VERTEBRAL BODY REPLACEMENT
This invention concerns a vertebral body replacement element to be inserted into an intervertebral space, thus supporting the spinal column of a patient. The present invention further concerns a system and method for expanding and distracting a vertebral body replacement into and within the spinal column of a patient.
Any and all applications for which a foreign or domestic priority claim is identified in the Application Data Sheet as filed with the present application are hereby incorporated by reference under 37 CFR 1.57. This application is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/937,242, filed Nov. 8, 2007, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/864,857, filed Nov. 8, 2006, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUND1. Field
The present invention generally relates to a vertebral body replacement to be inserted into an intervertebral space, thereby supporting the spinal column of a patient. The present invention further relates to a system and method for expanding and distracting a vertebral body replacement element into and within the spinal column of a patient.
2. Description of the Related Art
Back pain is one of the most significant problems facing the workforce in the United States today, is a leading cause of sickness-related absenteeism, and the main cause of disability for people between the ages of 19 and 45. Back pain can occur from pinching or irritating a spinal nerve, compression of the spine, vertebral shifting relative to the spinal cord axis, and formation of bone spurs. The most common cause of disabling back pain, however, generally stems from trauma to a vertebral disc, such as from mechanical shock, stress, tumors, or degenerative diseases. In many cases, the disc can become permanently damaged or degenerated, such that the preferred treatment necessitates partial or total excision and replacement of the damaged disc.
Traumatic injury to a vertebral disc that is not removed frequently can promote scar tissue formation. Such scar tissue typically is thicker than the healthy tissue, such that the disc continues to progressively degenerate, lose water content, and can stiffen and become significantly less effective as a shock absorber. Eventually, the disc can deform, herniate, or collapse, eliminating the flexibility of the spinal column, and potentially leading to further degeneration or damage to other vertebral discs of the spinal column. At such a point, the only option is for the damaged disc to be partially or completely removed.
When the disc is partially or completely removed, generally it is necessary to replace the excised material to prevent direct contact between the boney surfaces of the adjacent vertebrate on either side of the removed disc. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,824,565 of Muhanna discloses a vertebral spacer that is inserted between adjacent vertebrate to provide restorative force and function as a shock absorber between the adjacent vertebrate. Another alternative approach has been to insert a “cage” that can maintain a space occupied by the removed disc to prevent the vertebrate from collapsing and impinging upon the nerve roots of the spine. Still further, spinal fusion has been used to restrict motion and stabilize patients' spines by fusing adjacent vertebrate together. This generally can reduce mechanical back pain by preventing the now immobile vertebrate from impinging on a spinal nerve; however, such stability and pain reduction generally is created at the expense of spinal flexibility and motion. In addition, many conventional techniques for disc repair and replacement can be limited in terms of their size or configuration and thus generally are not designed to accommodate variations in size of the gap resulting from the excising of the vertebral disc material. Further, conventional techniques often cannot accommodate expansion or growth of the spine, frequently requiring replacement of the vertebral spacers with other, different size spacers.
Accordingly, it can be seen that a need exists for a vertebral body replacement and system and method of implanting such a vertebral body replacement that addresses the forgoing related and unrelated problems in the art.
As generally illustrated in
It is generally contemplated that the vertebral body replacement member of the present invention can be made from any bio-compatible or physically inert material or combination of such materials having the mechanical strength capable of maintaining the intervetebral space between adjacent vertebrae, as indicated in
As illustrated in
The open ended structures of the upper and lower sections further generally will define a space or cavity within the vertebral body replacement member as the two sections are brought together. The upper section generally will include a substantially flat top that further can include channels or openings formed therein, and, as illustrated in
The openings formed in the top and bottom portions of the upper and lower sections, respectively, of the vertebral body replacement member, as well as growth openings formed in the side walls thereof, such as indicated in
As further illustrated in
Still further, as illustrated in
In addition, as illustrated in
The spacers typically will be inserted as needed after implantation of the vertebral body replacement member within the intervetebral space, by engagement of the upper and lower sections of the vertebral body replacement member by the distraction tool and expansion thereof, so as to create a gap in which the spacer or spacers can be inserted. Thereafter, as the distraction instrument is closed, the upper and lower sections of the vertebral body replacement member will be brought together, sealing into engagement with each other and with any spacers contained therebetween. Thereafter, the distraction tool or instrument can be removed and the surgical opening in the patient's back closed. Still further, if additional spacers are needed, the distraction tool can be engaged with the slots in the upper and lower slots and the upper and lower sections further separated to enable implantation of a additional spacers as needed.
The present invention thus provides a simple device, typically made from a single, biocompatible material with minimal parts and generally utilizing only a minimal presences of screws, if at all, or similar fasteners to attach the upper and lower sections of the vertebral body replacement member to the adjacent vertebrate of the patient. The vertebral body replacement member further is radiolucent and expandable, and any distraction required is done by distracting the device internally through the engagement of the distraction instrument with the slotted openings in the upper and lower sections thereof, such that there is no distraction or engagement of screws that could damage bone. The growth openings formed in the top, bottom and side walls of the upper and lower sections, respectively, further enable bone growth out of the vertebral body replacement member and into the surrounding bone and tissue to help promote healing and more natural freedom of movement, while maintaining the intervetebral space and preventing collapse of the patient's spine.
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that while the foregoing has been described with reference to preferred embodiments and features, various modifications, variations, changes and additions can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims
1. (canceled)
2. (canceled)
3. A method for implanting a vertebral body replacement device, comprising:
- attaching a distracter instrument to a vertebral body replacement device, wherein the vertebral body replacement device comprises a first component having a first end and an open second end and a second component having a first section and a second section, the first section having a third end and a fourth end and the second section extending from the fourth end, the second section having a smaller cross-sectional area than the first section and configured to telescope within the open second end of the first component, and wherein the distracter instrument comprises a first arm configured to engage the first component and a second arm configured to engage the second component;
- delivering the vertebral body replacement device to a location in a patient's spine using the distracter instrument;
- expanding the vertebral body replacement device by moving the first and second arms of the distracter instrument away from each other causing the first and second components to move outwardly away from each other; and
- inserting a spacer between the first component and the first section of the second component.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the spacer comprises a split ring.
5. The method of claim 3, wherein the first and second components are non-circular.
6. The method of claim 3, wherein attaching the distracter instrument to the vertebral body replacement device comprises inserting ends of the distracter instrument into distraction slots in the first and second components.
7. The method of claim 3, wherein inserting the spacer comprises disposing the spacer around the second section of the second component.
8. The method of claim 3, further comprising selecting the spacer from one of a plurality of spacers having different lengths.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein a length of the vertebral body replacement device can be adjusted by selecting a spacer having a different length.
10. The method of claim 3, wherein delivering the vertebral body replacement device to the location in the patient's spine comprises positioning the vertebral body replacement device such that the first end contacts a first vertebral body and the third end contacts a second vertebral body.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first end and third end comprise a series of teeth or serrations configured to secure the first and second components to the first and second vertebral bodies, respectively.
12. The method of claim 3, wherein inserting the spacer comprises positioning the spacer such that one end of the spacer abuts the second end and an opposite end of the spacer abuts the fourth end.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 29, 2014
Publication Date: Oct 8, 2015
Inventor: Nabil L. Muhanna (Gainesville, GA)
Application Number: 14/584,959