[54] EXPANDABLE SPINAL IMPLANT AND SURGICAL METHOD
[75] Inventor: Stephen D. Kuslich, Maplewood, Minn.
[73] Assignee: Spine-Tech, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn. [21] Appl. No.: 510,952 [22] Filed: Apr. 19,1990
Related U.S. Application Data
[63] Continuation-in-part of Set. No. 439,560, Nov. 20, 1989, abandoned.
[51] Int. Q.5 A61F5/04
[52] U.S. CI 606/61; 128/69;
606/60; 606/62; 606/63; 606/77
[58] Field of Search 128/69; 606/60-64,
606/68, 72, 73, 77; 623/16, 17, 18; 433/173, 177
[56] References Cited
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FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
3509417 9/1986 Fed. Rep. of Germany 606/73
0728855 5/1980 U.S.S.R 433/176
8909030 10/1989 World Int. Prop. 0 606/73
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
Page from unidentified German Article with an attached English translation identifying pieces which are placed between vertebra.
Primary Examiner—Richard J. Apley
Assistant Examiner—Linda C. Dvorak
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Merchant, Gould, Smith,
Edell, Welter & Schmidt
[57] ABSTRACT
An expandable spinal implant is disclosed. The implant includes a plurality of ribs which are deformable between first and second states. In the first state, the ribs present a generally cylindrical implant. In the expanded second state, the ribs are arced outwardly to define a generally spherical implant. A tie mechanism is provided for urging the ribs between the first and second states and for holding the ribs in the expanded state. A novel surgical method is disclosed for stabilizing the spine by inserting the implant in the first state between opposing vertebrae and expanding the implant to the second state.
29 Claims, 7 Drawing Sheets
