists between two connecting beams to spread the load of the endplate from the point of interaction between the connecting beams and the endplate. The endplate mesh expands or stretches to bridge the void between two connecting beams in the plane that is parallel to and along a vertebral body endplate. In the preferred embodiment of the invention incorporating endplate mesh, the endplate mesh is comprised of titanium or nitonol.
The preferred embodiment of the invention incorporates a void for bone graft. Those skilled in the art recognize the desirability of having a void to place biologic material, such as bone graft, within the implant, so that once bone heals together during the process of spinal fusion, the bone heals through the spinal implant, thereby strengthening the overall stability of the fused construct. A void for bone graft in an embodiment of the invention is described as space for the bone graft to fill into. In an embodiment of the invention, bone graft is deposited into the void by the compressive ends acting in a plunger mechanism as the compressive force pushes the ends of the implant inward. In an alternative embodiment, bone graft is placed after the expandable spinal implant is placed in situ in deployed form by subsequently placing bone graft during surgery.
An embodiment of the invention incorporates a shallow-angle implant 6. A shallow-angle implant 6 in an embodiment of the invention is described as an implant featuring end links arrayed at less than a 90 degree angle to the vertically adjacent end link. This allows for lower distraction height implants.
An embodiment of the invention incorporates one or more pivot pins 24, as depicted by
In the foregoing specification, specific embodiments have been described. However, one of ordinary skill in the art appreciates that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims below. One of ordinary skill in the art also appreciates specifically that a variety of substitute materials could be utilized in each of the inventive components without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims below. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense,
and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of present teachings.
The benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all the claims. The invention is defined solely by the appended claims including any amendments made during the pendency of this application and all equivalents of those claims as issued.
Moreover in this document, relational terms such as first and second, top and bottom, and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “has”, “having,” “includes”, “including,” “contains”, “containing” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises, has, includes, contains a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element proceeded by “comprises . . . a”, “has . . . a”, “includes . . . a”, “contains . . . a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises, has, includes, contains the element. The terms “a” and “an” are defined as one or more unless explicitly stated otherwise herein. The terms “substantially”, “essentially”, “approximately”, “about” or any other version thereof, are defined as being close to as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The terms “coupled” and “linked” as used herein is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly and not necessarily mechanically. A device or structure that is “configured” in a certain way is configured in at least that way, but may also be configured in ways that are not listed. Also, the sequence of steps in a flow diagram or elements in the claims, even when preceded by a letter does not imply or require that sequence.
This application claims benefit to provisional patent application No. 62/511,913, entitled “Multidimensional Poplif”, filed May 26, 2017, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. This application claims benefit to provisional patent application No. 62/569,746, entitled “Neuromonitored Dilation System”, filed Oct. 9, 2017 which is incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. This application claims benefit to nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 15/791,241, entitled “System and Method for Spinal Surgery Utilizing a Low-Diameter Sheathed Portal Shielding an Oblique Lateral Approach Through Kambin's Triangle,” filed Oct. 23, 2017, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. This application claims benefit to provisional patent application No. 62/639,677, entitled “Expanding Surgical Portal”, filed Mar. 7, 2018, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62511913 | May 2017 | US | |
62569746 | Oct 2017 | US | |
62639677 | Mar 2018 | US | |
62442356 | Jan 2017 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 15791241 | Oct 2017 | US |
Child | 15991783 | US | |
Parent | 15862257 | Jan 2018 | US |
Child | 15791241 | US |