IP Library Granted Patent US 8,328,870
Granted Patent B2
US 8,328,870 · App. 12/852,033 · Granted Dec 11, 2012

Stand-alone interbody fixation system

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,328,870
App. No.
12/852,033
Granted
Dec 11, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A stand-alone interbody fixation system having a cage, anterior fixation blade and posterior fixation blade. The cage includes an annular side wall with an open interior and upper and lower surfaces, the cage being configured to fit between end plates of adjacent vertebrae. The anterior fixation blade includes an anterior alignment boss with two opposing outward extending anterior blades with end plate penetrating tips configured to fit within the open interior of the cage. The posterior fixation blade includes a posterior alignment boss with two opposing outward extending posterior blades with end plate penetrating tips configured to fit within the open interior of the cage. The anterior alignment boss and posterior alignment boss being rotatably coupled to each other and with a first opening and a second opening in the annular side wall opposite the first opening. The anterior and posterior fixation blades are counter-rotating blades and the anterior alignment boss and posterior alignment boss are configured to receive or engage a blade activation tool having an anterior engagement portion and a posterior engagement portion configured to rotate the anterior and posterior fixation blades from a stowed position to a deployed condition.

Claims (37)

1. A stand-alone interbody fixation system comprising:

a cage having an annular side wall with an open interior and upper and lower surfaces, the cage being configured to fit between end plates of adjacent vertebrae;

an anterior fixation blade having an anterior alignment boss with two opposing outward extending anterior blades with end plate penetrating tips configured to fit within the open interior of the cage, the anterior alignment boss having first and second ends, the first end of the anterior alignment boss being rotatably coupled with a first opening in the annular side wall; and

a posterior fixation blade having a posterior alignment boss with two opposing outward extending posterior blades with end plate penetrating tips configured to fit within the open interior of the cage, the posterior alignment boss having first and second ends, the first end being rotatably coupled to the second end of the anterior alignment boss and the second end of the posterior alignment boss being rotatably coupled with a second opening in the annular side wall opposite the first opening;

wherein when coupled, the anterior and posterior fixation blades are movable from a fixation blade insertion position for positioning the coupled anterior and posterior blades in the cage to a fixation blade retention position in which the coupled anterior and posterior fixation blades are moved apart and the first end of the anterior alignment boss is within the first opening in the annular side wall and the second end of the posterior alignment boss is within the second opening in the annular side wall; and

a C-clip positioned between the anterior and posterior fixation blades configured to keep the anterior and posterior fixation blades in the fixation blade retention position in the cage;

wherein the anterior and posterior fixation blades are counter-rotating blades and the anterior alignment boss and posterior alignment boss are configured to receive or engage a deployment instrument having an anterior engagement portion and a posterior engagement portion configured to rotate the anterior and posterior fixation blades from a stowed position to a deployed condition.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cage further includes a blade stop to prevent the blades from exceeding maximum deployment.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the anterior and posterior blades further include a cutting edge between the boss and tip.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the anterior and posterior blades are curved blades.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the curved blades are shaped to follow the annular side wall within the open interior.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the anterior and posterior blades may be constructed of titanium, a titanium alloy, polyetherketoneketone (PEEK), or any other biologically acceptable materials, or a combination of the materials, capable of penetrating the end plate.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the anterior engagement portion of the deployment instrument is configured to engage the first end of the anterior alignment boss and the posterior engagement portion is configured to engage the first end of the posterior alignment boss through an opening in the anterior alignment boss.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second openings in the annular side wall include grooves and the first end of the anterior boss and the second end of the posterior boss include bumps, the bumps configured to interact with the grooves and hold the anterior and posterior fixation blades in one or more positions.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the upper and lower surface include outwardly projecting sharp raised ridges, teeth and/or striations.

10. A stand-alone interbody fixation system comprising:

a cage having an annular side wall with an open interior and upper and lower surfaces having outwardly projecting sharp raised ridges, teeth and/or striations, the cage being configured to fit between end plates of adjacent vertebrae;

an anterior fixation blade having an anterior alignment boss with two curved opposing outward extending anterior blades shaped to follow the annular side wall within the open interior, the blades being capable of penetrating the end plate, the anterior alignment boss being rotatably coupled to a first opening in the annular side wall; and

a posterior fixation blade having a posterior alignment boss with two curved opposing outward extending posterior blades shaped to follow the annular side wall within the open interior, the blades being capable of penetrating the end plate, the posterior alignment boss being rotatably coupled to the anterior alignment boss and further rotatably coupled with a second opening in the annular side wall opposite the first opening;

wherein when coupled, the anterior and posterior fixation blades are movable from a fixation blade insertion position for positioning the coupled anterior and posterior blades in the cage to a fixation blade retention position in which the coupled anterior and posterior fixation blades are moved apart and the first end of the anterior alignment boss is within the first opening in the annular side wall and the second end of the posterior alignment boss is within the second opening in the annular side wall; and

a C-clip positioned between the anterior and posterior fixation blades configured to keep the anterior and posterior fixation blades in the fixation blade retention position in the cage;

wherein the anterior and posterior fixation blades are counter-rotating blades and are configured to receive or engage a counter-rotating deployment instrument configured to counter-rotate the anterior and posterior fixation blades from a stowed position to a deployed condition.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the anterior and posterior blades further include end plate penetrating tips.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the deployment instrument includes an anterior engagement portion configured to engage the anterior alignment boss and a posterior engagement portion configured to engage the posterior alignment boss.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first and second openings in the annular side wall include grooves and the anterior alignment boss and the posterior alignment boss include bumps, the bumps configured to interact with the grooves and hold the anterior and posterior fixation blades in one or more positions.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the anterior and posterior blades may be constructed of titanium, a titanium alloy, polyetherketoneketone (PEEK), or any other biologically acceptable materials, or a combination of the materials, capable of penetrating the end plates.

15. A kit for a stand-alone interbody fixation system comprising:

a stand-alone interbody fixation system configured to fit between end plates of adjacent vertebrae and attach to the end plates comprising:

a cage having an annular side wall with open interior and upper and lower surfaces;

an anterior fixation blade having an anterior alignment boss with two curved opposing outward extending anterior blades shaped to follow the annular side wall within the open interior, the blades being capable of penetrating the end plate, the anterior alignment boss being rotatably coupled to a first opening in the annular side wall;

a posterior fixation blade having a posterior alignment boss with two curved opposing outward extending posterior blades shaped to follow the annular side wall within the open interior, the blades being capable of penetrating the end plate, the posterior alignment boss being rotatably coupled to the anterior alignment boss and further rotatably coupled with a second opening in the annular side wall opposite the first opening,

wherein when coupled, the anterior and posterior fixation blades are movable from a fixation blade insertion position for positioning the coupled anterior and posterior blades in the cage to a fixation blade retention position in which the coupled anterior and posterior fixation blades are moved apart and the first end of the anterior alignment boss is within the first opening in the annular side wall and the second end of the posterior alignment boss is within the second opening in the annular side wall; and

a C-clip positioned between the anterior and posterior fixation blades configured to keep the anterior and posterior fixation blades in the fixation blade retention position in the cage; and

a counter-rotating deployment instrument configured to counter-rotate the anterior and posterior fixation blades from a stowed position to a deployed condition.

16. The kit of claim 15 , further comprising a bone graft or biologic material sized to fit within the interior of the cage when the anterior and posterior fixation blades are in the stowed position.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first and second openings in the annular side wall include grooves and the anterior alignment boss and the posterior alignment boss include bumps, the bumps configured to interact with the grooves and hold the anterior and posterior fixation blades in one or more positions.

18. The kit of claim 15 , wherein the anterior engagement portion of the deployment instrument is configured to engage a first end of the anterior alignment boss and the posterior engagement portion is configured to engage a first end of the posterior alignment boss through an opening in the anterior alignment boss.

Assignments (13)
RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL/FRAME NO. 62681/0020 Recorded May 1, 2026
From: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
To: ALPHATEC SPINE, INC.; SAFEOP SURGICAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 075385/0575 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT COLLATERAL AT REEL/FRAME NO. 62310/0001 Recorded May 1, 2026
From: MIDCAP FUNDING IV TRUST, AS AGENT
To: ALPHATEC SPINE, INC.; SAFEOP SURGICAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 075316/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 7, 2023
From: ALPHATEC SPINE, INC.; SAFEOP SURGICAL, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 062681/0020 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 6, 2023
From: ALPHATEC SPINE, INC.; SAFEOP SURGICAL, INC.
To: MIDCAP FUNDING IV TRUST
Reel/Frame 062310/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AT REEL/FRAME NO. 028358/0193 Recorded Sep 27, 2022
From: MIDCAP FUNDING IV TRUST, AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MIDCAP FINANCIAL, LLC
To: ALPHATEC HOLDINGS, INC.; ALPHATEC SPINE, INC.
Reel/Frame 061553/0787 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT COLLATERAL AT REEL/FRAME NO. 47494/0562 Recorded Aug 11, 2021
From: SQUADRON MEDICAL FINANCE SOLUTIONS LLC
To: ALPHATEC HOLDINGS, INC.; ALPHATEC SPINE, INC.
Reel/Frame 057177/0687 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 3, 2020
From: MIDCAP FUNDING IV TRUST
To: ALPHATEC HOLDINGS, INC.; ALPHATEC SPINE, INC.
Reel/Frame 052832/0132 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 9, 2018
From: ALPHATEC HOLDINGS, INC.; ALPHATEC SPINE, INC.
To: SQUADRON MEDICAL FINANCE SOLUTIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 047494/0562 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 8, 2018
From: GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
To: ALPHATEC HOLDINGS, INC.; ALPHATEC SPINE, INC.
Reel/Frame 047485/0084 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 22, 2016
From: ALPHATEC HOLDINGS, INC.; ALPHATEC SPINE, INC.
To: GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 040108/0202 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 8, 2016
From: DEERFIELD PRIVATE DESIGN FUND II, L.P.; DEERFIELD PRIVATE DESIGN INTERNATIONAL II, L.P.; DEERFIELD SPECIAL SITUATIONS FUND, L.P.; DEERFIELD SPECIAL SITUATIONS INTERNATIONAL MASTER FUND, L.P.
To: ALPHATEC HOLDINGS, INC.; ALPHATEC SPINE, INC.; ALPHATEC INTERNATIONAL LLC; ALPHATEC PACIFIC, INC.
Reel/Frame 039950/0360 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 27, 2014
From: ALPHATEC HOLDINGS, INC.; ALPHATEC SPINE, INC.; ALPHATEC INTERNATIONAL LLC; ALPHATEC PACIFIC, INC.
To: DEERFIELD PRIVATE DESIGN FUND II, L.P.; DEERFIELD PRIVATE DESIGN INTERNATIONAL II, L.P.; DEERFIELD SPECIAL SITUATIONS FUND, L.P.; DEERFIELD SPECIAL SITUATIONS INTERNATIONAL MASTER FUND, L.P.
Reel/Frame 032551/0037 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 12, 2012
From: ALPHATEC HOLDINGS, INC.; ALPHATEC SPINE, INC.; ALPHATEC INTERNATIONAL LLC; ALPHATEC PACIFIC, INC.
To: MIDCAP FINANCIAL, LLC
Reel/Frame 028358/0193 →