Claims
- 1. An implant for promoting intervertebral fusion, comprising:
a cage having two sidewalls, a backwall, and an open front allowing the cage to be packed with bone graft and/or biologic materials in situ; and a gate for closing the front.
- 2. The implant of claim 1, wherein the cage and gate are constructed of a radiolucent material.
- 3. The implant of claim 2, wherein the cage and gate are constructed of a radiolucent material is carbon fiber.
- 4. The implant of claim 2, further including one or more radiopaque markers.
- 5. The implant of claim 1, wherein the backwall is indented to minimize neurocompression.
- 6. The implant of claim 1, wherein the backwall is expandable so that the sidewalls can be closer together for insertion and spread apart after implantation.
- 7. The implant of claim 1, wherein the sidewalls and backwall form a trapezoid.
- 8. The implant of claim 1, wherein the trapezoid is differently shaped for different vertebral levels.
- 9. The implant of claim 1, further including one or more jigs for fixing the cage in position, including a jig for driving a screw through an upper vertebra into the cage or through the cage into a lower vertebra.
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/420,616, filed Oct. 23, 2002, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60420616 |
Oct 2002 |
US |