Intervertebral implant

Abstract

The intervertebral three-dimensional structure comprises a top side, an underside, a front face, a rear face, and a plurality of boreholes designed to receive affixation elements.

Claims

1. An intervertebral implant configured to be inserted into a space between an endplate of an upper vertebral body and an endplate of a lower vertebral body, the intervertebral implant comprising: an implant structure defining a front face, a rear face opposite the front face in a first direction, a top side, an underside opposite the top side in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, the implant structure defining a height measured from the top side to the underside in the second direction, the implant structure further defining an opening that extends along the second direction from the top side to the underside, the front face including a front face front-most location such that the implant structure is devoid of a location offset from the front face front-most location in a direction opposite the first direction, the rear face including an implant structure rear-most location such that the implant structure is devoid of a location offset from the implant structure rear-most location in the first direction; and a plate including a front plate surface and a rear plate surface that is opposite the front plate surface, the plate configured to be received by the implant structure such that 1) the rear plate surface faces the implant structure and 2) a portion of the plate is positioned between the front face front-most location and the implant structure rear-most location with respect to the first direction, the plate further including an upper plate surface and a lower plate surface opposite the upper plate surface, the plate defining a first hole that is configured to receive a portion of a first affixation element such that the first affixation element is inserted through the endplate of the upper vertebral body, the plate defining a second hole that is: 1) nonparallel with the first hole, and 2) configured to receive a portion of a second affixation element such that the second affixation element is configured to be inserted into the lower vertebral body, wherein when the plate is mounted to the implant structure: 1) a portion of the plate that defines a lower edge of an exit of the first hole through the front plate surface is aligned with the rear face with respect to the first direction, 2) the first hole positioned such that an entirety of the exit of the first hole is between the top side and the underside with respect to the second direction, 3) the lower edge of the exit is closer to the underside than any other portion of the exit, 4) the intervertebral implant defines an intervertebral implant rear-most location such that the intervertebral implant is devoid of a location offset from the intervertebral implant rear-most location in the first direction, and 5) the rear face of the implant structure includes the intervertebral implant rear-most location.

2. The intervertebral implant of claim 1, wherein the front plate surface defines uppermost and lowermost ends that are configured to be disposed in the space when the plate is mounted to the front face.

3. The intervertebral implant of claim 1, further comprising the first affixation element configured to be inserted through the first hole, and into the endplate of the upper vertebral body, to anchor the intervertebral implant to the upper vertebral body.

4. The intervertebral implant of claim 3, wherein the second hole is positioned such that an entirety of the second hole exits the through the front plate surface between the top side and the underside with respect to the second direction.

5. The intervertebral implant of claim 4, wherein the affixation element is a first affixation element, the intervertebral implant further comprising a second affixation element configured to be inserted through the second hole, and into the endplate of the lower vertebral body, to anchor the intervertebral implant to the lower vertebral body.

6. The intervertebral implant of claim 1, wherein the plate is configured to be mounted to the implant structure such that the rear plate surface abuts the front face of the implant structure.

7. The intervertebral implant of claim 1, wherein the implant structure rear-most location is offset from the front face front-most location a maximum distance with respect to the first direction.

8. The intervertebral implant of claim 7, wherein the plate defines a maximum thickness measured from the front plate surface to the rear plate surface in the first direction, and the maximum distance is greater than the maximum thickness.

9. The intervertebral implant of claim 1, wherein when the plate is mounted to the implant structure the intervertebral implant defines a central axis that extends along the first direction and is aligned with the rear face along the first direction, and the central axis is positioned equidistant from both the top side and the underside with respect to the second direction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention and further embodiment modes of it are elucidated below in relation to the partly schematic representation of two illustrative embodiments.

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view including a partial section of the intervertebral implant with inserted bone screws,

(3) FIG. 2 is a front view of the intervertebral implant of FIG. 1,

(4) FIG. 3 is a side view of the intervertebral implant of FIG. 1,

(5) FIG. 4 is a top view of the intervertebral implant of FIG. 1,

(6) FIG. 5 is a front view of the intervertebral implant with a front insert, in partial section,

(7) FIG. 6 is a vertical, longitudinal section of the intervertebral implant of FIG. 5, and

(8) FIG. 7 is a horizontal cross-section of the intervertebral implant of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

(9) 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.

(10) 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.

(11) 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.

(12) 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.

(13) 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.

(14) 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.

(15) 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.