Plug in struts for graft cage

Abstract

A system for treating a bone including a graft containment device extending longitudinally from a first end to a second end and including a channel extending therethrough for receiving a graft material therein, the graft containment device including a plurality of fixation openings extending therethrough and a strut extending longitudinally from a first end to a second end and including an attaching portion configured to be attached to the graft containment device and an overhang portion configured to extend beyond one of the first and second ends, when the attaching portion is attached to the graft containment device, the attaching portion including a plurality of coupling elements for engaging the fixation openings of the graft containment device, the overhang portion including an overhang opening configured to receive a bone fixation element for fixing the strut to a bone.

1 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . A graft containment device, comprising:
 a body extending longitudinally from a first end to a second end and including a channel extending therethrough configured to hold graft material therein, the body including a plurality of fixation openings extending therethrough, each fixation opening being configured to receive a bone fixation element therein, the body including a first attachment portion configured to couple to a first strut so that an overhang portion of the first strut extends beyond one of the first and second ends of the body, each of the fixation openings of the body being configured to engage a coupling element of the first strut.   
     
     
         28 . The device of  claim 27 , wherein the body includes a plurality of pores sized to promote vascularization while preventing graft material from falling out of the channel. 
     
     
         29 . The device of  claim 28 , wherein the body is formed as a mesh of circumferential members and longitudinal members, the pores being defined by spaces formed by the intersections of the circumferential and longitudinal members. 
     
     
         30 . The device of  claim 29 , wherein a spacing between adjacent ones of the circumferential members varies along a length of the body to vary a size of the pores along the length of the body. 
     
     
         31 . The device of  claim 29 , wherein a spacing between adjacent ones of the longitudinal members varies around a circumference of the body to vary a size of the pores around the circumference of the body. 
     
     
         32 . The device of  claim 27 , wherein each of at least a portion of the pores is sized to fixedly receive a bone fixation element therein. 
     
     
         33 . The device of  claim 32 , wherein the first attachment portion further includes an attaching opening extending therethrough, the attaching opening sized and shaped to receive a bone fixation element therethrough. 
     
     
         34 . The device of  claim 32 , wherein the body includes a second attachment portion configured to couple to a second strut. 
     
     
         35 . The device of  claim 34 , wherein the second attachment portion includes a plurality of pores each of which is sized to couple to a bone fixation element received therein. 
     
     
         36 . A system for fixing a treating bone, comprising:
 a graft containment device extending longitudinally from a first end to a second end and including a channel extending therethrough configured to hold graft material, the device including a plurality of fixation openings extending therethrough, the device including an attachment portion; and   a first strut configured to be attached to the attachment portion so that an overhang portion of the first strut extends beyond one of the first and second ends of the device, the first strut including a plurality of coupling elements sized and shaped to be received in a corresponding one of the fixation openings of the device.   
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein at least a first one of the coupling elements includes a pair of arms separated from one another via a slot extending along a portion of a length of the arms, each of the arms including enlarged ends separated from one another via the slot, the enlarged ends of each arm being biased away from one another toward a separated configuration. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the arms of each coupling element are movable compressible toward one another so that the enlarged end may be inserted into a corresponding one of the fixation openings. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the arms are configured so that, as the enlarged end passes into the fixation opening, the arms move apart from one another under their bias to lock the coupling element in the corresponding fixation opening. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein the enlarged ends of the arms of each coupling element together form a substantially ball shape. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the attachment portion further includes an attaching opening extending therethrough, the attaching opening sized and shaped to receive a bone fixation element therethrough. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the attachment opening is positioned along the attaching portion between two adjacent coupling elements. 
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the overhang portion extends along a plane offset from a plane along which the attachment portion extends.