US 11,865,013 B2
Spinal fixation system
Brett Freedman, Rochester, MN (US); April V. Krivoniak, Greensburg, PA (US); and Kendall D. Dennis, Rochester, MN (US)
Assigned to Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, Rochester, MN (US)
Filed by Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, Rochester, MN (US)
Filed on Sep. 29, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/489,313.
Application 17/489,313 is a continuation of application No. 16/331,706, granted, now 11,154,404, previously published as PCT/US2017/050775, filed on Sep. 8, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/384,972, filed on Sep. 8, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2022/0015924 A1, Jan. 20, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61F 2/44 (2006.01); A61B 17/17 (2006.01); A61B 17/70 (2006.01); A61B 17/80 (2006.01); A61F 2/46 (2006.01); A61F 2/30 (2006.01)
CPC A61F 2/4455 (2013.01) [A61B 17/1728 (2013.01); A61B 17/1757 (2013.01); A61B 17/7059 (2013.01); A61B 17/8009 (2013.01); A61B 17/8042 (2013.01); A61F 2/30744 (2013.01); A61F 2/4611 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30266 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30405 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30471 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30507 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30523 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30538 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30556 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30565 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30578 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30649 (2013.01); A61F 2002/449 (2013.01); A61F 2002/4629 (2013.01)] 28 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A spinal fixation system comprising:
an expandable disc replacement body including a first wall, a second wall, a hinge at a posterior position connecting the first wall and the second wall, and a first bone-screw receiving section at an anterior position and at a proximal end of the first wall, the first wall including a first bone contacting surface for contact with a superior vertebra, the second wall including a second bone contacting surface for contact with an inferior vertebra; and
an adjustment mechanism positioned between the first wall and the second wall, wherein the adjustment mechanism includes:
a first wedge, and a second wedge, the first wedge and the second wedge being independent from each other and slidably engaging the first wall and the second wall, wherein each of the first and second wedges includes a wedge screw aperture extending therethrough, and
a first wedge translating screw, and a second wedge translating screw, wherein each of the first and second translating screws extends through a corresponding wedge screw aperture and threadably engage the hinge;
wherein a first angle between the first wall and the second wall is configured to be continuously increased between a first lower value of the first angle and a first upper value of the first angle by rotating the first wedge translating screw to slide the first wedge along the first and second walls towards the posterior position, and
wherein a second angle between the first wall and the second wall is configured to be continuously increased between a second lower value of the second angle and a second upper value of the second angle by rotating the second wedge translating screw to slide the second wedge along the first and second walls towards the posterior position.