Intervertebral implant and bone graft inserter
An adjustable spinal fusion intervertebral implant is provided that can comprise upper and lower body portions, and proximal and distal wedges. An actuator shaft disposed intermediate the upper and lower body portions can be actuated to cause proximal and distal wedges to converge towards each other. The implant comprises one or more channels that interact with a bone graft inserter to direct the flow of material through the implant. The bone graft inserter and methods of use are also provided.
1. An assembly comprising:
an expandable implant comprising upper and lower body portions, an actuator shaft received between the upper and lower body portions, a proximal wedge member and a distal wedge member that define respective proximal and distal apertures that receive the actuator shaft so as to couple the proximal and distal wedge members to the actuator shaft, and a channel that extends from the proximal wedge member through the expandable implant and has an inlet that extends into the proximal wedge member at a location such that the inlet to the channel is spaced in its entirety from the proximal aperture along a first direction, wherein rotation of the actuator shaft about a central axis that is oriented along a second direction causes movement of the proximal wedge member along the actuator shaft toward the distal wedge member, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction; and
a tool configured to engage a portion of the expandable implant for placement within an intervertebral space, the tool comprising a central lumen in communication with the channel and configured to direct material from the central lumen into the inlet to the channel in a direction into the expandable implant,
wherein the tool is configured to remain engaged with the portion of the expandable implant during insertion of the expandable implant, expansion of the expandable implant, and movement of the material toward the channel, and
wherein the proximal wedge member defines a first and second sides that are opposite each other along the first direction, and proximal and distal ends that are opposite each other along the second direction and extend between the first and second sides, and the inlet extends through the proximal end of the proximal wedge member.
2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the channel comprises a pair of channels having a respective pair of inlets.
3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the channel comprises two outlets.
4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the tool comprises one path configured for directing the material.
5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein the number of paths of the tool equals a number of inlets of the channel.
6. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a plunger configured to expel the material from the tool.
7. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a deployment tool configured to rotate the actuator shaft.
8. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising an anti-rotation feature associated with the tool and the expandable implant.
9. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the proximal wedge member defines an anti-torque slot adjacent the inlet to the channel, and the tool includes an anti-torque projection that is configured to be received in the anti-torque slot so as to engage the tool with the portion of the expandable implant as the material is directed from the tool into the channel through the inlet.
10. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein rotation of the actuator shaft further causes movement of the distal wedge member toward the proximal wedge member along the actuator shaft.
11. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the proximal wedge member has first and second inlets to the channel, wherein the first and second inlets extend through the proximal end of the proximal wedge member, and first and second anti-torque slots disposed outward of the first and second inlets along the first direction, such that the first and second inlets are disposed between the first and second anti-torque slots.
12. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein the first and second inlets are disposed between the actuator shaft and respective ones of the first and second anti-torque slots.
13. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein the first and second inlets are aligned with the first and second anti-torque slots and the actuator shaft along the first direction.
14. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the inlet is aligned with the central lumen when a projection of the tool is inserted into a slot of the proximal wedge member.
15. An assembly comprising:
an expandable implant comprising upper and lower body portions, and proximal and distal wedge members having respective proximal and distal apertures that receive an actuator shaft so as to couple the proximal and distal wedge members to the actuator shaft, the actuator shaft rotatable about an axis to move the wedge members toward each other so as to move the upper and lower body portions apart, thereby expanding the expandable implant, and the expandable implant further having a channel that extends at least from an inlet at an outside surface of the expandable implant to an inside surface of the expandable implant; and
a tool having a projection that is configured to be inserted into a slot defined entirely by the proximal wedge member for placement of the expandable implant within an intervertebral space, the tool comprising a central lumen configured to be placed in communication with the channel when the projection is inserted into the slot to direct material from the tool toward the channel and toward the inside surface of the expandable implant,
wherein the projection of the tool is configured to remain inserted in the slot during placement of the expandable implant, expansion of the expandable implant, and movement of the material toward the channel,
wherein the projection of the tool is configured to provide an anti-torque to the expandable implant to prevent the expandable implant from rotating when a separate expansion instrument rotates the actuator shaft so as to cause the proximal and distal wedge members to move toward each other, and
wherein the central lumen is configured to removably receive a rotatable deployment tool that is configured to couple to the actuator shaft, such that rotation of the deployment tool correspondingly rotates the actuator shaft.
16. The assembly of claim 15 wherein the channel comprises a pair of channels having a respective pair of inlets that extend into a proximal surface of the proximal wedge member the inlets spaced in their respective entireties from the proximal aperture along a direction that is perpendicular to the axis, and wherein the tool is configured to eject material into the channels at the inlets.
17. The assembly of claim 15 wherein the channel comprises two outlets.
18. The assembly of claim 15 wherein the tool comprises a path configured for directing the material.
19. The assembly of claim 18 wherein the number of paths of the tool equals a number of inlets of the channel.
20. The assembly of claim 15 further comprising a plunger configured to expel the material from the tool.