Implant apparatus and method including tee and screw mechanism for spinal fusion

摘要

An implant apparatus and a method for spinal fusion from oblique, lateral, ALIF, PLIF, and TLIF approach. The apparatus can include an expandable implant cage and an inserter. The cage can be inserted between endplates of upper and lower vertebra using lateral, ALIF, PLIF, and/or TLIF approaches. The cage generally includes a male and female screw configuration and a cage expansion mechanism. The inserter inserts the cage in a spinal disc space and tightens the male and female screw arrangement. Once the cage is inserted to the desired position, the male portion of the screw can be tightened until final deployment of cage has been achieved. Tightening of male and female screw arrangement operates the cage expansion mechanism to expand the cage size. The cage can be inserted through a smaller surgical opening and then expanded to a full size assembly between the vertebrae.

主权项

1. An implant apparatus for spinal fusion, said apparatus comprising:
an expandable implant cage capable of being positioned between endplates of upper and lower vertebra of a body, said expandable implant cage comprising a male and female screw arrangement and a cage expansion mechanism, wherein said cage expansion mechanism expands a size of said cage on tightening of said male and female screw arrangement, said cage expansion mechanism having four separate and expandable cage graft containment compartments connected by a common pin and having respective cavities therein for maintaining preloaded autograph material, allograft material or scaffold material; an inserter for inserting said cage in a spinal disc space that maintains a handle, a shaft and a coupling arrangement, wherein said inserter is operated to engage said coupling arrangement with said male and female screw arrangement and to tighten said male and female screw arrangement; and wherein said cage expands in foot print rather than height to prevent said autograft material, said allograft material or said scaffold material from migrating when said cage is deployed or expanded.