Intervertebral spacers

Abstract

One embodiment of a hollow spinal spacer ( 10 ) includes a curved anterior wall ( 11 ) having opposite ends ( 12, 13 ), a posterior wall ( 15 ) having opposite ends ( 16, 17 ), two lateral walls ( 20, 21 ), each integrally connected between the opposite ends ( 12, 13, 16, 17 ) of the anterior ( 11 ) and posterior ( 15 ) walls to define a chamber ( 30 ). The walls ( 11, 15, 20, 21 ) include a superior face ( 35 ) and an inferior face ( 40 ). The superior face ( 35 ) defines a first opening ( 36 ) in communication with the chamber ( 30 ) and includes a first vertebral engaging surface ( 37 ). The inferior face ( 40 ) defines a second opening ( 41 ) in communication with the chamber ( 30 ) and includes a second vertebral engaging surface ( 42 ).

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A hollow spinal spacer for engagement between vertebrae, comprising: 
 an anterior wall having a convexly curved anterior surface and opposite ends;    a posterior wall having a flat posterior surface and opposite ends;    two lateral walls, each integrally connected between said opposite ends of said anterior and posterior walls to define a chamber; and    said walls further defining; 
 a superior vertebral engaging face defining a first opening, said opening in communication with said chamber; and  
 an opposite vertebral engaging inferior face defining a second opening, said second opening in communication with said chamber.  
   
     
     
         2 . The spacer of  claim 1 , further comprising an osteoinductive material contained within said chamber.  
     
     
         3 . The spacer of  claim 2  wherein said osteoinductive material is autograft.  
     
     
         4 . The spacer of  claim 2  wherein said osteoinductive material is a bioceramic.  
     
     
         5 . The spacer of  claim 4  wherein said bioceramic is a biphasic calcium phosphate ceramic.  
     
     
         6 . The spacer of  claim 2  wherein said osteoinductive material includes a bone morphogenic protein in a carrier.  
     
     
         7 . The spacer of  claim 6  wherein said bone morphogenic protein is selected from the group consisting of BMP-1, BMP-2, BMP-3, BMP-4, BMP-5, BMP-6, BMP-6, BMP-7, BMP-8, BMP-9, BMP-10, BMP-11, BMP-12 and BMP-13.  
     
     
         8 . The spacer of  claim 7  wherein said bone morphogenic protein is BMP-2.  
     
     
         9 . The spacer of  claim 8  further comprising BMP-7.  
     
     
         10 . The spacer of  claim 6  wherein said carrier is selected from the group consisting of calcium sulfate, polylactic acids, polyanhydrides, collagen, calcium phosphate ceramics and polymeric acrylic esters.  
     
     
         11 . The spacer of  claim 10  wherein said carrier is an open-porosity polylactic acid polymer.  
     
     
         12 . The spacer of  claim 10  wherein said carrier includes collagen.  
     
     
         13 . The spacer of  claim 12  wherein said carrier is fibrillar collagen.  
     
     
         14 . The spacer of  claim 12  wherein said carrier is a collagen sponge.  
     
     
         15 . The spacer of  claim 10  wherein said carrier is provided in strips folded to conform to said chamber.  
     
     
         16 . The spacer of  claim 10  wherein said carrier is provided in sheets folded to conform to said chamber.  
     
     
         17 . The spacer of  claim 10 , further comprising an osteoconductive material contained within said chamber.  
     
     
         18 . The spacer of  claim 17  wherein said osteoconductive material is allograft.  
     
     
         19 . The spacer of  claim 10  wherein said anterior wall defines a thru-hole configured for receiving an implanting tool.  
     
     
         20 . The spacer of  claim 10  wherein said superior face and said inferior face each define a roughened surface adapted to provide a friction fit with bone.  
     
     
         21 . The spacer of  claim 10 , wherein each said lateral wall has an external surface and further comprising a lateral wing projecting from said external surface of each said lateral wall, each said wing disposed between said inferior and superior faces.  
     
     
         22 . The spacer of  claim 10 , further comprising a first pair of blades extending from said superior face and a pair of second blades extending from said inferior face, said blades each having a cutting edge configured to pierce a vertebral end-plate.  
     
     
         23 . A hollow spinal spacer for engagement between vertebrae, comprising: 
 an anterior wall having opposite ends and defining an anterior superior surface and an anterior inferior surface, 
 said anterior superior surface having a concave shape defining a first radius, said first radius configured to correspond to the anterior shape of an inferior vertebral end-plate, and  
 said anterior inferior surface having a convex shape defining a second radius, said second radius configured to correspond to the anterior shape of a superior vertebral end-plate;  
   a posterior wall having opposite ends and defining a posterior superior surface and a posterior inferior surface;    two lateral walls, each integrally connected between said opposite ends of said anterior and posterior walls to define a chamber, each said lateral wall defining a lateral superior surface and a lateral inferior surface;    a superior vertebral engaging face including said anterior superior surface, said posterior superior surface and said lateral superior surfaces, said superior face defining a first opening in communication with said chamber; and    an opposite inferior vertebral engaging face including said anterior inferior surface, said posterior inferior surface and said lateral inferior surfaces, said inferior face defining a second opening in communication with said chamber.    
     
     
         24 . The spacer of  claim 23  wherein said walls and said faces are composed of a biocompatible composite including a rigid foam carbonaceous material and a thin film of metallic material deposited onto said carbonaceous material.  
     
     
         25 . The spacer of  claim 23  wherein said first radius is between about 0.500″ and about 1.250″ and said second radius is between about 0.500″ and about 1.250″.  
     
     
         26 . The spacer of  claim 25  wherein both said first and second radii are about 0.750.  
     
     
         27 . The spacer of  claim 23  wherein: 
 said posterior superior surface has a concave shape defining a third radius, said third radius configured to correspond to the posterior shape of an inferior vertebral end-plate; and  
 said posterior inferior surface has a convex shape defining a fourth radius, said fourth radius configured to correspond to the posterior shape of a superior vertebral end-plate.  
 
     
     
         28 . The spacer of  claim 27  wherein said third radius is between about 0.500″ and about 1.250″ and said fourth radius is between about 0.500″ and about 1.250″.  
     
     
         29 . The spacer of  claim 28  wherein both said first and second radii are about 0.750.  
     
     
         30 . The spacer of  claim 23  wherein said anterior wall defines a thru-hole for receiving an implanting tool.  
     
     
         31 . The spacer of  claim 23  wherein said anterior wall has a convexly curved anterior surface.  
     
     
         32 . The spacer of  claim 31  wherein said posterior wall has a flat posterior surface.  
     
     
         33 . The spacer of  claim 23 , wherein: 
 said lateral superior surface defines a superior radius configured to correspond to the inferior shape of a vertebral end-plate; and    said lateral inferior surface defines an inferior radius configured to correspond to the superior shape of a vertebral end-plate.    
     
     
         34 . The spacer of  claim 23 , wherein each said lateral wall includes an external surface and further comprising a lateral wing projecting from said external surface of each said lateral wall.  
     
     
         35 . The spacer of  claim 23 , further comprising a first pair of blades extending from said superior face and a second pair of blades extending from said inferior face, said blades each having a cutting edge configured to pierce a vertebral end-plate.  
     
     
         36 . A hollow spinal spacer for engagement between vertebrae, comprising: 
 an anterior wall having opposite ends and defining an anterior superior surface and an anterior inferior surface;    a posterior wall having opposite ends and defining a posterior superior surface and a posterior inferior surface;    two lateral walls, each integrally connected between said opposite ends of said anterior and posterior walls to define a chamber, each said lateral wall defining a convex lateral superior surface and a convex lateral inferior surface, 
 each said lateral superior surface defining a superior radius configured to correspond to the inferior shape of a vertebral end-plate;  
 each said lateral inferior surface defining an inferior radius configured to correspond to the superior shape of a vertebral end-plate;  
   a superior vertebral engaging face including said anterior superior surface, said posterior superior surface and said lateral superior surfaces, said superior face defining a first opening in communication with said chamber; and    an inferior vertebral engaging face including said anterior inferior surface, said posterior inferior surface and said lateral inferior surfaces, said inferior face having a second opening in communication with said chamber.    
     
     
         37 . The spacer of  claim 36  wherein said walls and said faces are composed of a biocompatible composite including a rigid foam carbonaceous material and a thin film of metallic material deposited onto said carbonaceous material.  
     
     
         38 . The spacer of  claim 36  wherein said superior radius is between about 0.500″ and about 1.250″ and said inferior radius is between about 0.500″ and about 1.250″.  
     
     
         39 . The spacer of  claim 38  wherein both said superior and inferior radii are each about 0.750.  
     
     
         40 . The spacer of  claim 36  wherein said anterior wall has a convexly curved anterior surface and said posterior wall has a flat posterior surface.  
     
     
         41 . The spacer of  claim 36  wherein said anterior wall defines a thru-hole for receiving an implanting tool.  
     
     
         42 . A hollow spinal spacer for engagement between vertebrae, comprising: 
 an anterior wall having opposite ends;    a posterior wall having opposite ends;    two lateral walls each having an external surface and each integrally connected between said opposite ends of said anterior and posterior walls to define a chamber;    said walls further defining; 
 a superior vertebral engaging face defining a first opening in communication with said chamber;  
   an opposite inferior vertebral engaging face defining a second opening in communication with said chamber; and    a lateral wing projecting from said external surface of each said lateral wall, each said wing disposed between said inferior and superior faces.    
     
     
         43 . The spacer of  claim 42  wherein said walls and said faces are composed of a biocompatible composite including a rigid foam carbonaceous material and a thin film of metallic material deposited onto said carbonaceous material.  
     
     
         44 . The spacer of  claim 42  wherein each said wing extends from said anterior wall to said posterior wall.  
     
     
         45 . The spacer of  claim 44 , further comprising a first pair of blades extending from said superior face and a second pair of blades extending from said inferior face, each said blade having a cutting edge configured to pierce a vertebral end-plate.  
     
     
         46 . The spacer of  claim 44 , wherein: 
 said superior face includes a pair of convex lateral superior surfaces defined by said lateral walls, said lateral superior surfaces each defining a superior radius configured to correspond to the inferior shape of a vertebral end-plate; and    said inferior face includes a pair of convex lateral inferior surfaces defined by said lateral walls, said lateral inferior surfaces each defining an inferior radius configured to correspond to the superior shape of a vertebral end-plate.    
     
     
         47 . The spacer of  claim 46 , wherein: 
 said superior face includes an anterior superior surface defined by said anterior wall, said anterior superior surface having a concave shape defining a first radius, said first radius configured to correspond to the anterior shape of an inferior vertebral end-plate; and    said inferior face includes an anterior inferior surface having a convex shape defining a second radius, said second radius configured to correspond to the anterior shape of a superior vertebral end-plate.    
     
     
         48 . The spacer of  claim 47 , further comprising a first pair of blades extending from said superior face and a second pair of blades extending from said inferior face, said blades each having a cutting edge configured to pierce a vertebral end-plate.  
     
     
         49 . A hollow spinal spacer for engagement between vertebrae, comprising: 
 an anterior wall having opposite ends;    a posterior wall having opposite ends;    two lateral walls, each integrally connected between said opposite ends of said anterior and posterior walls to define a chamber;    said walls further defining; 
 a superior vertebral engaging face defining a first opening, said opening in communication with said chamber; and  
 an opposite inferior vertebral engaging face defining a second opening, said second opening in communication with said chamber; and  
   a first blade extending from one of said engaging faces, said blade having a cutting edge configured to pierce a vertebral end-plate.    
     
     
         50 . The spacer of  claim 49  wherein said walls and said faces are composed of a biocompatible composite including a rigid foam carbonaceous material and a thin film of metallic material deposited onto said carbonaceous material.  
     
     
         51 . The spacer of  claim 49  wherein said first blade extends from said superior face.  
     
     
         52 . The spacer of  claim 51 , further comprising a second blade extending from said superior face, said second blade parallel to said first blade and having a cutting edge configured to pierce a vertebral end-plate.  
     
     
         53 . The spacer of  claim 52 , further comprising a pair of inferior blades extending from said inferior face, each said inferior blade having a cutting edge configured to pierce a vertebral end-plate.  
     
     
         54 . The spacer of  claim 49 , wherein said superior face includes a pair of lateral superior surfaces defined by each said lateral wall, said lateral superior surfaces having a convex shape and said inferior face includes a pair of lateral inferior surfaces defined by each said lateral wall, said lateral inferior surfaces having a convex shape.  
     
     
         55 . The spacer of  claim 54 , wherein: 
 said superior face includes an anterior superior surface defined by said anterior wall, said anterior superior surface having a concave shape defining a first radius; and    said inferior face includes an anterior inferior surface defined by said anterior wall, said anterior inferior surface having a convex shape defining a second radius.    
     
     
         56 . The spacer of  claim 55  wherein said anterior wall has a convexly curved anterior surface and said posterior wall has a flat posterior surface.  
     
     
         57 . The spacer of  claim 56  wherein said anterior wall defines a thru-hole for receiving an implanting tool.