IMPLANT FILLING DEVICE
An implant filling apparatus may include an actuator mechanism, a push rod, straight fill tubes and/or diverted tip fill tubes and an implant connector. An actuator impacts the push rod at a predetermined pressure and rate such that the push rod can drives fill material out of the fill tube(s) and into an implant that is coupled to the implant connector.
1 . An implant filling device, comprising:
a fill tube defining an elongated hollow body with a proximal end and an opposing distal end;
a push rod sized and shaped to be disposed at least partially within the hollow interior of the fill tube from a proximal end of the fill tube;
an implant connector disposed on the distal end of the fill tube; and
an actuator configured to engage a proximal end of the push rod.
2 . The implant filling device of claim 1 , wherein the distal end of the fill tube defines a straight tip .
3 . The implant filling device of claim 1 , wherein the distal end of the fill tube defines a diverted tip.
4 . The implant filling device of claim 1 , wherein fill material is disposed inside of the hollow body of the fill tube.
5 . The implant filling device of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is configured to be powered by a compressed gas.
6 . The implant filling device of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is configured to be powered by an electric motor coupled to a battery.
7 . The implant filling device of claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises an electric coil to drive the push rod.
8 . The implant filling device of claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a compressed gas cartridge to drive the push rod.
9 . An implant filling kit, comprising:
a surgical implant;
a fill material preloaded in a fill tube, the fill tube defining an elongated hollow body with a proximal end and an opposing distal end;
a push rod sized and shaped to be disposed at least partially within the hollow interior of the fill tube from a proximal end of the fill tube so that the fill material can be discharged through the distal end of the fill tube;
an implant connector disposed on the distal end of the fill tube; and
an actuator configured to engage a proximal end of the push rod.
10 . The kit of claim 9 , wherein the surgical implant is a spinal implant.
11 . The implant filling kit of claim 9 , wherein the distal end of the fill tube defines a straight tip.
12 . The implant filling kit of claim 9 , wherein the distal end of the fill tube defines a diverted tip.
13 . The implant filling kit of claim 9 , wherein fill material is disposed inside of the hollow body of the fill tube.
14 . The implant filling kit of claim 9 , wherein the actuator is configured to be powered by a compressed gas.
15 . The implant filling kit of claim 9 , wherein the actuator is configured to be powered by an electric motor coupled to a battery.
16 . The implant filling kit of claim 9 , wherein the actuator comprises an electric coil to drive the push rod.
17 . The implant filling kit of claim 9 , herein the actuator comprises a compressed gas cartridge to drive the push rod.
18 . A method of filling a surgical implant, the method comprising:
forcibly pushing a push rod through a fill tube with an actuator from a proximal end of the fill tube to discharge a fill material into the surgical implant disposed on a distal end of the fill tube.
19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising supplying a force from a compressed gas to perform the forcible push of the push rod.
20 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising wirelessly supplying an electronic drive force by the actuator to perform the forcible push of the push rod.