US 12,465,499 B2
Spine surgery methods and devices
Scott Spann, Austin, TX (US)
Filed by Pantheon Spinal, LLC, Austin, TX (US)
Filed on Jul. 1, 2025, as Appl. No. 19/257,087.
Application 17/209,874 is a division of application No. 16/149,108, filed on Oct. 1, 2018, granted, now 10,959,860, issued on Mar. 30, 2021.
Application 19/257,087 is a continuation of application No. 17/990,254, filed on Nov. 18, 2022.
Application 17/990,254 is a continuation of application No. 17/209,874, filed on Mar. 23, 2021, granted, now 11,969,359, issued on Apr. 30, 2024.
Application 16/149,108 is a continuation of application No. 15/235,957, filed on Aug. 12, 2016, granted, now 10,085,854, issued on Oct. 2, 2018.
Application 13/239,014 is a continuation of application No. 13/133,909, filed on Sep. 23, 2011.
Application 15/235,957 is a continuation of application No. 13/239,014, granted, now 9,451,940, issued on Sep. 27, 2016, previously published as PCT/US2009/069476, filed on Dec. 23, 2009.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/178,315, filed on May 14, 2009.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/140,926, filed on Dec. 26, 2008.
Prior Publication US 2025/0325380 A1, Oct. 23, 2025
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61F 2/44 (2006.01); A61B 17/02 (2006.01); A61F 2/46 (2006.01); A61F 2/30 (2006.01)
CPC A61F 2/4611 (2013.01) [A61B 17/02 (2013.01); A61F 2/44 (2013.01); A61F 2/4455 (2013.01); A61F 2/446 (2013.01); A61F 2/4465 (2013.01); A61F 2/447 (2013.01); A61F 2/4684 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30538 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30593 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30772 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30777 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30784 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30843 (2013.01); A61F 2002/4627 (2013.01); A61F 2002/4629 (2013.01); A61F 2250/0006 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A spinal implant system advanceable along an oblique anterolateral retroperitoneal operative corridor to an intervertebral disc space, the spinal implant system comprising:
a spinal implant sized and shaped to be introduced into the intervertebral disc space via the oblique anterolateral retroperitoneal operative corridor, the spinal implant further sized and shaped to be repositionable within the intervertebral disc space, the spinal implant including:
an implant body including:
a top bearing face having upper bone engagement protuberances;
a bottom bearing face located opposite the top bearing face, the bottom bearing face having lower bone engagement protuberances;
an anterior face located between the top bearing face and the bottom bearing face;
a posterior face located between the top bearing face and the bottom bearing face, the posterior face located opposite the anterior face;
an ipsilateral face located between the top bearing face and the bottom bearing face and between the anterior face and the posterior face, the ipsilateral face including an upper arcuate lip and a lower arcuate lip;
a contralateral face located between the top bearing face and the bottom bearing face and between the anterior face and the posterior face, the contralateral face located opposite the ipsilateral face; and
a recessed slot formed along the ipsilateral face between the upper arcuate lip and the lower arcuate lip, the recessed slot located within the implant body between the top bearing face and the bottom bearing face; and
a pin extending between the top bearing face and the bottom bearing face, the pin exposed along the ipsilateral face though the recessed slot, the pin pivotable about a vertical pivot axis between a plurality of angular positions relative to the implant body, the pin including an internally threaded opening having a central axis oriented transverse to the vertical pivot axis, the internally threaded opening accessible via the recessed slot; and
an introducer instrument configured to introduce the spinal implant into the intervertebral disc space via the oblique anterolateral retroperitoneal operative corridor, the introducer instrument further configured to reposition the spinal implant within the intervertebral disc space from an initial oblique orientation to a lateral orientation in which the posterior face of the spinal implant is substantially parallel to a coronal plane of the intervertebral disc space, the introducer instrument including:
a sheath including a distal tip having a plurality of fixation protuberances, the sheath defining a longitudinal axis; and
a rotatable shaft extending through the sheath, the rotatable shaft including an externally threaded end projecting externally from the distal tip past the fixation protuberances, wherein the externally threaded end of the rotatable shaft of the introducer instrument is configured to threadedly mate with the internally threaded opening of the pin of the spinal implant while the externally threaded end is positioned within the recessed slot of the implant body of the spinal implant, wherein rotation of the rotatable shaft in a first rotational direction about the longitudinal axis while the externally threaded end is threadedly coupled to the internally threaded opening and the pin is positioned at a first angular position from among the plurality of angular positions advances the externally threaded end along the internally threaded opening, the advancement causing at least a first one of the plurality of fixation protuberances of the introducer instrument to engage the upper arcuate lip of the ipsilateral face of the spinal implant and at least a second one of the plurality of fixation protuberances of the introducer instrument to engage the lower arcuate lip of the ipsilateral face of the spinal implant in a manner that fixes the pin of the spinal implant relative to the implant body of the spinal implant at the first angular position and also fixes the introducer instrument relative to the spinal implant at the first angular position, wherein rotation of the rotatable shaft in a second rotational direction about the longitudinal axis opposite the first rotational direction while the pin and the introducer instrument are fixed at the first angular position retracts the externally threaded end along the internally threaded opening, the retraction causing the at least a first one of the plurality of fixation protuberances of the introducer instrument to disengage from the upper arcuate lip of the ipsilateral face of the spinal implant and the at least a second one of the plurality of fixation protuberances of the introducer instrument to disengage from the lower arcuate lip of the ipsilateral face of the spinal implant in a manner that releases the pin and the introducer instrument from the first angular position while the externally threaded end remains threadedly coupled to the internally threaded opening, wherein the pin can subsequently be pivoted relative to the implant body of the spinal implant via the introducer instrument from the first angular position to a second angular position from among the plurality of angular positions, the second angular position differing from the first angular position, wherein rotation of the rotatable shaft in the first rotational direction about the longitudinal axis while the externally threaded end remains threadedly coupled to the internally threaded opening and the pin is positioned at the second angular position fixes the pin of the spinal implant relative to the implant body of the spinal implant at the second angular position and also fixes the introducer instrument relative to the spinal implant at the second angular position, wherein the introducer instrument is configured to be fixed relative to the spinal implant at the first angular position when the spinal implant is being introduced into the intervertebral disc space via the oblique anterolateral retroperitoneal operative corridor, wherein the introducer instrument is configured to be fixed relative to the spinal implant at the second angular position when the spinal implant is being repositioned within the intervertebral disc space from the initial oblique orientation toward the lateral orientation, wherein the longitudinal axis of the sheath of the introducer instrument pivots angularly away from the posterior face of the implant body of the spinal implant and toward the anterior face of the implant body of the spinal implant as the introducer instrument transitions from the first angular position into the second angular position.