EP0716840A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Conically-shaped fusion cage and method of implantation
Assignee: Surgical Dynamics Inc
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Filing: 1995-12-12
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2015-12-12
Abstract
Abstract A fusion cage 20 for vertebral body fusion is conically-shaped. A thread 40 is formed as part of the external conical surface of the fusion cage. Apertures 54 are defined through the fusion cage in order to provide for contact between the engaged vertebral bone structures and bone growth inducing substances packed within the fusion cage. The fusion cage is introduced and maintains or increases the lordosis between adjacent vertebral bone structures.
Inventors
- 👤 Paul W. Sint Maartenskliniek Pavlov
- 👤 Charles J. Winslow
- 👤 Kirk Jayne
- 👤 Henry A. Klyce
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 11:17
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/30; A61F2/44; A61F2/4455; A61F2/446; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/56; A61B17/58; A61B17/68; A61B17/84; A61B17/86; A61B17/8605; A61B17/861; A61B17/862; A61F2/46; A61F2/4601; A61F2/4603; A61F2/4611; A61F2/4637; A61B17/88; A61B17/8875; A61B17/8877; A61B17/8883; A61F2/30721; A61F2/30744; A61F2/442; A61F2/28; A61F2002/2835; A61F2002/30001; A61F2002/30108; A61F2002/3011; A61F2002/30112; A61F2002/30113; A61F2002/30121; A61F2002/30138; A61F2002/30143; A61F2002/30154; A61F2002/30199; A61F2002/30205; A61F2002/3021; A61F2002/30217; A61F2002/30224; A61F2002/30235; A61F2002/30316; A61F2002/30317; A61F2002/30327; A61F2002/30329; A61F2002/30331; A61F2002/30405; A61F2002/30535; A61F2002/30593; A61F2002/30617; A61F2/30767; A61F2/30771; A61F2002/30772; A61F2002/30774; A61F2002/30777; A61F2002/30784; A61F2002/30785; A61F2002/30787; A61F2002/30795; A61F2002/30797; A61F2002/30813; A61F2002/3082; A61F2002/3085; A61F2002/30863; A61F2002/30873; A61F2/3094; A61F2002/30968; A61F2002/448; A61F2002/4625; A61F2002/4627; A61F2220/00; A61F2220/0025; A61F2220/0033; A61F2230/00; A61F2230/0002; A61F2230/0004; A61F2230/0006; A61F2230/0017; A61F2230/0021; A61F2230/0063; A61F2230/0067; A61F2230/0069; A61F2250/00; A61F2250/0014; A61F2250/0039; A61F2250/0058; A61F2250/0096; A61F2250/0097; A61F2310/00; A61F2310/00005; A61F2310/00011; A61F2310/00023
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
58 words
A fusion cage for promoting fusion with one or more bone structures comprising: a cage body having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end having a diameter which is smaller than a diameter of said distal end; and said distal end being rounded in order to facilitate insertion relative to one or more bone structures.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
58 words
A fusion cage for promoting fusion with one or more bone structures comprising: a cage body having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end having a diameter which is smaller than a diameter of said distal end; and said cage body having an outer surface and at least one flute formed in the outer surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
56 words
A fusion cage for promoting fusion with one or more bone structures comprising: a cage body having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end having a diameter which is smaller than a diameter of said distal end; and said cage body having a outer surface and a thread formed into said outer surface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The fusion cage of claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein: said cage has a cylindrically-shaped portion located adjacent to the distal end and a conically-shaped portion located adjacent to the proximal end.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The fusion cage of claim 4 wherein: a thread is defined by the cylindrically-shaped portion and the conically-shaped portion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The fusion cage of any of the preceding claims wherein: said cage body has a thread formed on an outer surface and at least one flute formed in the thread.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
The fusion cage of claim 6 wherein the flute is formed in the distal end in order to facilitate the insertion of the fusion cage in the one or more bone structures, the flute extending from the distal end toward the proximal end.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The fusion cage of any of the preceding claims including: at least three flutes formed in the outer surface being equally spaced about said distal end.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
The fusion cage of any of preceding claims wherein: said cage body has an outer surface and an internal cavity; and a plurality of apertures are formed through the cage body which communicate said outer surface with said internal cavity.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
The fusion cage of any of the preceding claims wherein said cage body is a right circular cone.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
The fusion cage of any of the preceding claims further comprising a thread with a plurality of turns found on the outer surface, and the flute is formed in at least one of said turns.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
132 words
The fusion cage of any of the preceding claims in combination with an insertion tool, said fusion cage including: said proximal end having an opening which communicates with an internal cavity; an end cap which can fit into said opening in order to close off said internal cavity; said proximal end including at least one insertion tool receiving indentation; said end cap including an insertion tool receiving threaded bore with an unthreaded portion with an irregularity; and said insertion tool including: a tang for being received in said indentation and a threaded shaft for being received in said threaded bore, and a shaft for mating with the unthreaded portion, said insertion tool for being engaged with said fusion cage for inserting said fusion cage relative to the one or more bone structures.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
The fusion cage of claim 9 including: said apertures increase in size from the distal end toward the proximal end.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
115 words
A fusion cage for promoting fusion with one or more bone structures comprising: a cage body having a proximal end and a distal end; said cage body having a longitudinal axis, and a first transverse axis which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and a second transverse axis which is perpendicular to both the longitudinal axis and the first transverse axis; a position indicator located at said proximal end, which position indicator is located along the first transverse axis; and said cage body having a plurality of apertures for promoting bone growth into the cage body, which apertures are located only substantially along the second transverse axis between the proximal end and the distal end.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The fusion cage of claim 14 wherein: said position indicator includes an indentation into said proximal end.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
44 words
The fusion cage of claim 15 wherein: said distal end has a snub nose extending therefrom in order to facilitate insertion relative to one or more bone structures the snub nose having a diameter which is less than the diameter of the distal end.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
50 words
The fusion cage of claims 14, 15 or 16 wherein: the cage body includes a thread which has a starter turn located at the distal end, the starter turn of the thread extends from the snub nose in order to facilitate insertion relative to the one or more bone structures.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
107 words
A fusion cage in combination with an insertion tool comprising: said fusion cage having a cage body with a distal end and a proximal end, said proximal end including at least one insertion tool receiving indentation; said proximal end including an insertion tool receiving threaded bore having an unthreaded portion with at least one irregularity; and said insertion tool having a first shaft with a tang that can be received in said indentation, a second shaft with a portion which can mate with the unthreaded portion of the bore with the irregularity, and a third shaft with a threaded portion which can mate with the threaded bore.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
The fusion cage and insertion tool combination of claim 18 wherein: said second and said third shafts can rotate relative to the first shaft and relative to each other.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
The fusion cage and insertion tool combination of claim 19 wherein: one of said second and third shafts is biased relative to the other of said second and third shafts.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
50 words
The fusion cage and insertion tool combination of claim 20 wherein: said fusion cage includes an end cap which in part comprises said proximal end, and wherein said end cap includes said threaded bore, and wherein said end cap can be selectively removed from the remainder of the proximal end.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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