US20020128716A1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Spinal surgical prosthesis
Assignee: East Coast Medical and Dental Devices Inc
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Filing: 2002-02-07
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2022-02-07
Abstract
Abstract A prosthesis in the form of a cage having opposed complimentary bearing surface assemblies. The bearing surface assemblies moveable towards and away from each other. The moving mechanism being part of the bearing surface assemblies. Each of the bearing surface assemblies having an outer bearing surface whereby movement of one bearing surface assembly in one direction will move the bearing surface assemblies away from each other and movement in the opposite direction will move the bearing surface assemblies towards each other.
Inventors
- 👤 Howard Cohen
- 👤 Ladislau Biro
- 👤 Matthew Cohen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 05:17
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/30; A61F2/44; A61F2/4455; A61F2/4465; A61F2/442; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/56; A61B17/58; A61B17/68; A61B17/70; A61B17/7059; A61B17/84; A61B17/86; A61F2/30767; A61F2/3094; A61F2/30965; A61F2/446; A61F2/447; A61F2/46; A61F2/4603; A61F2/4611; A61F2/28; A61F2002/2835; A61F2002/30001; A61F2002/30003; A61F2002/3006; A61F2002/30062; A61F2002/30108; A61F2002/3011; A61F2002/30138; A61F2002/30143; A61F2002/30199; A61F2002/30224; A61F2002/30235; A61F2002/30237; A61F2002/30316; A61F2002/30329; A61F2002/30331; A61F2002/30362; A61F2002/3037; A61F2002/30372; A61F2002/30383; A61F2002/3039; A61F2002/30392; A61F2002/30398; A61F2002/304; A61F2002/30405; A61F2002/30411; A61F2002/30471; A61F2002/30476; A61F2002/30487; A61F2002/30494; A61F2002/30507; A61F2002/30518; A61F2002/30523; A61F2002/30535; A61F2002/30537; A61F2002/30538; A61F2002/3054; A61F2002/3055; A61F2002/30556; A61F2002/30563; A61F2002/30565; A61F2002/30566; A61F2002/30593; A61F2002/30599; A61F2002/30601; A61F2002/30604; A61F2002/30667; A61F2002/30677; A61F2/30771; A61F2002/30772; A61F2002/30774; A61F2002/30784; A61F2002/30785; A61F2002/3082; A61F2002/30827; A61F2002/3083; A61F2002/30975; A61F2002/448; A61F2002/4485; A61F2002/449; A61F2210/00; A61F2210/0004; A61F2220/00; A61F2220/0025; A61F2220/0033; A61F2220/0091; A61F2230/00; A61F2230/0002; A61F2230/0017; A61F2230/0063; A61F2230/0069; A61F2250/00; A61F2250/0004; A61F2250/0006; A61F2250/0009; A61F2250/0058; A61F2250/006; A61F2250/0063; A61F2310/00; A61F2310/00005; A61F2310/00011; A61F2310/00023
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 50
Claim 1
Independent Claim
96 words
1 . A prosthesis comprising at least one set of opposed complimentary bearing surface assemblies, means for moving said bearing surface assemblies towards and away from each other, said moving means being integral of the bearing surface assemblies, each of said bearing surface assemblies having an outer bearing surface whereby movement by the moving means in one direction will move the bearing surface assemblies away from each other and movement by moving means in the opposite direction will move the bearing surface assemblies towards each other, thereby increasing and decreasing, respectively, the height of said prosthesis.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
96 words
1 . A prosthesis comprising at least one set of opposed complimentary bearing surface assemblies, means for moving said bearing surface assemblies towards and away from each other, said moving means being integral of the bearing surface assemblies, each of said bearing surface assemblies having an outer bearing surface whereby movement by the moving means in one direction will move the bearing surface assemblies away from each other and movement by moving means in the opposite direction will move the bearing surface assemblies towards each other, thereby increasing and decreasing, respectively, the height of said prosthesis.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
62 words
2 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said opposed bearing surface assemblies comprise top and bottom sections, each section having an outer bearing surface with an inner face and a wall extending therefrom, said wall comprising at least one inclined cam surface extending substantially vertically from the inner face of said bearing surface and away therefrom.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
3 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 2 wherein partition means are provided on each section, said partition means extending substantially vertically and away from the inner face of said bearing surface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
4 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 3 wherein said wall comprises a plurality of inclined cam surfaces.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
73 words
5 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 4 wherein said partition means of each of said sections comprises a pair of outer partitions and an inner partition, wherein said outer partitions of said top section engage said inner partition of said bottom section and said outer partitions of said bottom section engage said inner partition of said top section to allow movement of said top section relative to said bottom section.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
6 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 5 wherein each of said cam surfaces having an edge, teeth are provided at said edge of said cam surfaces.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
7 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 6 wherein openings are provided in each of said wall to facilitate movement of said top section relative to said bottom section.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
8 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 6 wherein an opening is provided in the center of each of said outer bearing surfaces.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
9 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 6 wherein ridges are provided on the outer bearing surfaces of each of said bearing surface assemblies.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
10 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 6 wherein channels are provided on the outer bearing surfaces of each of said bearing surface assemblies, said channels radiating outwardly from the center of said outer bearing surfaces.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
11 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 6 wherein means are mounted between said top and bottom sections in order to bias said top and bottom sections toward each other.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
12 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 11 in which said biasing means are spring means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
13 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 6 in which all the outer bearing surfaces of said bearing surface assemblies are supported.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
41 words
14 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 13 in which said teeth of said top section corresponds with said teeth of said bottom section such that said teeth from said top and bottom sections are contained within said prosthesis.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
15 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 6 in which said wall and said cam surfaces are curved.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
16 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 6 in which said teeth having rounded edges.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
17 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 6 in which a plurality of openings are provided on said outer bearing surfaces.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
34 words
18 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 6 wherein said opposed bearing surface assemblies has bio-resorbable material between said edges of said cam surfaces and a bellows surrounds said bearing surface assemblies.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
52 words
19 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 6 wherein connecting means is interposed between said two sections and each end of said connecting means having inclined cam surfaces, teeth on its edges, and inner and outer partitions thereof whereby the connecting means may be rotated relative to the two sections.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
57 words
20 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 6 comprising two or more sets of opposed complimentary bearing surface assemblies, wherein said bottom sections of said two or more sets are joined together by a web and each of said set of bearing surface assemblies being individually and independently adjustable to act as a leveling device.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
29 words
21 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 1 wherein said outer bearing surfaces are curved and wherein said moving means is between said curved outer bearing surfaces.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
21 words
22 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 20 wherein gear means are mounted between the curved outer bearing surfaces.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
31 words
23 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 22 wherein said gear means have threaded extensions adapted to be threadably mounted in threaded openings in the curved outer bearing surfaces.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
33 words
24 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 23 in which a pair of gear means are mounted between the outer bearing surfaces, said gear means mutually movable relative to each other.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
26 words
25 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 1 wherein between said bearing surface assemblies is a substance that promotes osseous integration and bone in-growth.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
25 words
26 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 1 wherein between said bearing surface assemblies is a substance with hemostatic factors to control bleeding.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
27 words
27 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 1 wherein between said bearing surface assemblies is a substance with anti-viral drugs to control and prevent infection.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
50 words
28 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 1 wherein said bearing surface assemblies are connected together by cross-arms and have a jack-screw interposed therebetween, one end of each arm being mounted on a bearing surface and the other end of said arm being mounted on the jack screw.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
44 words
29 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 1 wherein wedge means are interposed between said bearing surface assemblies, said wedge means being connected together by a screw and said wedge means movable in a groove in each of said bearing surface assemblies.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
35 words
30 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 29 in which said wedge means comprise a pair of opposed wedge blocks threadably mounted for movement on the screw and having opposed inclined wedge surfaces.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
27 words
31 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 1 further comprises a resilient disc between said bearing surface assemblies and a bio-degradable band around said disc.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
47 words
32 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 2 further comprises a resilient disc between the outer bearing surface of said top section of one set of bearing surface assembly and the outer bearing surface of said bottom section of another set of bearing surface assembly.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
29 words
33 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 1 wherein cam surfaces are mounted between said bearing surface assemblies, said cam surfaces being mounted on a cam screw.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
39 words
34 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 20 further comprises a curved outer bearing surface extension attached to said outer bearing surfaces of each of said bearing surface assemblies, wherein said bearing surface assemblies being individually adjustable.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
46 words
35 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 1 further comprises a non-expandable core, said core having expandable bearing surfaces extending therefrom, wedge means extending between said expandable bearing surfaces whereby rotation of the wedge means in one direction moves the outer bearing surfaces apart.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
70 words
36 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 1 comprising two or more sets of opposed complimentary bearing surface assemblies, each of said bearing surface assemblies having geared teeth extending therefrom whereby movement of one set of geared teeth will move the other set of geared teeth in order to adjust the distance between the outer bearing surfaces of all bearing surface assemblies and the height of said prosthesis.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
57 words
37 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 1 wherein one set of bearing surface assemblies is mounted between an intermediate vertebrae and an upper vertebrae and another set of bearing surface assemblies is mounted between said intermediate vertebrae and a lower vertebrae, wherein connecting and stabilizing means are mounted between the spaced bearing surface assemblies.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
53 words
38 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 37 wherein said connecting and stabilizing means comprises a clamping plate attachable to said intermediate vertebrae, said clamping plate having connecting and stabilizing rods extending therefrom, and said connecting rods extending beyond said intermediate vertebrae and abutting said walls of said bearing surface assemblies.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
56 words
39 . The prosthesis as set forth in claim 1 wherein a rigid bio-resorbable material is provided between said bearing surface assemblies and wherein flexible resilient bearing means are mounted between and engage said bearing surface assemblies, whereby upon degradation of said bio-resorbable material, the flexible and resilient means will remain between said bearing surface assemblies.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
137 words
40 . A method of employing a spinal prosthesis for achieving stability of adjacent vertebrae and preserving the inter-disc space comprising the steps of: surgically exposing an area for placement of said spinal prosthesis between adjacent vertebrae; inserting said prosthesis in said space between adjacent vertebral end plates; providing said prosthesis with outer bearing surfaces abutting adjacent bone structure on said vertebral end plates; providing osseous integration and bone in-growth through said outer bearing surfaces of said prosthesis; providing said prosthesis a rigid bio-compatible, bio-resorbable material to maintain said space between said vertebral end plates, whereby osseous integration causing solidification of said vertebral end plates with said bearing surfaces of said prosthesis and said rigid bio-resorbable material being resorbed, allowing said prosthesis to become flexible and still maintain the established inter-disc space created by said prosthesis originally.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
137 words
40 . A method of employing a spinal prosthesis for achieving stability of adjacent vertebrae and preserving the inter-disc space comprising the steps of: surgically exposing an area for placement of said spinal prosthesis between adjacent vertebrae; inserting said prosthesis in said space between adjacent vertebral end plates; providing said prosthesis with outer bearing surfaces abutting adjacent bone structure on said vertebral end plates; providing osseous integration and bone in-growth through said outer bearing surfaces of said prosthesis; providing said prosthesis a rigid bio-compatible, bio-resorbable material to maintain said space between said vertebral end plates, whereby osseous integration causing solidification of said vertebral end plates with said bearing surfaces of said prosthesis and said rigid bio-resorbable material being resorbed, allowing said prosthesis to become flexible and still maintain the established inter-disc space created by said prosthesis originally.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
30 words
41 . The method as in claim 40 wherein said bio-compatible, bio-resorbable material is a polymer that is photocurable by ultra-violet light in the range of 350-385 nanometers in wavelength.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
30 words
42 . The method as in claim 40 wherein said bio-compatible, bio-resorbable material is a polymer that is photocurable by visible light in the range of 385-550 nanometers in wavelength.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
21 words
43 . The method as in claim 42 wherein said bio-resorbable material contains substance that promotes osseous integration and bone in-growth.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
27 words
44 . The method as in claim 42 wherein said bio-resorbable material is pliable and putty-like in an uncured state and not pliable in the cured state.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
25 words
45 . The method as in claim 44 wherein said bio-resorbable material is colored in an uncured state and turns clear in the cured state.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
18 words
46 . The method as in claim 42 wherein said bio-resorbable material contains hemostatic factors to control bleeding.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
20 words
47 . The method as in claim 42 wherein said bio-resorbable material contains antiviral drug to control and prevent infection.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
15 words
48 . The method as in claim 42 wherein said bio-resorbable material contains radiation beads.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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