Synthes Usa, LLC

Manuel Schär

Michael Gütlin

Beat Lechmann

Jérôme Bernhard

Konrad Tagwerker

An intervertebral implant comprising a lower implant part, having a central axis and an apposition section, designed to rest against the covering surface of the adjacent lower vertebra and an upper implant part comprising a bore with an internal thread, a central axis and an apposition section, designed to rest against the covering surface of the adjacent upper vertebra. Specifically, the lower and upper implant parts are secured in relation to each other against rotation about the central axis and a threaded screw with an external thread is guided in the upper implant part and connected to the lower implant part, the external thread cooperating with the internal thread. The lower and upper implant parts, and the threaded screw lie coaxially along their common central axis, the threaded screw being connected to the lower implant part so that it is axially fixed but able to rotate.

Intervertebral implant

An intervertebral implant having a lower implant part and an upper implant part. The lower implant part has an outer casing, a hollow cylindrical cavity, an axis of rotation, and an apposition part for contacting the lower vertebra. The upper implant part has an essentially circularly cylindrical shaft, which has an external thread, for extending into the cavity of the lower implant part, an axis of rotation, and an apposition part for contacting the upper vertebra. The two implant parts may be secured to prevent rotation about their axis of rotation. The implant also includes a ring with an internal thread, disposed between the two implant parts and interacts with the external thread of the upper implant part. Rotating the ring permits the distance between the two apposition parts to be adjusted. The ring may be axially fixed but rotatively movably with the lower implant part.

An intervertebral implant is shaped in the form of a hollow cylinder and has a cover face, a base face, a hollow cylinder wall with an outer lateral area and an inner lateral area, as well as a hollow cylinder central axis. The implant is formed at least 95 percent by volume of a radiolucent material which has a modulus of elasticity of between 1 and 20 GPa. Postsurgical observation is permitted by means of X-rays, and at the same time the implant has a high degree of biocompatibility.

Growing community of inventors

Muttenz, Switzerland

Manuel Schär