FUSION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FUSING SPINAL BONES
This invention relates to a spinal fusion system and method for use as a prosthetic implant. The system and method includes a housing dimensioned to be situated between adjacent spinal bones, such as adjacent vertebrae. The housing cooperates with the spinal bones to define a graft area for receiving graft material, which may be inserted anteriorly into the housing during a surgical operation such as a vertebrectomy or discectomy. A housing may have various features such as migration preventers to prevent the housing from migrating posteriorly towards a spinal column and can be used with a cover that permits the housing to “float” relative thereto. Screws are provided in one embodiment and are dimensioned or configured to lock against each other to retain the screws and, consequently, the cover in place.
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This application is a continuation of U.S. Patent Application of Ser. No. 13/568,429 filed Aug. 7, 2012, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/640,061, filed Dec. 17, 2009, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,282,682, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 11/624,341 filed Jan. 18, 2007, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,655,028, which is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/675,361, filed Sep. 30, 2003, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,182,782, all of which are incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof. This application is also a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/858,629, filed Jun. 2, 2004, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,641,701, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/675,361, filed Sep. 30, 2003, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,182,782, all of which are incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field Of The Invention
This invention relates to a veritable prosthetic system and device and a method for implanting the device and, more particularly, to a spinal fusion system and method for fusing spinal bones.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many types of prosthetic devices have been proposed in the past. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,327 to Brantagan concerns a surgical prosthetic modular implant used singularly or stacked together to support and fuse together adjacent vertebrae or to totally or partially replace one or more vertebrae in a vertebral column. Other surgical implant devices and methods are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,192,327; 5,261,911; 5,713,899; 5,776,196; 6,136,002; 6,159,245; 6,224,602; 6,258,089; 6,261,586; 6,264,655; 6,306,136; 6,328,738 and 6,592,586. Some or all of these devices have improved the success rate and have simplified the surgical techniques in inter-body veritable fusion.
Among some of the problems associated with the prior art devices is that after the device is inserted into a patient during a surgical procedure, there was a possibility of retropulsion of the inter-body device and graft material into the spinal cord or other neurological element.
Another problem with the prior art devices is that grafting material, which was inserted into the devices during the surgical procedure, could not easily be inserted from an anterior direction.
Moreover, in some of the prior art devices, the cover, if any, was typically fastened directly to the device and to spinal bones, which prevented the cover from being capable of moving relative to the device. In addition, in devices that used a cover, the cover did not function to both retain the grafting material in the device and simultaneously fix the spinal bones relative to each other.
Another problem with prior art cage systems is that the screws or fasteners which secured the cover onto the cages sometimes had a tendency to unscrew themselves which is undesirable because the graft material may exit the cage or because the cage itself may move. Another problem is that the screws may withdraw, causing injury to local structures by the screws themselves.
What is needed, therefore, is a system and method, which facilitates overcoming one or more of the aforementioned problems as well as other problems and to provide a device that has unique features that will facilitate reducing the risk associated with neurological surgeries and advance the present state of the art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is, therefore, one object of the invention to provide a spinal fusion system and method which utilizes a housing that can be inserted, but comprises features which, for example, enables the device to float relative to a cover, facilitates retaining any graft material within the device, facilitates fixing a relative relation among or between spinal bones, facilitates providing a cover for covering one or multiple devices, and/or includes locking features that facilitates preventing the screws which secure the cover to the spinal bones from the retracting.
Another object of one embodiment is to provide a plurality of screws that are capable of locking to facilitate preventing the fasteners to become unfastened or unscrewed.
Another object of the invention is to provide fasteners at least one of which has an eccentric to facilitate locking against an adjacent fastener in order to retain the fasteners and the cover in a locked position.
In one aspect, this invention comprises an apparatus for surgical use in humans, comprising a housing for insertion between vertebrae in a human spine, a recess in the housing for receiving bone graft material, a cover securable to at least one of the adjacent vertebrae and being configured to block egress of the bone graft material from the recess, and the cover and the housing being slidably engaged one to the other.
In another aspect, the invention comprises a surgical implant, comprising a housing, a recess in the housing for receiving bone graft material, the housing having an opening in a side thereof, the opening communicating with the recess and being configured for insertion of the bone graft material into the recess, a cover mechanically engaging the housing so as to permit sliding relative movement therebetween, the cover being configured to retain the bone graft material within the recess.
In yet another aspect, the invention comprises a surgical implant for use with human vertebrae, comprising: a generally U-shaped housing defining an opening in an anterior side thereof, a recess in the housing communicating with the opening, the recess being configured for receiving bone graft material, and a cover in locating and mating engagement with the housing, the cover being securable to at least one of the adjacent vertebrae and configured to block egress of the bone graft material from the recess.
In still another aspect, the invention comprises a surgical implant for use with human vertebrae, comprising: a generally U-shaped housing having a plurality of closed sides and an open side defining an opening at an anterior of the housing, the housing being disposable between adjacent vertebrae, a recess in the housing communicating with the opening, the recess extending through superior and inferior portions of the housing and being configured for receiving bone graft material therein, a cover mechanically coupled with the housing so as to permit sliding relative movement therebetween, the cover being disposed over the opening and configured to block egress of the bone graft material from the recess with the cover being securable to at least one of the adjacent vertebrae, and screw-receiving apertures in the cover for accommodating screws securing the cover to the at least one adjacent vertebrae.
In yet another aspect, the invention comprises a method for fusing spinal bones together, comprising the steps of: removing diseased or injured spinal bones and/or vertebral disks, and situating a spinal implant between remaining spinal bones, the spinal implant comprising a housing, a recess in the housing having bone graft material therein and a cover secured to at least one of the remaining spinal bones, the cover blocking egress of the bone graft material from the recess and the cover and the housing being slidably engaged one to the other.
In still another aspect, the invention comprises a method for fusing spinal bones together, comprising the steps of: removing diseased or injured spinal bones and/or vertebral disks, and situating a spinal implant between remaining spinal bones, the spinal implant comprising a generally U-shaped housing having an opening in an anterior side thereof, a recess in the housing having bone graft material therein, and a cover secured to at least one of the remaining spinal bones, the cover blocking egress of the bone graft material from the recess and the cover and being in locating and mating engagement with the housing.
In yet another aspect, the invention comprises a method for fusing spinal bones together, comprising the steps of providing a housing for situating between spinal bones, the housing cooperating with the spinal bones to define an opening for introducing graft material into a graft area after the housing, and enabling the graft material to be introduced through the opening and into the graft area after the housing is situated between the spinal bones.
In another aspect, the invention comprises a method for fusing spinal bones together, comprising the steps of situating a cage in a graft area between spinal bones, the cage cooperating with the spinal bones to define an anterior opening for introducing graft material into the graft area, situating graft material through the anterior opening and into the graft area.
In still another aspect, the invention comprises a method for fusing spinal bones together, comprising the steps of removal of diseased or injured spinal bones and/or vertebral disks, situating either a single cage or a plurality of cages between remaining spinal bones, the cage or cages cooperating with the spinal bones to define an anterior opening for introducing graft or graft-like material with the purpose of generating a fusion between adjacent spinal bones into a graft area, situating graft material through the anterior opening and into the graft area, and covering the anterior opening with a cover.
In another aspect, the invention comprises an implant plate comprising a generally planar member, the generally planar member comprising a plurality of apertures each having an associated sear for receiving and supporting a head of a screw, and a wall associated with at least one of the plurality of apertures, with the head of the screw becoming generally opposed to and at least partially surrounded by the wall, the wall being interrupted by an opening.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawing and the appended claims.
Referring now to
In the embodiment being described, a spinal fusion system 24 is provided for use as a prosthetic implant during a neurological procedure such as the aforementioned vertebrectomy or discectomy. In general, after the discs 18, 20 and 22 (
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As mentioned later herein, the predetermined shape defined by the spinal fusion system 24 may provide a fused multi-sided plug of fusion material 38 having a height H (
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The spinal fusion system 24 further comprises at least one migration stop or crossbar 60 as illustrated in
It should be understood that a plurality of the migration stops or cross bars 60 may be used alone or in combination with the migration preventers 48b, 48c, 50b and 50c. It should be understood that the stops 60 could be detachable, as shown in
The system 24 further comprises a system or means for preventing retraction or back out of the screws 46 after they are screwed into the spinal bones 10-16 in order to secure the cover 42 thereto. The spinal fusion system 24 of the present invention may be used with conventional screw lock devices or with a unique locking mechanism and system, which will now be described relative to
As illustrated in
The plate comprises a first surface 50d (
In the embodiment being described, the components of the spinal fusion system 24, such as the housing 32, first channel wall portion 48 and second channel wall portion 50, crossbar 60, cover 42 and screws 46 may be made of any desired composition or material such as a polymer, composite polymer, titanium, stainless steel, carbon fiber or other suitable material.
A method for fusing spinal bones together will now be described relative to
As illustrated in
At Block 76, the graft material 38 is inserted and at Block 78, the cover 42 is situated in the slot or area 52 defined by the walls 48 and 50. As mentioned earlier herein, the cover 42 facilitates covering the openings, such as openings 34a and 36a of the graft areas 34 and 36, respectively. The surgeon secures the cover 42 to one or more of the bones, as illustrated in
Again, and as mentioned earlier, a feature of the invention is that it provides a fixing system for fixing the location of the bones 12-16 relative to each other. Simultaneously, the system 24 permits the housing 32 to “float” between adjacent bones, such as bones 10 and 12 in
It is also anticipated that the invention may be used in a multitude of procedures, such as a vertebrectomy (
In the illustrations being described, the housings 32 comprise the crossbar 60 which cooperate with the cover 42 to prevent anterior migration of the housing after the screws 46 are secured to the spinal bones as illustrated in
In
In this embodiment, the cage system 24 comprises a cover 400 for situating in the channel area 52 (
In the embodiment being described, the fasteners 404 and 408 comprise a head 404b and 408b that have a planar or flat portion 404b1 and 408b1 as shown. As best illustrated in
In the embodiment being described, one or more of the heads 404b, 406b, 408b and 410b may comprise an indicia, such as a grind mark or other indicator 412 and 414 (
It should be understood that when the pairs of fasteners 404-406 and 408-410 are aligned such that the flat portion 404b1 and 408b1 and short or small radius portion D1 are situated in opposite or closest to wall 406b of screw 406 and wall 410b of screw 410 the adjacent fasteners 406 and 410 respectively, may be rotated and screwed into, for example, vertebrae 10, which will secure and retain the cover 400 over the graft area 34 or 36. Although not shown, the locking system of the present invention may comprise eccentric fasteners of screws having eccentric heads (i.e. where a head center is offset from a thread axis) and fasteners that are used with non-eccentric fasteners. For example, and as illustrated in
In any event, the small radius portion D1 permits the adjacent fastener or screw such as screw 410, whether it has an eccentric or not, to be turned when the small radius portion D1 or flat portion 408b1 is situated in opposed relationship to the adjacent screw (as illustrated in
When it is desired to secure the cover 400 over the housing 32, the fasteners 404-408 are placed in the cover and aligned as illustrated in
Next, the adjacent fastener (406 for the 404-406 pair and 410 for the 408-410 pair) is inserted into opening 405 in cover 400 and in
The fastener 408 is again rotated in the clockwise direction (as viewed) until the large radius portion D2 and the wall portion 408b2 engages and comes against the wall 410b of the fastener 410.
It should be appreciated that when the fasteners 404-410 are secured in the locked position in the manner described, they facilitate retaining themselves in the locked position. For example, if fastener 410 begins to rotate in a counterclockwise direction (as viewed in
Advantageously, the various embodiments of the invention illustrated in
While the apparatus and method described constitute preferred embodiments of this invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise apparatus and method, and that changes may be made in either without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined in the appended claims.
Claims
1. A method for fusing spinal bones together, comprising the steps of:
- providing a housing for situating between spinal bones, said housing cooperating with said spinal bones to define an opening for introducing graft material into a graft area after said housing; and
- enabling said graft material to be introduced through said opening and into said graft area after said housing is situated between said spinal bones.
2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said method further comprises the step of:
- providing a plate for securing to said spinal bones to fix said spinal bones into a predetermined position relative to each other and to facilitate covering said opening after said graft material is introduced into said graft area.
3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said method further comprises the step of:
- providing a housing comprising at least one migration preventor that enables said housing to be inserted between said spinal bones until at least one migration preventor stops said housing from migrating toward a spinal cord or other neurological structure.
4. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein said method further comprises the step of:
- inserting said housing between said spinal bones until said at least one migration preventor engages at least one of said spinal bones.
5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said method further comprises the step of securing a cover to said spinal bones in order to cover said opening.
6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said housing comprises a shape generally corresponding to a size of a single spinal bones.
7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said housing comprises a shape generally corresponding to a size of multiple spinal bones.
8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said method further comprises the step of:
- situating a plurality of housings into a plurality of graft areas, each of said plurality of housings cooperating with a plurality of spinal bones to define a plurality of graft openings.
9. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein said method further comprises the steps of:
- providing a plate that can be detachably secured to said spinal bones to permit a second housing to be inserted into a patient, said second housing cooperating with spinal bones to provide a second opening, said plate covering both said opening and said second opening after it is secured to said spinal bones.
10. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said method further comprises the step of:
- providing a housing that is generally U-shaped.
11. A method for fusing spinal bones together, comprising the steps of:
- situating a cage in a graft area between spinal bones, said cage cooperating with said spinal bones to define an anterior opening for introducing graft material into said graft area;
- situating graft material through said anterior opening and into said graft area.
12. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said method further comprises the step of:
- covering said anterior opening with a cover.
13. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said method further comprises the step of:
- inserting said cage between said spinal bones until at least one migration preventor stops said cage from migrating toward a spinal cord or other neurological structure.
14. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein said method further comprises the step of:
- inserting said cage between said spinal bones until said at least one migration preventor engages at least one of said spinal bones.
15. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein said covering step further comprises the step of securing a cover to said spinal bones in order to cover said opening.
16. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said cage comprises a shape generally corresponding to a size of a single spinal bones.
17. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said cage comprises a shape generally corresponding to a size of multiple spinal bones.
18. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said method further comprises the step of:
- situating a plurality of cages into a plurality of graft areas, each of said plurality of cages cooperating with a plurality of spinal bones to define a plurality of graft openings.
19. The method as recited in claim 18 wherein said method further comprises the step of:
- securing a cover to said spinal bones, said cover covering each of said plurality of graft openings.
20. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein said method further comprises the steps of:
- removing said cover; and
- inserting a second cage into a second graft area between two spinal bones, said second cage cooperating with said spinal bones to define a second anterior opening for introducing graft material into said second graft area;
- securing said cover to said spinal bones to cover said anterior opening and said second anterior opening.
21. A method for fusing spinal bones together, comprising the steps of:
- removal of diseased or injured spinal bones and/or vertebral disks;
- situating either a single cage or a plurality of cages between remaining spinal bones, said cage or cages cooperating with said spinal bones to define an anterior opening for introducing graft or graft-like material with the purpose of generating a fusion between adjacent spinal bones into a graft area;
- situating graft material through said anterior opening and into said graft area; and
- covering said anterior opening with a cover.
22. The method as recited in claim 21 wherein said method further comprises the step of:
- inserting said single cage or plurality of cages between said spinal bones until at least one migration preventor stops said cage from migrating toward a spinal cord or other neurological structure.
23. The method as recited in claim 22 wherein said method further comprises the step of:
- inserting said cage between said spinal bones until said at least one migration preventor engages at least one of said spinal bones.
24. The method as recited in claim 21 wherein said covering step further comprises the step of securing a cover to said spinal bones in order to cover said opening.
25. The method as recited in claim 21 wherein said cage comprises a shape generally corresponding to a size of a single spinal bones.
26. The method as recited in claim 21 wherein said cage comprises a shape generally corresponding to a size of multiple spinal bones.
27. The method as recited in claim 21 wherein said cage comprises a shape generally corresponding to a size of a single vertebral disk.
28. The method as recited in claim 21 wherein said cage comprises a shape generally corresponding to a size of a multiple vertebral disks.
29. The method as recited in claim 21 wherein said method further comprises the step of:
- situating a plurality of cages into a plurality of graft areas, each of said plurality of cages cooperating with a plurality of spinal bones to define a plurality of graft openings.
30. The method as recited in claim 29 wherein said method further comprises the step of:
- securing a cover to said spinal bones, said cover covering each of said plurality of graft openings.
31. The method as recited in claim 21 wherein said method further comprises the steps of:
- removing said cover; and
- inserting a second cage into a second graft area between two spinal bones, said second cage cooperating with said spinal bones to define a second anterior opening for introducing graft material into said second graft area;
- securing a second cover to said spinal bones to cover said anterior opening and said second anterior opening, said second cover being longer than said cover.
32. An implant plate comprising:
- a generally planar member;
- said generally planar member comprising a plurality of apertures each having an associated sear for receiving and supporting a head of a screw; and
- a wall associated with at least one of said plurality of apertures, with said head of said screw becoming generally opposed to and at least partially surrounded by said wall;
- said wall being interrupted by an opening.
33. The implant plate as recited in claim 32 wherein said generally planar member comprises a lock for passing through said opening and engaging said head of said screw.
34. The implant plate as recited in claim 33 wherein said lock is a resilient member.
35. The implant plate as recited in claim 34 wherein said lock is a resilient member has an end integral with said generally planar member and a second end that is associated with said opening and that engages said head of said screw to facilitate retaining said screw in said implant plate.
36. The implant plate as recited in claim 32 wherein each of said plurality of apertures comprises a wall associated there so that when a plurality of screws are received in said plurality of apertures, respectively, said head of said screw becomes generally opposed to and at least partially surrounded by said wall.
37. The implant plate as recited in claim 32 wherein said opening is oriented or faces a center of said generally planar member.
38. The implant plate as recited in claim 34 wherein said resilient member comprises an elongated arm having an end having a detent portion;
- said elongated arm moving from a home position when it is screwed into a spinal bone, and returning to said home position after said screw clears said detent portion.
39. The implant plate as recited in claim 38 wherein a second end of said elongated arm is integrally formed in said generally planar member.
40. The implant plate as recited in claim 39 wherein said resilient member is generally L-shaped in cross-section.
41. The implant plate as recited in claim 39 wherein said generally planar member and said elongated arm are integral and made of titanium.
42. The implant plate as recited in claim 32 wherein said wall is generally C-shaped in cross section.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 8, 2014
Publication Date: Oct 30, 2014
Applicant: X-SPINE SYSTEMS, INC. (Miamisburg, OH)
Inventor: David Louis Kirschman (Dayton, OH)
Application Number: 14/325,925
International Classification: A61F 2/44 (20060101);