Intervertebral Implant

Abstract

The intervertebral implant is in the form of a three-dimensional structure (10) comprising (a) a top side (1) and an underside (2) which are designed to rest against the end plates of two adjacent vertebras, (b) a left side face (3) and a right side face (4), (c) a front face (5) and a rear face (6), (d) a horizontal center plane situated between the top side (1) and the underside (2), (e) a vertical center plane (8) situated between the left side face (3) and the right side face (8) and (f) a plurality of boreholes (9) passing through the implant structure (10) that are designed to receive longitudinal affixation elements (20), the axes (19) of said elements intersecting the horizontal center plane (7). At least one of the boreholes (9) is designed in a manner that the affixation element (10) received in it can be rigidly connected to the intervertebral implant. Said connection is implemented using a thread or by matching conical surfaces.

Claims

1. A bone stabilizing system for stabilizing first and second vertebrae in a spinal column comprising: a plurality of bone screws having a threaded shaft and a head, the shaft having a longitudinal central axis; a three dimensional body configured for insertion between the endplates of vertebrae, the three dimensional body having an upper surface for abutting the endplate of the first vertebrae, a lower surface for abutting the endplate of the second vertebrae, a front surface, and a horizontal center plane between the upper and lower surface; and a front plate having a top surface and a bottom surface, the plate coupleable to the body such that the bottom surface is adjacent to and at least partially overlies the front surface, the plate having a plurality of screw holes for receiving the shafts of the screws, the screw holes extending through the plate and having a central axis, at least two screw holes extending through the plate at an angle such that the central axis of the screw hole ranges from about 25 to about 70 with respect to the horizontal center plane or a plane parallel to the horizontal center plane.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the three dimensional body has a plurality of boreholes, the boreholes extending from the front surface to at least one of the upper surface and the lower surface.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein, when the plate is coupled to the three-dimensional body, the three-dimensional body and at least one of the angled screw holes in the front plate is configured and oriented such that one of the screws inserted into that angled screw hole pierces at least partially at least one of the upper surface and the lower surface of the three-dimensional body.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein, when the front plate is secured to the three-dimensional body, the central axis of at least one of the angled screw holes extends toward the upper surface of the three-dimensional body and the axis of at least one of the angled screw holes extends toward the lower surface of the three-dimensional body.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional body is made from a non-metallic material.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the front plate is formed of a metallic material.

7. A spine stabilizing system for stabilizing first and second vertebrae in a spinal column comprising: a plurality of bone screws having a threaded shaft and a head, the shaft having a longitudinal central axis; a three dimensional body formed of plastic configured for insertion between endplates of the first and second vertebrae, the three dimensional body having an upper surface for abutting the endplate of a first vertebrae, a lower surface for abutting the endplate of a second vertebrae, a front surface, and a horizontal center plane between the upper and lower surface; and a front plate formed of a metallic material having a top surface, a bottom surface, a superior surface and an inferior surface, the plate couplable to the three dimensional body such that the bottom surface overlies the front surface, the plate having a plurality of screw holes for receiving there through the shaft of the screws, the screw holes having a central axis and extending through the plate at an angle such that the central axis of the screw hole ranges from about 25 to about 70 with respect to the horizontal center plane or a plane parallel to the horizontal center plane, wherein a first angled screw hole is angled in the front plate toward the superior surface of the front plate and the second angled screw hole is angled in the front plate toward the inferior surface of the front plate.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein at least one of the angled screw holes includes internal threads.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein at least one of the screws includes external threading at least partially on its head.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the height of the front plate is substantially equal to the height of the front surface of the three-dimensional body.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the three dimensional body has a horizontal middle plane between the upper surface and the lower surface, and the front plate is coupleable to the three dimensional body such that the axis of at least two angled screw holes define an angle ranging from about 25 to about 70 with the horizontal middle plane.

12. A spine stabilizing system for stabilizing first and second vertebrae in a spinal column comprising: a plurality of bone screws having a threaded shaft and a head, the shaft having a longitudinal central axis; a three dimensional body configured for insertion between endplates of the first and second vertebrae, the three dimensional body having an upper surface for abutting the endplate of a first vertebrae, a lower surface for abutting the endplate of a second vertebrae, a left side surface and a right side surface, a front surface and a back surface, the three dimensional body having a horizontal central plane between the upper and lower surface, the three-dimensional body having a plurality of boreholes for receiving there through the screws, at least one borehole extending from the front surface to the upper surface of the three dimensional body and at least one borehole extending from the front surface to the lower surface of the three dimensional body, each borehole having a central axis wherein each central axis is at an angle in the range of about 25 to about 70 relative to the horizontal middle plane of the body.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of bore holes are aligned in the front surface in a horizontal line.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising: a front plate having a top surface, a bottom surface, a superior surface and an inferior surface, the plate couplable to the three dimensional body such that the bottom surface overlies the front surface, the plate having a plurality of screw holes for receiving there through the shaft of the screws, the screw holes having a central axis, at least two of the plurality of screw holes extending through the front plate so that the axis of the screw hole is at an angle that is substantially equal to the angle of the boreholes in the three-dimensional body, wherein the position and orientation of the front plate is such that the at least two angled boreholes in the three dimensional body are aligned with the at least two angled screw holes in the front plate so that the screws are insertable in the front plate so that its shaft extends out of respective upper and lower surfaces of the three-dimensional body.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein when the plate is coupled to the three-dimensional body, the three-dimensional body and at least one of the screw holes in the front plate are configured and oriented such that one of the screws inserted into the angled screw hole pierces at least partially one of the upper or lower surfaces of the three-dimensional body.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the three dimensional body is formed of a non-metallic material.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the three dimensional body includes at least one through hole extending from the upper surface to the lower surface.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein at least one of the angled screw holes formed in the front plate is conically shaped.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein one of the upper and lower surfaces of the three dimensional body is convex.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein at least one of the upper surface and the lower surface includes one of the group of grooves, ribs, teeth and roughened surface portion to improve anchoring of the three-dimensional body with the vertebrae.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] The present invention and further embodiment modes of it are elucidated below in relation to the partly schematic representation of two illustrative embodiments.

[0030] FIG. 1 is a perspective view including a partial section of the intervertebral implant with inserted bone screws,

[0031] FIG. 2 is a front view of the intervertebral implant of FIG. 1,

[0032] FIG. 3 is a side view of the intervertebral implant of FIG. 1,

[0033] FIG. 4 is a top view of the intervertebral implant of FIG. 1,

[0034] FIG. 5 is a front view of the intervertebral implant with a front insert, in partial section,

[0035] FIG. 6 is a vertical, longitudinal section of the intervertebral implant of FIG. 5, and

[0036] FIG. 7 is a horizontal cross-section of the intervertebral implant of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

[0037] The intervertebral implant of FIGS. 1 through 4 consists of a 3D structure 10 exhibiting both a convex top side 1 and a convex underside 2, the two sides each being designed to rest against the end plates of two adjacent vertebras. To attain improved anchoring, the top side 1 and the underside 2 may be topographically shaped and be fitted with grooves, ribs or teeth, or their surfaces may be merely roughened.

[0038] The 3D implant structure 10 moreover comprises a left side face 3 and a right side face 4, also a front face 5 and a rear face 6. The implant structure 10 also may be hollow and its outer surface may comprise perforations.

[0039] The implant structure 10 comprises a plurality of boreholes 9 passing through it and receiving longitudinal affixation elements 20. Preferably four such boreholes 9 shall be provided.

[0040] At least one of the boreholes 9 is designed in a way that the longitudinal affixation element 20 received therein may be rigidly connected to the intervertebral implant. The boreholes 9 are conical for that purpose.

[0041] Preferably the affixation elements 20 are bone screws having a head 21 and a tip 22. The head 21 conically tapers toward the shank 23, the conicity of the head 21 corresponding to the conicity of the borehole 9. Moreover the four boreholes 9 may be fitted with inner threads 11.

[0042] As regards the embodiment variation shown in FIGS. 5 through 7, the 3D structure 10 is fitted at its front face 5 with a preferably metallic insert 8 into which the affixation elements 20 may be anchored. The insert 8 is mounted in vertically displaceable manner in the 3D structure 10.

[0043] While the invention has been shown and described herein with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that the various additions, substitutions, or modifications of form, structure, arrangement, proportions, materials, and components and otherwise, used in the practice and which are particularly adapted to specific environments and operative requirements, may be made to the described embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that the embodiments disclosed herein are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. Various other modifications may be made by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and the scope thereof