IMPROVED EXPANDABLE AND CONFORMING IMPLANT
Systems and methods of providing an expandable and conforming interbody implant are described. According to some implementations, an interbody implant includes a first surface configured to be disposed adjacent to a first bony endplate, and a second surface configured to be disposed adjacent to a second bony endplate, with a height of the interbody implant extending between the first surface and the second surface. According to some implementations, the interbody implant is configured to be selectively disposed in an insertion configuration and a deployed configuration. In some cases, the height of the interbody implant is greater in the deployed configuration than in the insertion configuration. Moreover, in some cases, the first surface is configured to conform to a topology of the first bony endplate, and the second surface is configured to conform to a topology of the second bony endplate.
1 . An implant comprising:
a first region having a first stiffness; and
a second region having a second stiffness,
wherein:
the first stiffness is different than the second stiffness; and
the first region and the second region are each configured to support a first bony endplate of a patient's spine.
2 . The implant of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first region and the second region is configured to deploy from an insertion configuration to a deployed configuration having a greater height than the insertion configuration.
3 . The implant of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first region and the second region is configured to conform to an uneven surface.
4 . The implant of claim 1 , wherein the first region surrounds the second region.
5 . The implant of claim 1 , further comprising a porous structure.
6 . The implant of claim 1 , wherein the first region is separated from the second region by a frame.
7 . The implant of claim 1 , wherein the first region is interconnected with the second region.
8 . The implant of claim 1 , wherein first region extends around a perimeter of the implant.
9 . An implant comprising:
a first surface configured to be disposed adjacent to a first bony endplate;
a second surface configured to be disposed adjacent to a second bony endplate;
a first region extending between the first surface and the second surface; and
a second region extending between the first surface and the second surface;
wherein:
the first region has a higher stiffness than the second region; and
the second region is configured to be selectively disposed in an insertion configuration and a deployed configuration, and a height of the second region is greater in the deployed configuration than in the insertion configuration.
10 . The implant of claim 9 , wherein the first region is disposed around a perimeter of the implant.
11 . The implant of claim 9 , wherein the first region surrounds the second region.
12 . The implant of claim 9 , wherein the first region is coupled to the second region at a coupling point, but the second region is otherwise configured to move cranially and caudally independent of the first region.
13 . The implant of claim 12 , wherein the coupling point is proximate to at least one of the first surface and the second surface.
14 . The implant of claim 9 , wherein the first region comprises a first porous structure and the second region comprises a second porous structure.
15 . An implant comprising:
a first surface configured to be disposed adjacent to a first bony endplate;
a second surface configured to be disposed adjacent to a second bony endplate; and
an expanding region configured to be deployed from an insertion configuration with a first height to a deployed configuration with a second height, the second height being greater than the first height,
wherein the expanding region is configured to expand different amounts across an area thereof, thereby conforming to a topology of at least one of the first bony endplate and the second bony endplate.
16 . The implant of claim 15 , wherein the expanding region comprises a porous structure configured to allow for bony in-growth.
17 . The implant of claim 15 , further comprising a support region surrounding the expanding region, wherein a height of the support region is configured to remain substantially the same when the expanding region is deployed from the insertion configuration to the deployed configuration.
18 . The implant of claim 17 , wherein the support region comprises a porous structure.
19 . The implant of claim 15 , further comprising a plurality of columns extending between the first surface and the second surface.
20 . The implant of claim 15 , further comprising a frame surrounding a perimeter of the implant.