Expandable intervertebral implant and associated method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

An expandable intervertebral implant ( 10 ) includes superior ( 20 ) and inferior ( 30 ) bone contacting members and at least one vertical wire netting ( 50 ) interconnecting the superior and inferior bone contacting members. The superior and inferior bone contacting members include at least two bone contacting components interconnected via one or more lateral wire nettings such that the implant is vertically and laterally expandable in situ from a first insertion configuration to a second expanded configuration. The vertical and lateral wire netting are preferably constructed of a plurality of individual link members. The present invention also preferably relates to an associated method of manufacturing the intervertebral implant such that the intervertebral implant can be manufactured as an integral component or part.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method of implanting an intervertebral implant into an intervertebral space defined by a superior vertebral body and an inferior vertebral body, the method comprising the steps of:
 inserting the intervertebral implant into an intervertebral space in a insertion configuration, such that a superior bone contacting member of the intervertebral implant faces the superior vertebral body, and an inferior bone contacting member of the intervertebral implant faces the inferior vertebral body, wherein 1) the superior bone contacting member comprises first and second superior bone contacting components, and 2) the inferior bone contacting member comprises first and second inferior bone contacting components;   after the inserting step, expanding the intervertebral implant from the insertion configuration to an expanded configuration so as to:
 1) increase a respective distance between the superior and inferior bone contacting members along a cranio-caudal direction; 
 2) increase a respective distance between the first and second superior bone contacting components along a direction perpendicular to the cranio-caudal direction; and 
 3) increase a respective distance between the first and second inferior bone contacting components along the direction perpendicular to the cranio-caudal direction, 
   wherein both before the inserting step and after the expanding step, 1) the inferior and superior bone contacting members are connected together by vertical components of the intervertebral implant, 2) the first and second superior bone contacting components are connected together by superior horizontal components of the intervertebral implant, and 3) the first and second inferior bone contacting components are connected together by inferior horizontal components of the intervertebral implant.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein all of the respective distances are increased simultaneously. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising the step of moving the superior and inferior bone contacting members relative to each other in six degrees of freedom. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the expanding step causes the intervertebral implant to achieve lordotic expansion. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the expanding step comprises inserting an expansion member into the intervertebral implant, wherein the expansion member bears against the intervertebral implant so as to increase all of the respective distances. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the expansion member is inserted into a cavity defined by the superior and inferior bone contacting members. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the expanding step comprises injecting a filling material into the expansion member, thereby causing the expansion member to bear against the intervertebral implant so as to increase all of the respective distances. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the inserting step is performed along a lateral approach into the intervertebral space. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the inserting step is performed along an anterior approach into the intervertebral space. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the expanding step causes the respective distance between the superior and inferior bone contacting members along a cranio-caudal direction to increase along respective entireties of the superior and inferior bone contacting members. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the superior and inferior bone contacting members abut each other during the inserting step, and respective entireties of the superior and inferior bone contacting members are spaced from each other after the expanding step. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the expanding step causes the intervertebral implant to expand the intervertebral space in the cranio-caudal direction. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the expanding step causes the vertical components to expand, causes the superior horizontal components to expand, and causes the inferior horizontal components to expand. 
     
     
         15 . An expandable intervertebral implant that is configured to be inserted in an insertion configuration into an intervertebral space that is defined by a superior vertebral body and an inferior vertebral body, and subsequently expanded to an expanded configuration, the expandable intervertebral implant comprising:
 a superior bone contacting member configured to face the superior vertebral body, wherein the superior bone contacting member comprises first and second superior bone contacting components;   an inferior bone contacting member opposite the superior bone contacting member along a vertical direction, the inferior bone contacting member configured to face the inferior vertebral body, wherein the inferior bone contacting member comprises first and second inferior bone contacting components,   wherein the expandable intervertebral implant is configured to expand from the insertion configuration to the expanded configuration, such that 1) a respective vertical distance is increased between the superior and inferior bone contacting members along the vertical direction, 2) a superior horizontal distance is increased between the first and second superior bone contacting components along a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, and 3) an inferior horizontal distance is increased between the first and second inferior bone contacting components along the horizontal direction, and   wherein both prior to and after expansion of the expandable intervertebral implant, 1) the inferior and superior bone contacting members are connected together by vertical components of the expandable intervertebral implant, 2) the first and second superior bone contacting components are connected together by superior components of the expandable intervertebral implant, and 3) the first and second inferior bone contacting components are connected together by inferior components of the expandable intervertebral implant.   
     
     
         16 . The expandable intervertebral implant of  claim 15 , further comprising an expansion member configured to be inserted between the superior and inferior bone contacting member, wherein the expansion member is configured to cause the expandable intervertebral implant to expand from the insertion configuration to the expanded configuration. 
     
     
         17 . The expandable intervertebral implant of  claim 15 , wherein the superior and inferior bone contacting members are movable relative to each other in six degrees of freedom when the expandable intervertebral implant is in the expanded configuration. 
     
     
         18 . The expandable intervertebral implant of  claim 15 , wherein the superior and inferior bone contacting members are lordotically expandable. 
     
     
         19 . The expandable intervertebral implant of  claim 15 , wherein the respective vertical distance is increased along respective entireties of the superior and inferior bone contacting members. 
     
     
         20 . The expandable intervertebral implant of  claim 15 , wherein the superior and inferior bone contacting members abut each other in the insertion configuration, and respective entireties of the superior and inferior bone contacting members are spaced from each other after the expanding step. 
     
     
         21 . The expandable intervertebral implant of  claim 15 , wherein expansion of the expandable intervertebral implant from the insertion configuration to the expanded configuration causes 1) the vertical components to expand, 2) the superior components to expand, and 3) the inferior components to expand.