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:
Nov. 07, 2000
Filed:
Dec. 23, 1998
David C Paul, Drexel Hill, PA (US);
Hansjuerg W Emch, Philadelphia, PA (US);
Beat Schenk, Paoli, PA (US);
Jeffrey L Carver, Downingtown, PA (US);
Kelly J Baker, Coatesville, PA (US);
Synthes (USA), Paoli, PA (US);
Abstract
An allogenic intervertebral implant for fusing vertebrae is disclosed. The implant is an annular plug conforming in size and shape with end plates of vertebrae. The implant has either an exterior surface identical to that of the harvest bone or an exterior surface machined to have a uniform shape such as an oval or a rectangle. The top and bottom surfaces of the implant have a plurality of teeth to resist expulsion and provide initial stability. The top and bottom surfaces can be either flat planar surfaces or curved surfaces. Preferably, the anterior height of the implant is greater than the posterior height so that the implant is wedge-shaped profile to help restore disc height and the natural curvature of the spine. In one embodiment, the top and bottom surfaces each have a channel oriented in the anterior, lateral, or anterolateral direction for receiving a surgical instrument. The implant can also have a hole for attachment of an inserter. Although the interior space formed by the annular plug can be the natural shape defined by the medullary canal, the medullary canal walls can be machined so that the implant has a uniform interior space.