초록

An artificial spinal implant is disclosed which when placed between two adjacent vertebrae directly participates and is incorporated in the ensuing fusion. Instrumentation and procedure is also disclosed.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. An artificial interbody spinal fusion implant for insertion across the height of a disc space and at least in part in between two adjacent vertebral bodies of a human spine, said implant comprising: a leading end for insertion into the spine, a trailing end opposite sai

The invention claimed is: 1. An artificial interbody spinal fusion implant for insertion across the height of a disc space and at least in part in between two adjacent vertebral bodies of a human spine, said implant comprising: a leading end for insertion into the spine, a trailing end opposite said leading end, and a mid-longitudinal axis therebetween, at least one of said leading and trailing ends being at least in part curved in a plane parallel with the mid-longitudinal axis; opposed arcuate portions adapted for placement toward and at least in part within the adjacent vertebral bodies and having a distance therebetween defining an implant height greater than the surgically corrected height of the disc space to be fused, said opposed arcuate portions being between said leading end and said trailing end, each of said opposed arcuate portions having at least one opening in communication with one another for permitting for the growth of bone from vertebral body to adjacent vertebral body through said implant; said implant comprising at least in part of an implantation material other than bone; and a bone-engaging protrusion extending from each of said opposed arcuate portions configured to penetrably engage the bone of each of the adjacent vertebral bodies to maintain said implant within the disc space. 2. The spinal fusion implant of claim 1, wherein at least one of said ends is at least in part convex. 3. The spinal fusion implant of claim 1, wherein said at least in part curved portion of said at least one of said ends comprises a removable cap. 4. The spinal fusion implant of claim 3, wherein said cap is at least in part convex. 5. The spinal fusion implant of claim 1, wherein each of said opposed arcuate portions comprises an interior surface, said interior surfaces being spaced apart to define a hollow interior in communication with said at least one opening of each of said opposed arcuate portions. 6. The spinal fusion implant of claim 5, wherein at least one of said ends is open to allow access to said hollow interior. 7. The spinal fusion implant of claim 6, wherein said at least one end providing access to said hollow interior of said implant is adapted to be closed by a cap. 8. The spinal fusion implant of claim 7, wherein said implant having said at least one end providing access to said hollow interior is in combination with a cap adapted to close said hollow interior. 9. The spinal fusion implant of claim 8, wherein said cap includes said at least in part curved portion. 10. The spinal fusion implant of claim 1, wherein said protrusion is adapted to facilitate insertion and resist expulsion of said implant between the two adjacent vertebral bodies. 11. The spinal fusion implant of claim 1, wherein said protrusion comprises a thread. 12. The spinal fusion implant of claim 11, wherein said implantation material comprises a bone ingrowth material. 13. The spinal fusion implant of claim 11, wherein said thread is interrupted. 14. The spinal fusion implant of claim 11, wherein at least one of said openings interrupts said thread. 15. The spinal fusion implant of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of cells for retaining fusion promoting substance. 16. The spinal fusion implant of claim 1, wherein said opposed arcuate portions have a porous surface. 17. The spinal fusion implant of claim 1, wherein said implantation material is porous. 18. The spinal fusion implant of claim 1, wherein said implantation material intrinsically participates in the growth of bone from one of the adjacent vertebral bodies to the other of the adjacent vertebral bodies. 19. The spinal fusion implant of claim 1, wherein said implant is treated with a fusion promoting substance. 20. The spinal fusion implant of claim 1, wherein said opposed arcuate portions have a bone ingrowth surface. 21. The spinal fusion implant of claim 1, wherein said implantation material is stronger than bone. 22. The spinal fusion implant of claim 1, in combination with a source of osteogenesis. 23. The spinal fusion implant of claim 1, in combination with a bone growth promoting substance. 24. The spinal fusion implant of claim 1, in combination with bone. 25. The spinal fusion implant of claim 24, wherein said bone is compressively loaded in said implant. 26. The spinal fusion implant of claim 1, wherein said trailing end is adapted to cooperatively engage an insertion device for inserting said implant into the spine. 27. The spinal fusion implant of claim 1, wherein said leading end is at least in part curved. 28. The spinal fusion implant of claim 1, wherein both of said ends are at least in part curved. 29. The spinal fusion implant of claim 1, wherein said implant has a width, at least one of said ends being substantially curved across the width of said implant. 30. The spinal fusion implant of claim 1, wherein at least one of said leading and trailing ends includes a dome-shaped portion. 31. The spinal fusion implant of claim 1, wherein said opposed arcuate portions have a radius of curvature, said at least one of said leading and trailing ends being at least in part curved having a radius of curvature different from the radius of curvature of said opposed arcuate portions. 32. The spinal fusion implant of claim 31, wherein the radius of curvature of said at least one of said leading and trailing ends being at least in part curved is greater than the radius of curvature of said opposed arcuate portions. 33. The spinal fusion implant of claim 1, wherein each of ends has a portion curved in the plane parallel with the mid-longitudinal axis, each of said curved portions having a radius of curvature, the radius of curvature of said portion of one of said ends being different from the radius of curvature of said portion of the other of said ends. 34. The spinal fusion implant of claim 33, wherein the radius of curvature of said portion of said leading end is greater than the radius of curvature of said portion of said trailing end. 35. An artificial interbody spinal fusion implant for insertion across the height of a disc space and at toast in part in between two adjacent vertebral bodies of a human spine, said implant comprising: a leading end for insertion into the spine, a trailing end opposite said leading end, and a mid-longitudinal axis through said leading and trailing ends, at least one of said leading and trailing ends being at least in part curved in a plane parallel with the mid-longitudinal axis and proximate a middle portion of said end; opposed arcuate portions adapted for placement toward and at least in part within the adjacent vertebral bodies and being separated to define an implant height greater than the surgically corrected height of the disc space to be fused, each of said opposed arcuate portions having at least one opening in communication with one another for permitting for the growth of bone from vertebral body to adjacent vertebral body through said implant; said implant having a minimum height from said opposed arcuate portion to said opposed arcuate portion, said at least one end having a height no greater than the minimum height of said implant; said implant comprising at least in part of an implantation material other than bone; and a bone-engaging protrusion extending from each of said opposed arcuate portions configured to penetrably engage the bone of each of the adjacent vertebral bodies to maintain said implant within the disc space. 36. The spinal fusion implant of claim 35, wherein at least one of said ends is at least in part convex. 37. The spinal fusion implant of claim 35, wherein said at least in part curved portion of said at least one of said ends comprises a removable cap. 38. The spinal fusion implant of claim 37, wherein said cap is at least in part convex. 39. The spinal fusion implant of claim 35, wherein each of said opposed arcuate portions comprises an interior surface, said interior surfaces being spaced apart to define a hollow interior in communication with said at least one opening of each of said opposed arcuate portions. 40. The spinal fusion implant of claim 39, wherein at least one of said ends is open to allow access to said hollow interior. 41. The spinal fusion implant of claim 40, wherein said at least one end providing access to said hollow interior of said implant is adapted to be closed by a cap. 42. The spinal fusion implant of claim 41, wherein said implant having said at least one end providing access to said hollow interior is in combination with a cap adapted to close said hollow interior. 43. The spinal fusion implant of claim 42, wherein said cap includes said at least in part curved portion. 44. The spinal fusion implant of claim 35, wherein said protrusion is adapted to facilitate insertion and resist expulsion of said implant between the two adjacent vertebral bodies. 45. The spinal fusion implant of claim 35, wherein said protrusion comprises a thread. 46. The spinal fusion implant of claim 35, further comprising a plurality of cells for retaining fusion promoting substance. 47. The spinal fusion implant of claim 35, wherein said opposed arcuate portions have a porous surface. 48. The spinal fusion implant of claim 35, wherein said implantation material is porous. 49. The spinal fusion implant of claim 45, wherein said implantation material comprises a bone ingrowth material. 50. The spinal fusion implant of claim 35, wherein said implantation material intrinsically participates in the growth of bone from one of the adjacent vertebral bodies to the other of the adjacent vertebral bodies. 51. The spinal fusion implant of claim 35, wherein said implant is treated with a fusion promoting substance. 52. The spinal fusion implant of claim 35, wherein said opposed arcuate portions have a bone ingrowth surface. 53. The spinal fusion implant of claim 35, wherein said implantation material is stronger than bone. 54. The spinal fusion implant of claim 35, in combination with a source of osteogenesis. 55. The spinal fusion implant of claim 35, in combination with a bone growth promoting substance. 56. The spinal fusion implant of claim 35, in combination with bone. 57. The spinal fusion implant of claim 56, wherein said bone is compressively loaded in said implant. 58. The spinal fusion implant of claim 35, wherein said trailing end is adapted to cooperatively engage an insertion device for inserting said implant into the spine. 59. The spinal fusion implant of claim 35, wherein said leading end is at least in part curved. 60. The spinal fusion implant of claim 35, wherein both of said ends are at least in part curved. 61. The spinal fusion implant of claim 35, wherein said implant has a width, at least one of said ends being substantially curved across the width of said implant. 62. The spinal fusion implant of claim 35, wherein said opposed arcuate portions have a radius of curvature, said at least one of said leading and trailing ends being at least in part curved having a radius of curvature different from the radius of curvature of said opposed arcuate portions. 63. The spinal fusion implant of claim 62, wherein the radius of curvature of said at least one of said leading and trailing ends being at least in part curved is greater than the radius of curvature of said opposed arcuate portions.