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:
May. 28, 2002
Filed:
Apr. 27, 2000
Matthew N. Songer, Marquette, MI (US);
Jeffrey D. Vlahos, Bruce Crossing, MI (US);
Thomas S. Kilpela, Marquette, MI (US);
Gopal Jayaraman, Houghton, MI (US);
Other;
Abstract
An implantable, spinal, vertebral replacement device comprises a tubular cage for fitting into a space left by a missing vertebral body and for optionally retaining bone graft material. First and second transverse plates are respectively positioned at opposed ends of the tubular cage for supporting the respective cage ends and for pressing a plate face against an adjacent vertebral body in spinal column-supporting relation. The transverse plates are each joined in transverse relation to at least one vertebral attachment plate which, in use, extends generally parallel to the spine. The vertebral attachment plate defines screw holes for screw securance to at least one vertebral body adjacent to the space. Preferably, one or more vertebral attachment plates are connected to the pair of adjacent vertebral bodies that bracket the space left by the missing vertebral body.