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EP0551187A1 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Apparatus for use in fusion of adjacent spinal bodies

Assignee: Shepperd John Anthony Norman
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Filing: 1993-01-06
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2013-01-06
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Abstract

Abstract Apparatus for use in fusion of adjacent spinal bodies (40,42) employing rigid interbody implant means (44) located between disc facing surfaces of anterior parts of said bodies together with means (10,20) for mutually locating posterior parts of said bodies, characterised by a link (20) formed with an elongated part (22) and an eye (24) at one end of said elongated part for engagement with a screw (10) secured to one of said bodies, said elongated part having, spaced from said eye, means (26) for enabling securing of the link to the other of said bodies.

Inventors

  • 👤 Satham C/O Zimmer Europe Ltd Petty-Saphon
  • 👤 John Anthony Norman Shepperd

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 19:03
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/56; A61B17/58; A61B17/68; A61B17/70; A61B17/7001; A61B17/7002; A61B17/7004; A61B17/7007; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/30; A61F2/44; A61F2/4455; A61F2/446; A61B17/84; A61B17/86; A61F2002/30001; A61F2002/30316; A61F2002/30329; A61F2002/30535; A61F2002/30576; A61F2002/30578; A61F2/30767; A61F2/30771; A61F2002/3085; A61F2002/448; A61F2002/449; A61F2220/00; A61F2220/0025

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim 87 words
Apparatus for use in fusion of adjacent spinal bodies employing rigid interbody implant means located between disc facing surfaces of anterior parts of said bodies together with means for mutually locating posterior parts of said bodies, characterised by a link formed with an elongated part and an eye at one end of said elongated part for engagement with a screw secured to one of said bodies, said elongated part having, spaced from said eye, means for enabling securing of the link to the other of said bodies.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 45 words
Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that said means for enabling securing of the link to said other of the spinal bodies comprise an end part which extends normal or substantially normal to said elongated part and to the plane of said eye.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 22 words
Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2, characterised in that said end part tapers at the free end thereof towards said free end.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 33 words
Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that said elongated part of said link is formed at opposite ends with respective eyes which are substantially coplanar and parallel with said elongated part.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 28 words
Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2, 3 or 4, characterised in tht the axis of said elongated part lies in a plane of a said eye or eyes.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 33 words
Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2, 3 or 4, characterised in that the plane of a said eye is offset from the axis of said elongated part by the thickness of said part.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 44 words
Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that a part at least of said link excluding said eye or eyes thereof is coated with bioactive material to promote fusion of said part to adjacent bone of one at least of said bodies.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 48 words
Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised by a pedicle screw formed with a head and a shank adapted to be closely engagable with the or each eye of said link and having an externally threaded part which comprises a substantial part at least of said shank.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 32 words
Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that said links and each of said screws is dimensioned so as to support in use thereof less than half the spinal load.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 65 words
Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that said interbody implant means comprise a generally rigid cylindrical body adapted to engage in opposed channels formed in facing end plates of the spinal bodies and having retaining means for fixedly locating said rigid cylindrical body relatively to the spinal bodies, said cylindrical body being of overall dimensions enabling its installation by minimum intervention surgery.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 41 words
Apparatus as claimed in Claim 10, characterised in that said interbody implant means and said retaining means thereof have an exterior surface which is smooth, at least part of said exterior surface is coated with bioactive material to promote bone ongrowth.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 54 words
Intervertebral implant means comprising a generally rigid cylindrical body adapted to engage in opposed channels formed in facing end plates of the spinal bodies and having retaining means for fixedly locating said rigid cylindrical body relatively to the spinal bodies, said cylindrical body being of overall dimensions enabling its installation by minimum intervention surgery.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 36 words
Apparatus as claimed in Claim 10 or 11, or intervertebral implant means as claimed in Claim 12, characterised in that said retaining means comprise an external thread formed on the exterior of said rigid cylindrical body.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4401112A Cited
US4743256A Cited
EP0260044A1 Cited
GB2207055A Cited
EP0307241A2 Cited
FR2626460A1 Cited
US4905679A Cited

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