Systems and methods for inserting an expandable intervertebral device

1. An expandable intervertebral device for implantation within an intervertebral space between adjacent vertebrae, the expandable intervertebral device comprising:

upper and lower bearing members each having a bone-engaging outer surface;

an expansion mechanism operably connected to the upper and lower bearing members for allowing the bearing members to shift between a predetermined compact configuration and a predetermined expanded configuration;

wherein the expansion mechanism comprises at least one slide member having an outer perimeter including upper and lower arcuate surfaces that extend along the outer perimeter and that are each in operable engagement with a correspondingly-shaped arcuate surface of one of the upper and lower bearing members, the upper and lower bearing members and the at least one slide member configured to cause the at least one slide member to shift as a result of the bearing members being shifted between the compact and expanded configurations.

2. The expandable intervertebral device of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of slide members including the at least one slide member, wherein the plurality of slide members are configured to shift in unison when the upper and lower bearing members are shifted between the compact and expanded configurations.

3. The expandable intervertebral device of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of slide members including the at least one slide member, wherein the plurality of slide members are interconnected via a carriage member.

4. The expandable intervertebral device of claim 3 , wherein the carriage member is u-shaped and extends between opposing lateral sides of the upper and lower bearing members to operably connect the plurality of slide members and provide a containment surface between the upper and lower bearing members.

5. The expandable intervertebral device of claim 1 , wherein the upper and lower bearing members each have an inner facing surface and a through-opening extending between the bone-engaging outer surface and the inner facing surface thereof, and wherein the expansion mechanism is spaced from the through-opening in each of the upper and lower bearing members so that the through-openings provide an uninterrupted void between the outer surfaces of the upper and lower bearing members to promote boney ingrowth between the adjacent vertebrae.

6. The expandable intervertebral device of claim 1 , further comprising a plug member sized and configured to be received between the upper and lower bearing members in the expanded configuration thereof, the plug member operable to keep the upper and lower bearing members in the expanded configuration thereof.

7. The expandable intervertebral device of claim 1 , wherein the upper and lower bearing members each have lateral sides extending between distal and proximal ends, and the at least one slide member is positioned along a lateral side of the upper and lower bearing members.

8. The expandable intervertebral device of claim 7 , further comprising a plurality of slide members positioned along each lateral side of the upper and lower bearing members.

9. The expandable intervertebral device of claim 1 , wherein the upper and lower bearing members each have lateral sides extending between a leading distal and a trailing proximal end, and the at least one slide member has an axis of rotation that extends laterally with respect to the upper and lower bearing members, wherein the at least one slide member is configured to rotate about the axis of rotation when the upper and lower bearing members are shifted between the compact and expanded configurations.

10. The expandable intervertebral device of claim 1 , wherein the upper and lower bearing members have opposing distal and proximal ends, and the at least one slide member is configured to shift towards one of the distal or proximal ends of the upper and lower bearing members as a result of the upper and lower bearing members being shifted between the compact and expanded configurations.

11. The expandable intervertebral device of claim 10 , wherein the at least one slide member is configured to rotate as a result of the upper and lower bearing members being shifted between the compact and expanded configurations.

12. An insertion tool for implanting an expandable interbody device between adjacent upper and lower vertebrae, the insertion tool comprising:

a hollow shaft assembly comprising a proximal end portion and a distal end portion configured for engaging with an expandable interbody device, wherein the hollow shaft assembly comprises upper and lower shaft members that define an enclosed pathway that extends from the proximal end portion to an outlet opening at the distal end portion of the hollow shaft assembly and that are moveable between a compact insertion configuration for inserting the expandable interbody device and an expanded configuration configured for expanding the expandable interbody device to a predetermined height and allowing insertion of osteoconductive material or additional components through the enclosed pathway and the outlet opening into an interior of the expandable interbody device while the insertion tool is engaged with the expandable interbody device.

13. The insertion tool of claim 12 , wherein one of the upper and lower shaft members includes a cam surface configured to cause the other of the upper and lower shaft members to distract apart from the one shaft member as the shaft members are shifted axially relative to one another.

14. The insertion tool of claim 13 , wherein the cam surface comprises an arcuate groove.

15. An insertion tool for implanting an expandable interbody device between adjacent upper and lower vertebrae, the insertion tool comprising:

a hollow shaft assembly comprising a distal end portion configured for engaging with an expandable interbody device, wherein the hollow shaft assembly comprises upper and lower shaft members that are moveable between a compact insertion configuration for inserting the expandable interbody device and an expanded configuration configured for expanding the expandable interbody device to a predetermined height and inserting osteoconductive material or additional components into an interior of the expandable interbody device while the insertion tool is engaged with the expandable interbody device;

wherein the hollow shaft assembly includes an enclosed pathway extending through the shaft assembly, wherein the upper and lower shaft members are shiftably connected to one another to allow the upper and lower shaft members to distract apart from one another, wherein each of the upper and lower shaft members extends along a longitudinal axis and the upper and lower shaft members are configured such that the longitudinal axis of the upper shaft member is generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the lower shaft member when the shaft members are distracted apart from one another to expand the expandable interbody device.

16. The insertion tool of claim 15 , wherein the lower shaft member is configured to engage a lower bearing member of the interbody device and the upper shaft member is configured to shift an upper bearing member of the interbody device apart from the lower bearing member.

17. The insertion tool of claim 15 , further comprising a gripping shaft disposed within the hollow shaft assembly, wherein the gripping shaft includes a hooked distal end for engaging with the expandable interbody device for holding the expandable interbody device to the distal end of the hollow shaft assembly.

18. The insertion tool of claim 17 , further comprising a release shaft disposed in the hollow shaft assembly configured for releasing the hooked distal end of the gripping shaft from the expandable interbody device to release the expandable interbody device from the distal end of the hollow shaft assembly.