Intervertebral prosthesis or disk prosthesis

Abstract

An intervertebral prosthesis or disk prosthesis comprising a front side, a rear side, an upper side which can be placed on the base plate of vertebral body, a lower side which can be placed on the base plate of a vertebral body, a right side, a left side, a cavity which can receive a fluid hydraulic osteocementum, an opening in the cavity and several outlets out from the cavity. The total of the transversal surfaces of the outlets S.sub.V on the front side, the total of the transversal surfaces of the outlets S.sub.H on the rear side, the total of the transversal surfaces of the outlets S.sub.R on the right side and the total of the transversal surfaces of the outlets on the left side satisfy the following conditions: S.sub.L>S.sub.R or S.sub.R>S.sub.L or S.sub.H>S.sub.V or S.sub.V>S.sub.H.

Claims

1. An intervertebral implant system for implantation between an upper vertebra and a lower vertebra, comprising: a first spacer, comprising: a cavity defined by a body having a first end and an inlet opening for receiving a flowable material to the cavity; a second end opposite the first end; an upper side for contacting at least a portion of the upper vertebra; a lower side for contacting at least a portion of the lower vertebra; a first lateral side extending between the upper and lower sides and between the first and second ends; and a second lateral side extending between the upper and lower sides and between the first and second ends, the second lateral side defining an opening to the cavity; a second spacer, comprising: a body having a first end and a second end opposite the first end; an upper side for contacting at least a portion of the upper vertebra; a lower side for contacting at least a portion of the lower vertebra; a first lateral side extending between the upper and lower sides and between the first and second ends; and a second lateral side extending between the upper and lower sides and between the first and second ends; wherein the first and second spacers are sized and configured to be positioned in an intervertebral space a distance apart from one another with the second lateral side of the first spacer facing the first lateral side of the second spacer, such that a volume of flowable material delivered to the inlet of the first spacer flows through the cavity of the first spacer, out at least one of the first and second lateral sides, into a central region of the disc space disposed between the first and second spacers, and to the first lateral side of the second spacer, wherein the first spacer is configured to have the flowable material emerge asymmetrically from the first spacer such that more of the flowable material emerges from one of the first and second lateral sides of the first spacer than from an opposite one of the first and second lateral sides of the first spacer, and wherein at least one of the first and second lateral sides of the first spacer are substantially straight.

2. The intervertebral implant system of claim 1, wherein the first end of the first spacer is configured to engage a delivery tool.

3. The intervertebral implant system of claim 1, wherein the first lateral sides of each of the first and second spacers are substantially straight and each have a first length extending between the respective first and second ends and a first height extending between the respective top and bottom surfaces.

4. The intervertebral implant system of claim 3, wherein the second lateral sides of each of the first and second spacers are substantially straight and each have a second length extending between the respective first and second ends and a second height extending between the respective top and bottom surfaces, wherein the first length is substantially the same as the second length and the first height is substantially the same as the second height.

5. The intervertebral implant system of claim 1, wherein the top surface and the bottom surface converge towards the second end at least on a partial section.

6. The intervertebral implant system of claim 1, wherein the cavity comprises a cross-sectional area and the cavity extends from the inlet opening towards the second end.

7. The intervertebral implant system of claim 1, comprising an insertion tool for conveying the flowable medium to the first spacer.

8. The intervertebral implant system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second spacers has a rectangular cross section.

9. The intervertebral implant system of claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional area of the cavity decreases as a distance from the inlet opening increases.

10. The intervertebral implant system of claim 1, wherein the cavity extends from the inlet opening towards the second end.

11. The intervertebral implant system of claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional area of the cavity decreases in one of a wedge-shape or a conical shape.

12. The intervertebral implant system of claim 1, comprising a delivery tool configured to deliver the flowable material to the cavity.

13. The intervertebral implant system of claim 1, therein the flowable material comprises osteocementum.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention and further development of the invention are described in even greater detail by means of several examples and partially diagrammatic drawings, in which

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an inventive, lens-shaped intervertebral implant,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal section through the intervertebral implant of FIG. 1 along the central plane VIII-VIII,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a side view from the right of the intervertebral implant of FIG. 1,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a side view from the left of the intervertebral implant of FIG. 1,

(6) FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of an inventive intervertebral prosthesis, which is secured by means of cured osteocementum,

(7) FIG. 6 shows a plan view of the intervertebral prosthesis of FIG. 5,

(8) FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a variation of the embodiment, using two intervertebral implants, the osteocementum securing the implant in their position relative to one another as well as to prevent migrating apart,

(9) FIG. 8 shows a plan view of the two intervertebral implants of FIG. 7,

(10) FIG. 9 shows a front view of a variation of the embodiments, in which the perforated intervertebral implant has a rectangular cross section and

(11) FIG. 10 shows a front view of a variation of the embodiment, in which the perforated intervertebral implant has a circular ring-shaped cross section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(12) The intervertebral prosthesis 1, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, consists of a rectangular hollow body and has a front side 2, a rear side 3, an upper side 4 suitable for positioning against the baseplate of a vertebral body, a lower side 5 suitable for positioning against the baseplate of a vertebral body, a right side 6, a left side 7, a cavity 8 suitable for accommodating a flowable, hydraulic osteocementum, an inlet opening 9 into the cavity 8 and several outlet openings 10; 11; 12; 13 from the cavity 8. The upper side 4 and the lower side 5 converge toward the front side 2 as well as toward the rear side 3, so that a lens-like configuration of the intervertebral prosthesis results.

(13) As can be seen from FIG. 2, the cross section of the cavity 8 decreases in the shape of a cone as the distance from the inlet opening 9 increases.

(14) As shown in FIG. 3, there are three outlet openings 12 with areas F.sub.1, F.sub.2 and F.sub.3 in the right side 6 of the intervertebral prosthesis 1, so that the sum S.sub.R of the cross sectional surfaces of the outlet openings emerging the right side 6 is S.sub.R=F.sub.1+F.sub.2+F.sub.3.

(15) As shown in FIG. 4, there are two outlet openings 13 with the areas F.sub.4 and F.sub.5 in the left side 7 of the intervertebral prosthesis 1, so that the sum S.sub.L of the cross-sectional surfaces of the outlet openings emerging for the left side 7 is S.sub.L=F.sub.4+F.sub.5.

(16) It is important that the sum S.sub.L>S.sub.R, so that more osteocementum can emerge on the left side 7 of the intervertebral prosthesis 1 from the cavity 8 through the outlet opening 13 into the intervertebral space than from the right side 6.

(17) FIGS. 5 and 6 show how the osteocementum 20, emerging from the right side 6 and the left side 7 of the intervertebral prosthesis 1, is distributed. Because the sum S.sub.L of the cross sectional areas of the outlet openings 13 emerging on the left side 7 is larger, the amount of osteocementum 20, emerging on the left side 7 and curing, is also larger than that emerging on the right side 6 and curing.

(18) FIGS. 7 and 8 show a further embodiment, which consists of two inventive intervertebral prosthesis 1, which are disposed next to one another. The two intervertebral prostheses are positioned in such a manner, that the right side 6 of the intervertebral prosthesis 1, which is disposed on the left, is oriented in the direction of the left side 7 of the intervertebral prosthesis 1, which is disposed on the right. For the intervertebral prosthesis 1, disposed on the left, the condition S.sub.L>S.sub.R applies, whereas, for the intervertebral prosthesis 1, which is disposed on the right, the reverse applies, namely S.sub.R>S.sub.L. Due to this measure, less osteocementum 20 emerges in the space between the two intervertebral prostheses 1 than emerges to the right side of the intervertebral prosthesis 1 disposed on the right and to the left side 7 of the intervertebral prosthesis 1 disposed on the left.

(19) FIG. 9 shows a variation of the embodiment of an inventive intervertebral implant 1, which has a rectangular cross section and from which a larger amount of osteocementum 40 has emerged on the right side than on the left side.

(20) FIG. 10 shows a further variation of an embodiment of an intervertebral prosthesis 1, which has a circular cross section and for which the amount of osteocementum 40 emerging on the right side through the outlet openings 12 is larger than that emerging on the left side through outlet openings 13.