The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 05, 2000
Filed:
Mar. 23, 1999
Charles D Ray, Williamsburg, VA (US);
Robert L Assell, Mendota Heights, MN (US);
Raymedica, Inc., Bloomington, MN (US);
Abstract
A trial implant for evaluating a size of an intradiscal space for subsequent implantation of a prosthetic spinal disc nucleus. The trial implant is comprised of an elongated central body and a retrieving body. The elongated body is formed from a rigid, surgically safe material and preferably has a volume less than a volume of a nucleus cavity portion of the intradiscal space. The retrieving body is associated with the central body and is configured to facilitate retrieval of the trial implant from an enclosed area, such as the nucleus cavity. A plurality of trial implants are included with a trial implant kit, with each of the plurality of trial implants housing a different size and/or shape. During use, the trial implant provides an indication as to whether a similarly sized prosthetic spinal disc nucleus will fit within a particular intradiscal space.