Spinal Fusion Implant Enabling Diverse-Angle and Limited-Visibility Insertion

摘要

This invention can be embodied as a device implanted into an intervertebral disk space comprising: a distal portion shaped like a rounded rectangular, trapezoidal, or elliptical column; and a proximal portion shaped like a convex, concave, or straight-walled frustum. The proximal portion spans between 25% and 75% of the implant length. This invention can also be a method wherein a recess is drilled into the intervertebral disk tissue and the adjacent vertebrae such that the proximal portion of the implant fits snugly into the recess. This device and method can enable minimally-invasive insertion of the implant from a relatively wide range of entry angles and under conditions of limited visibility. This is especially advantageous for lateral insertion into a lower section of the spine such as the Lumbar 5 Sacral 1 disk space or the Lumbar 4 Lumbar 5 disk space.

主权项

1. An intervertebral implant for fusing spinal vertebrae comprising:
an implant that is implanted into the intervertebral disk space between two spinal vertebrae, wherein the following specifications apply to the implant excluding any fastening members which can be rotated or slid inwards independently of the implant; the implant further comprising a distal portion that is first inserted into the intervertebral disk space, wherein this distal portion has a rounded distal end, two lateral surfaces, an upper surface, and a lower surface, wherein the best-fitting flat plane for the upper surface and the best-fitting flat plane for the lower surface are substantially parallel to each other, wherein the best-fitting flat plane for a surface is the flat plane that minimizes the sum or squared deviations from points on the surface; and wherein this distal portion spans at least 25% and no more than 75% of the distal-to-proximal length of the implant; and the implant further comprising a proximal portion, wherein this proximal portion has an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the best-fitting flat plane for the upper surface and the best-fitting flat plane for the lower surface are further apart at the proximal end of the proximal portion than they are at the distal end of the proximal portion, wherein the best-fitting flat plane for a surface is the flat plane that minimizes the sum or squared deviations from points on the surface, and wherein this proximal portion spans the remaining length of the distal-to-proximal length after accounting for the distal portion.