US 12,453,644 B2
Expansion driver
Christopher Besaw, San Diego, CA (US); Thomas Sweeney, III, San Diego, CA (US); and Christopher Stein, San Diego, CA (US)
Assigned to NuVasive, Inc., San Diego, CA (US)
Filed by NuVasive, Inc., San Diego, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 12, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/439,159.
Application 18/439,159 is a continuation of application No. 18/006,411, previously published as PCT/US2022/022807, filed on Mar. 31, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/170,345, filed on Apr. 2, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0180718 A1, Jun. 6, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61F 2/46 (2006.01); A61F 2/44 (2006.01); A61F 2/30 (2006.01)
CPC A61F 2/4611 (2013.01) [A61F 2/4455 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30579 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for treating a spinal deformity, the method comprising the steps:
preparing an intervertebral disc space of a patient;
providing an expandable implant comprising a first actuator and a second actuator;
placing the expandable implant within the prepared intervertebral disc space of the patient; and
adjusting an angle and height of the expandable implant using an expansion driver, the expansion driver comprising:
an input shaft operably connected to at least one bevel gear, the at least one bevel gear comprising a first bevel gear and a second bevel gear configured to engage each of a first gear and a second gear;
the first gear connected to a first output shaft, the first output shaft terminating in a first driver configured to communicate with the first actuator of the expandable implant;
the second gear connected to a second output shaft, the second output shaft annularly disposed around at least a portion of the first output shaft;
at least one pinion configured to transfer a torque from the second output shaft to a second driver extending parallel to the first driver and configured to communicate with the second actuator of the expandable implant; and a housing operatively coupled to the input shaft;
wherein upon a rotation of the input shaft a torque is applied to at least one of the first driver and the second driver.