Spinal implant including a compressible connector

Abstract

An implant may be formed in a disc space during a spinal fusion procedure. The implant may include implant members and connectors. The connectors may include sections with removed material that allow for some flexibility of the connectors. The connectors may include limiters that limit the amount of flexibility of the connectors. The ability of the connectors to flex may allow stress to be applied to bone growth material positioned in the implant. Stress may promote desirable bone growth.

Description

PRIORITY CLAIM[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 363,219 entitled "Instrumentation And Procedure For Implanting Fusion Devices," filed Mar. 11, 2002. The above-referenced provisional application is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.[0002] 1. Field of the Invention[0003] The present invention generally relates to the field of medical implants and more particularly to spinal implants. An embodiment of the invention relates to connectors for joining implants members of an implant together.[0004] 2. Description of Related Art[0005] An intervertebral disc may be subject to degeneration. Degeneration may be caused by trauma, disease, and / or aging. An intervertebral disc that becomes degenerated may have to be partially or fully removed from a spinal column. Partial or full removal of an intervertebral disc may destabilize the spinal column resulting in subsidence or deformation of vertebrae. Destabilization of a spinal colum...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention relates to spinal implants and methods for inserting them into the spine. More specifically, the invention relates to connectors for joining implant members of a spinal implant together. The invention provides a solution for joining the implant members without compromising the stability of the spine or causing damage to nerves. The invention also provides different types of spinal implants that can be used to promote bone growth and fuse adjacent vertebrae together. The invention addresses the need for improved spinal implants and methods for inserting them into the spine to restore stability and promote bone growth."

Problems solved by technology

Partial or full removal of an intervertebral disc may destabilize the spinal column resulting in subsidence or deformation of vertebrae.

Destabilization of a spinal column may result in alteration of a natural separation distance between adjacent vertebrae.

Excessive pressure applied to the nerves may cause pain and / or nerve damage.

Impacting an implant may be dangerous and may not inhibit an inserted implant from backing out of a disc space after insertion.

Distracting the adjacent vertebrae a distance that allows a spinal implant to be inserted into a disc space, however, may not be desirable.

Imperfect elastic characteristics of connective tissue may not allow connective tissue to return to a pre-distracted state after the distraction device is removed.

During some implant insertion procedures, a disc space may be too small to allow for insertion of implant members coupled to a spreader without protrusions of the implant members scarring surfaces of adjacent vertebrae during insertion.

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