Patent · US Expired

Inter-vertebral implant

US5888227A · kind A · utility

492Cited by
11References
22Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 2, 1998
Grant dateMar 30, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 2, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61F2310/00179
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An inter-vertebral implant having of a frame-like cage (1) enclosing a space (20), with a top and bottom surface (11,12), two side surfaces (13, 14), a front (16) and a rear wall (15). The top and bottom surfaces (11, 12) have a plurality of perforations (24), the total area of which amounts to 40 to 55% of the total area of said surfaces (11, 12). The individual area of a single perforation (24) is at most 20% of the total area of the top and bottom surfaces (11, 12). The ratio VH/VK between the volume VH of the space (20) and the total volume VK of the cage (1) is in the range from 70 to 90%. The cage (1) is substantially wedge-shaped with top and bottom surfaces (11, 12) diverging towards the front wall (16). This gives the advantage that, owing to the large bone bearing area of the top and bottom surfaces, the implant is prevented from sinking into the end plates of the body of the vertebra.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.