Filing Information

Inventor(s)	Fraser C. Henderson · Rebecca Sasscer Henderson · John W. Newman ·
Assignee(s)	None listed in document.  View assignee updates
Attorney/Agent(s)	William H. Eilberg ·
Primary Examiner	David H. Willse ·
Application Number	US9095418
Filing date	06/09/1998
Issue date	05/23/2000
Predicted expiration date	02/16/2013
U.S. Classifications	623/171.1  ·
International Classifications	A61F 244  ·
Kind Code	A
International Classifications	62317 ·
Related U.S. Application Data	CROSS-REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATION This is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 08/891,513, filed Jul. 11, 1997, now abandoned, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 08/539,600, filed Oct. 5, 1995, now abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/328,585, filed Oct. 24, 1994, now abandoned, which is a division of Ser. No. 08/018,373, filed Feb. 16, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,391.

Patent Family

Abstract

A fusion stabilization chamber stabilizes the spine following removal of one or more vertebrae, and facilitates bone growth. The chamber includes two hollow members, preferably having slightly trapezoidal cross-sections, which slide relative to each other in a telescoping manner. The hollow members preferably have walls made of a metal mesh. Barrel vaults attached to the hollow members form guides for screws which can attach the chamber to the vertebrae adjacent the corpectomy site. Because of its adjustability, the chamber can fit a wide variety of corpectomy sites. One can fill the chamber with bone material, which can eventually fuse to the adjacent bone. A pair of stabilizing plates prevents the surgeon from pushing the chamber too far towards the spinal cord. The chamber eliminates the need to maintain a large and costly inventory of screws, and neurosurgeons can learn to use it quickly and easily. In another embodiment, the device is formed in one non-telescoping piece. An end portion of the hollow member includes a curved flange which corresponds to the curvature of adjacent bone, and a notch which facilitates engagement with such bone. The device can be made in different sizes, so that it can replace relatively large vertebral bodies, as well as relatively small intervertebral discs.

Independent Claims | See all claims (6)

1. 1. A fusion stabilization chamber, comprising;a) a hollow member comprising an intervertebral spacer, the hollow member having a length and a longitudinal axis,b) the hollow member having an end portion, the end portion defining at least one hole for receiving a screw for affixing the hollow member to a surrounding bone, the end portion including at least one flange, the flange being monolithic with the hollow member, wherein the flange has a curved portion, the curved portion being shaped to correspond to a curved surface of a surrounding bone,wherein the flange has a length which is less than the length of the hollow member,wherein the hole is oblique relative to the longitudinal axis of the hollow member, andwherein the hollow member has, a body portion, adjacent to said end portion, the body portion having an exterior wall which tapers down linearly, free of protrusions, from a greater width, adjacent to the end portion, to a lesser width at a position opposite to the end portion.