Biedermann Technologies Gmbh & Co. Kg

C. R. Bard, Inc.

Angiomed Gmbh & Co. Medizintechnik Kg

Gael Dreher

Achim Zipse

Lutz Biedermann

Timo Biedermann

Benjamin Majors

A surgical staple insertion system for compressing bone fragments includes a staple and an insertion tool. The staple has first and second legs and an elastically deformable bridge monolithically formed with the first and second legs. In a relaxed configuration, the free ends of the first and second legs are positioned closer to one another than are portions of the first and second legs connected to the bridge. The insertion tool retains the bridge in an elastically deformed configuration with the legs positioned relatively farther apart from one another during at least portion of the step of implantation of the staple. Then, the insertion tool is released from the staple so that the bone fragments between the legs are subject to compression.

Surgical staple and instrument for holding and implanting the surgical staple

An intervertebral implant includes: a body with an upper wall configured to engage a first vertebral end plate and a lower wall configured to engage a second vertebral end plate, and a load transmitting part configured to transmit load between the upper wall and the lower wall; and the load transmitting part is configured to assume a compressed condition in which a distance between the upper wall and the lower wall defines a first height of the implant and an expanded condition in which the distance between the upper wall and the lower wall defines a second height of the implant that is greater than the first height; and the load transmitting part is attached to the upper wall at at least two first connecting locations and is attached to the lower wall at at least two second connecting locations and has substantially an X-shape in a front view of the implant; and the implant is made of a material that exhibits shape memory properties that permit the implant to remain in the compressed condition without outside forces acting upon it and to change to the expanded condition in response to a temperature being directed to a recovery level.

Intervertebral implant and system of an intervertebral implant and an instrument for inserting the intervertebral implant

Devices, instruments, assemblies, and systems for holding and inserting staples and staples for compressing bones or bone fragments. The staple insertion assembly including a staple holder and a staple. The staple holder including a first and second end with a gripping portion at the first end, at least one slot extending from second end toward first end, and a receiving portion at the second end. The receiving portion with at least one staple contact portion, a first recessed region positioned adjacent to the at least one staple contact portion on a first side and a second recessed region positioned adjacent to the at least one staple contact portion on a second side, and a first engagement member positioned adjacent to the first recessed region and a second engagement member positioned adjacent to the second recessed region. Methods for using the assemblies to compress bones or bone fragments are also disclosed.

A surgical staple insertion system for compressing bone fragments includes a staple and an insertion tool. The staple has first and second legs and an elastically deformable bridge monolithically formed with the first and second legs. In a relaxed configuration, the bridge is curved such that a central region of the bridge is directed away from the first and second legs, and free ends of the first and second legs are positioned closer to one another than are portions of the first and second legs connected to the bridge. The bridge includes engagement portions at each of its first and second end sections that extend away from each other. The insertion tool includes an end defining a cavity configured to receive the engagement portions at the end sections of the bridge to retain the bridge in a deformed configuration with the first and second legs retained parallel to each other.

Staple holder and staple assembly

Staple holder

A surgical staple for compressing bones or bone fragments includes a first leg, a second leg, and a bridge monolithically formed with the first and second legs. The bridge has a first end section from which the first leg extends and a second end section from which the second leg extends. A connection between the first leg and the first end second forms a cross-sectional profile, and the bridge has an engagement portion at the first end section that extends away from the cross-sectional profile for engagement with an external tool to adjust the staple from a relaxed state to an expanded state. When the staple is in the relaxed state, at least a portion of the bridge is bent or curved, and free ends of the legs are closer to one another than are portions of the legs connected to the bridge.

A stent formed by slitting a tube to create a matrix of struts, the slitted tube being radially expandable to a stenting disposition in which the struts exhibit a zig-zag pattern in successive loops around the circumference of the stent, the zig-zag pattern exhibiting a cusp between any two adjacent struts, with selected tied cusps of any one loop being connected by a bridge to a facing cusp of the adjacent loop and with intervening free cusps, characterized by lengthwise staggering of circumferentially adjacent said slits within said loops, wherein any two struts that are contiguous with a said tied cusp are of different lengths and any strut that extends from one free cusp to another free cusp has the same length as any other such strut such that, in the said stenting disposition, the free cusps of adjacent loops are circumferentially displaced from each other.

Bendable stent

A stent includes a matrix of struts. The matrix of struts may be disposed parallel to one another in a non-expanded disposition. A plurality of loops along the longitudinal axis may be formed by the matrix of struts. In one aspect, a plurality of cusps in each loop of the plurality of loops connects adjacent struts, the plurality of cusps including tied cusps and free cusps. The tied cusps of one loop can be connected to the tied cusps of an adjacent loop by a bridge extending therebetween. In one aspect, the adjacent struts connected by a tied cusp have different lengths. In one aspect, at least one free cusp in each loop joins two struts of approximately equal length.

A stent () formed by slitting a tube to create a matrix of struts which are separated from each other by no more than the width of the slit and which lie more or less parallel to each other and to the longitudinal axis of the tube, the slitted tube being radially expandable to a stenting disposition in which the struts exhibit a zigzag pattern in successive loops around the circumference of the stent, the angle each strut makes with the longitudinal axis increasing as the stent diameter increases the zigzag pattern exhibiting a cusp between any two adjacent struts with selected tied cusps of any one loop being connected by a bridge () to a facing cusp of the adjacent loop, the bridge extending in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube and with intervening free cusps (), between any two bridge of a loop, not being connected to the adjacent loop the zigzag pattern exhibiting a lengthwise staggering of circumferentially adjacent said slits to the extent that the lengths of two circumferentially adjacent struts on the zigzag pattern that flank a tied cusp are different and further such that, in the said stenting disposition, the free cusps of adjacent loops are circumferentially displaced from each other; and characterized in that: a majority of the struts in any one of the successive loops share a first common length X, and any remaining struts in said one loop share a second common length Y (), wherein Y&#x3c;X.

Stent

A stent formed by slitting a tube to create a matrix of struts, the slitted tube being radially expandable to a stenting disposition in which the struts exhibit a zig-zag pattern in successive loops around the circumference of the stent, the zig-zag pattern exhibiting a cusp between any two adjacent struts, with selected tied cusps of any one loop being connected by a bridge to a facing cusp of the adjacent loop and with intervening free cusps, characterized by lengthwise staggering of circumferentially adjacent slits within said loops, wherein any two struts that are contiguous with a said tied cusp are of different lengths and any strut that extends from one free cusp to another free cusp has the same length as any other such strut such that, in the said stenting disposition, the free cusps of adjacent loops are circumferentially displaced from each other.

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Karlsruhe, Germany

Gael Dreher