Intervertebral spinal implant

Abstract

An intervertebral implant for implantation in an intervertebral space between vertebrae. The implant includes a body extending from an upper surface to a lower surface. The body has a front end, a rear end and a pair of spaced apart first and second side walls extending between the front and rear walls such that an interior chamber is defined within the front and rear ends and the first and second walls. The body defines an outer perimeter and an inner perimeter extending about the internal chamber. At least one of the side walls is defined by a solid support structure and an integral porous structure, the porous structure extending from the outer perimeter to the inner perimeter. The porous structure embeds or encapsulates at least a portion of the solid support structure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An intervertebral implant for implantation in an intervertebral space between vertebrae, the implant comprising:
 a body extending from an upper surface to a lower surface, the body having a front end, a rear end and a pair of spaced apart first and second side walls extending between the front and rear ends such that an interior chamber is defined within the front and rear ends and the first and second walls, the body defining an outer perimeter and an inner perimeter extending about the internal chamber;   a plurality of struts each being positioned vertically between the upper and lower surfaces; and   an intermediate strut positioned between the upper and lower surfaces, extending laterally between the front and rear ends and interconnecting the plurality of struts.   
     
     
         2 . The intervertebral implant of  claim 1 , further comprising an integral 3-D printed porous structure extending between the outer perimeter and the inner perimeter, and encapsulating the plurality of struts and the intermediate strut. 
     
     
         3 . The intervertebral implant of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the side walls include spaced apart solid upper rim members in the upper surface including inner and outer rims and spaced apart solid lower rim members in the lower surface including inner and outer rims; and   at least one of the struts extends between the inner rim of the solid upper rim members and the outer rim of the solid lower rim members.   
     
     
         4 . The intervertebral implant of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of cross struts extending between inner and outer rims of the solid upper rim members and a plurality of cross struts extending between inner and outer rims of the solid lower rim members. 
     
     
         5 . The intervertebral implant of  claim 4 , wherein each of the cross struts defines a portion of a surface serration. 
     
     
         6 . The intervertebral implant of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one strut has an X-shaped configuration. 
     
     
         7 . The intervertebral implant of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the struts has an X-shaped configuration. 
     
     
         8 . The intervertebral implant of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the struts has an X-shaped configuration and the intermediate strut extends through a midpoint of the X-shaped strut. 
     
     
         9 . The intervertebral implant of  claim 1 , wherein the rear end includes a solid external wall containing a central hole in communication with the interior chamber. 
     
     
         10 . The intervertebral implant of  claim 9 , wherein the solid external wall includes a plurality of slots positioned above and below the central hole. 
     
     
         11 . The intervertebral implant of  claim 9 , further comprising a cylindrical member positioned in the rear end and having a through hole in communication with the interior chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The intervertebral implant of  claim 2 , wherein the rear end is defined in part by a solid wall and in part by the 3-D printed porous structure. 
     
     
         13 . An intervertebral implant for implantation in an intervertebral space between vertebrae, the implant comprising:
 a body having a front end, a rear end and opposed side walls extending between the ends, the body having an outer perimeter and an inner perimeter about an internal chamber, the body comprising:   an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface defined by a solid upper outer rim and a spaced apart solid upper inner rim and the lower surface defined by a solid lower outer rim and a spaced apart solid lower inner rim;   a solid front wall extending at the front end between at least the solid upper outer rim and the solid lower outer rim;   a solid rear wall extending at the rear end between at least the solid upper outer rim and the solid lower outer rim;   each of the side walls including a plurality of struts extending between the upper and lower surfaces;   an intermediate strut positioned between the upper and lower surfaces, extending laterally between the front and rear ends and interconnecting the plurality of struts; and   a 3-D printed porous structure integrally formed with the solid upper rims, the solid lower rims and the struts in each of the side walls, the porous structure extending from the body outer perimeter to the body inner perimeter.   
     
     
         14 . The intervertebral implant of  claim 13 , further comprising one or more cross struts extending between the solid upper rims and one or more cross struts extending between the solid lower rims. 
     
     
         15 . The intervertebral implant of  claim 14 , wherein each of the cross struts defines a portion of a surface serration. 
     
     
         16 . The intervertebral implant of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the struts has an X-shaped configuration. 
     
     
         17 . The intervertebral implant of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the struts has an X-shaped configuration and the intermediate strut extends through a midpoint of the X-shaped strut. 
     
     
         18 . The intervertebral implant of  claim 13 , wherein the front end includes a solid external wall with a portion of the porous structure extending between the external wall and the inner perimeter. 
     
     
         19 . The intervertebral implant of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the rear end is defined in part by a solid wall and in part by the porous structure; and   the solid wall of the rear end contains a central hole in communication with the interior chamber.   
     
     
         20 . The intervertebral implant of  claim 19 , wherein the solid wall includes a plurality of slots positioned above and below the central hole.