Vertebral body spacer device

Claim 2

A spacer device for supporting vertebral bodies, comprising a first substantially plate-shaped supporting member configured to engage a first vertebral body, a second substantially plate-shaped supporting member configured to engage a second vertebral body and an adjustment means including a sleeve having a longitudinal axis and having an internal thread and a pair of bolts having an outer thread cooperating with said sleeve to adjust the supporting members in a predetermined distance with respect to each other, wherein the adjustment means is provided with clamping faces at either end which adjustment faces are aligned with the axis of the sleeve and the bolts or are disposed parallel to said axis, wherein the supporting members are provided with clamping faces extending substantially normally with respect to supporting faces of the supporting member, and wherein a screw connection is provided for each supporting member to press the clamping faces of the adjustment means and the supporting member together in a predetermined position with respect to each other.

Claim 3

The spacer device of claim 1, wherein the sleeve cooperates with a pair of bolts, each bolt including a clamping face formed at a free end of each bolt.

Claim 4

The spacer device of claim 2, wherein the clamping faces are roughened.

Claim 5

The spacer device of claim 2, wherein the clamping faces include a toothing.

Claim 6

The spacer device of claim 4, wherein the clamping faces are circular.

Claim 7

The spacer device of claim 5, wherein the clamping faces of the supporting members are provided with bores and that the screwing connection includes a screw bolt extending through the bores.

Claim 8

The spacer device of claim 6, wherein said screw bolt has a head which is conical cooperating with a conical bore section of the supporting member or, respectively, the threaded bolt.

Claim 9

The spacer device of claim 7, wherein the bore of the supporting member is double-conical.

Claim 10

The spacer device of claim 8, wherein the screw bolt head is provided with a tool engaging recess.

Claim 11

The spacer device of claim 9, wherein the sleeve is provided with flat tool engaging faces.

Claim 12

The spacer device of claim 10, wherein a plurality of fixing means cooperating with the bolt and the sleeve are provided to secure said spacer device in axial and rotational position.

Claim 13

The spacer device of claim 11, wherein a counter nut is provided on the thread of the bolts.

Claim 14

The spacer device of claim 12, wherein the thread of the bolts each include at least a flat face and a disc non-rotatably supported on the flat sides is placed on the bolt between the counter nut and the sleeve, which disc includes a front-sided toothing cooperating with a front face of the sleeve.

Claim 15

The spacer device of claim 13, wherein the supporting faces are rounded.

Claim 16

The spacer device of claim 13, wherein the supporting faces are oval shaped.

Claim 17

The spacer device of claim 15, wherein the supporting members are provided with pins extending beyond the supporting surfaces.

Claim 18

The spacer device of claim 16, wherein each supporting member is provided with a plurality of pins near an edge and/or a center of the supporting face.

Claim 19

The spacer device of claim 17, wherein each pin has a free end and is rounded at said free end.

Claim 20

A spacer device for supporting vertebral bodies, said device comprising: (a) a first substantially plate-shaped supporting member having a first supporting surface configured to engage a first vertebral body, (b) a second substantially plate-shaped supporting member having a second supporting surface configured to engage a second vertebral body, wherein said first supporting member and said second supporting member are spaced apart at a distance X, and (c) an adjustment means for adjusting said distance X between said first supporting member and said second supporting member, comprising (1) a sleeve having an axis and an internal thread and (2) a pair of bolts, each bolt having an outer thread cooperating with said internal thread of said sleeve, wherein said adjustment means has a first clamping face at a first end thereof and a second clamping face at a second end thereof, wherein said first clamping face and said second clamping face are aligned either coaxially with said axis of said sleeve or are aligned parallel to said axis, wherein said first supporting member has a first clamping face extending substantially normal to said first supporting surface and said second supporting member has a second clamping face extending substantially normal to said second supporting surface, wherein said first supporting member has a first screw connection serving to press said first clamping face and said first supporting member together at a first predetermined position and said second supporting member has a second screw connection serving to press said second clamping face and said second supporting member together at a second predetermined position.

Claim 21

A spacer device for supporting vertebral bodies, said device comprising: (a) a first substantially plate-shaped supporting member having a first supporting surface configured to engage a first vertebral body, (b) a second substantially plate-shaped supporting member having a second supporting surface configured to engage a second vertebral body, wherein said first supporting member and said second supporting member are spaced apart at a distance X, and (c) an adjustment means for adjusting said distance X between said first supporting member and said second supporting member, comprising (1) a sleeve having an axis and an internal thread and (2) a pair of bolts, each bolt having an outer thread cooperating with said internal thread of said sleeve, wherein said adjustment means has a first clamping face at a first end thereof and a second clamping face at a second end thereof, wherein said first clamping face and said second clamping face are aligned either coaxially with said axis of said sleeve or are aligned parallel to said axis, wherein said first supporting member has a first clamping face extending substantially normal to said first supporting surface and said second supporting member has a second clamping face extending substantially normal to said second supporting surface, wherein said first supporting member has a first screw connection serving to press said first clamping face and said first supporting member together at a first predetermined position and said second supporting member has a second screw connection serving to press said second clamping face and said second supporting member together at a second predetermined position.

Claim 22

A vertebral implant comprising a main body substantially in the shape of a vertebral disc, said main body having (a) a curved substantially cylindrical outer surface, (b) a substantially flat upper surface and a substantially flat lower surface in a shape selected from the group consisting of circular and oval, (c) at least two prongs located on at least one surface selected from the group consisting of said upper surface and said lower surface, and (d) a toothed flat face positioned at said curved substantially cylindrical outer surface and positioned substantially perpendicular to said substantially flat upper surface.

Claim 23

A vertebral implant comprising a main body substantially in the shape of a vertebral disc, said main body having (a) a curved substantially cylindrical outer surface, (b) a substantially flat upper surface and a substantially flat lower surface in a shape selected from the group consisting of circular and oval, (c) at least two prongs located on at least one surface selected from the group consisting of said upper surface and said lower surface, and (d) a toothed flat face positioned at said curved substantially cylindrical outer surface and positioned substantially perpendicular to said substantially flat upper surface.

Claim 24

An implant according to claim 20 and including also a turnbuckle having a first toothed flat turnbuckle face and a second toothed flat turnbuckle face each turnbuckle face configured to engage and be locked to a toothed flat face of an implant according to claim 20.

Claim 25

An implant according to claim 21 and including also locking means for locking together a toothed flat turnbuckle face with a toothed flat face of an implant according to claim 20.