Patent EP0077159A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0077159A1
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Vertebrae spreader
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1982-10-04
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2002-10-04
Abstract
Abstract A vertebrae spreader for use in performing the anterior fusion of cervical vertebrae by inserting a bone graft dowel between a pair of vertebrae. The vertebrae spreader is in the form of a tubular sleeve (11) having at one end thereof a pair of substantially semi-cylindrical end portions (12, 13) formed separately from the remainder of the sleeve (11) and each mounted on a respective springy blade (14) extending longitudinally of the cylindrical wall of the sleeve (11) and resiliently biased towards each other into circumferentially contracted positions. Adjustable expander rods (19) are movable into and out of positions between the end portions (12, 13) in which the expander rods (19) will force the end portions (12, 13) apart laterally of the sleeve (11) from their circumferentially contracted positions against the resilience of the blades (14). Each end portion (12, 13) has at least a pair of pins (16) extending longitudinally-outwardly therefrom and locatable in respective locating holes which have previously been made in a peripheral wall of each of the pair of vertebrae (1,2).
Inventors
- 👤 Brian Norman Atkins
- 👤 William John Whatmore
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 03:40
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/30; A61F2/46; A61F2/4603; A61F2/4611; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/02; A61B17/025; A61B17/56; A61B17/58; A61F2/44; A61F2/4455; A61F2/446; A61B17/68; A61B2017/0256; A61F2/442; A61F2/4601; A61F2/28; A61F2002/2835; A61F2002/2839; A61F2002/4625; A61F2002/4627
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
211 words
A vertebrae spreader for spreading apart two adjacent vertebrae to receive a bone graft dowel therebetween, characterised in that the vertebrae spreader comprises a tubular sleeve (11); a pair of substantially semi-cylindrical end portions (12, 13) formed separately from the remainder of the sleeve (11) at one end thereof; a pair of springy blades (14) extending longitudinally of the cylindrical wall of the sleeve (11) and resiliently biased towards each other into circumferentially contracted positions by the resilience of the blades (14) and each carrying a respective one of said end portions (12, 13); adjustable expander means (19) movable into and out of positions between said end portions (12, 13) in which the expander means (19) will force said end portions (12,13) apart laterally of the sleeve (11) from their circumferentially contracted positions against the resilience of the blades (14) and on each said end portion (12, 13) at least a pair of pins (16) extending longitudinally-outwardly therefrom and locatable in respective locating holes (9) which have previously been made in a peripheral wall of each of a pair of vertebrae (1, 2) to be spread apart in their longitudinal direction, the sleeve (11) having a longitudinal throughway of a diameter through which a bone graft dowel (24) is freely insertable.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
211 words
A vertebrae spreader for spreading apart two adjacent vertebrae to receive a bone graft dowel therebetween, characterised in that the vertebrae spreader comprises a tubular sleeve (11); a pair of substantially semi-cylindrical end portions (12, 13) formed separately from the remainder of the sleeve (11) at one end thereof; a pair of springy blades (14) extending longitudinally of the cylindrical wall of the sleeve (11) and resiliently biased towards each other into circumferentially contracted positions by the resilience of the blades (14) and each carrying a respective one of said end portions (12, 13); adjustable expander means (19) movable into and out of positions between said end portions (12, 13) in which the expander means (19) will force said end portions (12,13) apart laterally of the sleeve (11) from their circumferentially contracted positions against the resilience of the blades (14) and on each said end portion (12, 13) at least a pair of pins (16) extending longitudinally-outwardly therefrom and locatable in respective locating holes (9) which have previously been made in a peripheral wall of each of a pair of vertebrae (1, 2) to be spread apart in their longitudinal direction, the sleeve (11) having a longitudinal throughway of a diameter through which a bone graft dowel (24) is freely insertable.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
A vertebrae spreader as claimed in Claim 1 in which the blades (14) are formed by parts of the cylindrical wall of the sleeve (11) in the manner of a spring collet.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
A vertebrae spreader as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 in which the expander means are rods (19) which are adjustable longitudinally of the sleeve (11) and have ends insertable between said end portions (12, 13) of the sleeve (11).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
A vertebrae spreader as claimed in Claim 3 in which said ends of the rods (19) which are insertable between said end portions (12, 13) are of non-circular cross-section.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
A vertebrae spreader as claimed in Claim 3 or 4 in which the ends of the rods (19) which are insertable between said end portions (12, 13) are tapered in a direction to move said end portions (12, 13) apart when said rods (19) are inserted between said end portions (12, 13).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
A vertebrae spreader as claimed in Claims 3-5 in which the rods (19) are adjustable longitudinally of the sleeve by means of screw-threaded portions of the rods (19) extending through respective screw-threaded guides on the sleeve (11).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
90 words
A vertebrae spreader as claimed in any preceding claim including a locking sleeve (40) which is movable between a first position in which said pair of semi-cylindrical end portions (12, 13) are held by the locking sleeve (40) in positions in which they are contracted, thereby enabling the vertebrae spreader to be used as a drill guide, and a second position in which said pair of semi-cylindrical end portions (12, 13) are free to be moved to their circumferentially expanded positions by said expander means (19). (Figs 10 - 14)
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
A vertebrae spreader as claimed in Claim 7 including manually-releasable catch means (43) by which the locking sleeve (40) is held in said second position.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
199 words
The combination of a vertebrae spreader according to any one of Claims 1-6 and a separate tubular drill guide to be used to receive and guide a drill while the latter is being used to drill a hole to straddle a pair of adjacent vertebrae (1, 2), the drill guide (3) having a plurality of pins (4) extending longitudinally from the forward end thereof and which are driven into the peripheral wall of each of the vertebrae (1, 2) to locate the drill guide (3) prior to drilling, the pins (4) on the drill guide (3) producing at least two locating holes (9) in each vertebrae (1, 2), which locating holes (9) are subsequently used, after removal of the drill guide (3), to locate the respective end portions of the vertebrae spreader, the vertebrae spreader (11-13) and the drill guide (3) each having the same number of pins arranged in the same configuration to enable the vertebrae spreader, when the end portions (12, 13) thereof are in their contracted positions, to be located by the pins (19) thereon in the same position as was the drill guide (3) with respect to the vertebrae (1, 2) (Figs. 1 & 2)
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
130 words
The combination according to Claim 9 and a cylindrical mandrel (10) having a diameter substantially equal to that of the drill to be used to drill the hole which straddles the vertebrae (1, 2), whereby the mandrel (10) is insertable in the hole after the drill and the drill guide (3) have been removed and thus forms a support along which the vertebrae spreader (11-13) is slidable to enable the pins (19) of the vertebrae spreader (11-13) to be located by and driven into the locating holes (9) previously made in the vertebrae (1, 2) by the pins (4) of the drill guide (3), the diameter of the mandrel (10) being smaller than the diameter of the throughway in the sleeve (11) of the vertebrae spreader. (Figs. 3 & 4)
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
146 words
The combination of a vertebrae spreader according to any one of Claims 1-8 and a tool (28) for inserting said bone graft dowel (24) through the throughway in the sleeve (11) of the vertebrae spreader and into the hole which straddles the vertebrae (1, 2) after the latter have been spread apart by appropriate adjustment of the expander means (19) of the vertebrae spreader to force said end portions (12, 13) thereof and hence the vertebrae (1, 2) apart, the bone graft dowel inserting tool (28) having a cylindrical body (27) which is insertable into and slidable in the throughway in the sleeve (11) of the vertebrae spreader and which has a pin (26) extending forwardly therefrom on which the bone graft dowel (24) is supported as a substantially co-axial forward extension of the body (27) of the inserting tool (28). (Figs. 7, 8 and 13).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
91 words
The combination according to Claim 11 in which the bone graft dowel inserting tool (28) has an adjustable stop (29) thereon which is locatable against the outer end of the vertebrae spreader to limit the penetration distance of the bone graft dowel (24) into the hole which straddles the vertebrae (1, 2) before the latter are closed together onto the bone graft dowel (28) by adjustment of the expander means (19) of the vertebrae spreader (11-13) to permit the end portions (12, 13) thereof to return to their circumferentially contracted positions.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3486505A
Cited
US3916907A
Cited
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