Expendable intervertebral implant and associated instrumentation

Abstract

An expandable intervertebral implant including an implant body transitionable between an initial configuration and an expanded configuration, and having first and second axial walls spaced apart along a transverse axis with at least one of the walls defining a recessed region when the implant body is in the initial configuration. An expansion member co-acts with the axial wall to transition the implant body to the expanded configuration wherein the recessed region is outwardly expanded generally along the transverse axis. In another embodiment, the expansion member includes a first portion that is displaced along an axially extending slot formed in one of the walls, and a second portion that is displaced between the walls to transition the implant body to the expanded configuration. In a further embodiment, the first portion of the expansion member defines a passage extending therethrough having an inner transverse dimension sized larger than an outer transverse dimension of the second portion.

1 .- 52 . (canceled) 
   
   
       53 . An expandable intervertebral implant, comprising:
 an implant body having a longitudinal axis and being transitionable between an initial configuration and an expanded configuration, said implant body including first and second axial walls spaced apart along a transverse axis, said first axial wall having opposite end portions spaced apart along said longitudinal axis and a central portion located between said opposite end portions, said opposite end portions of said first axial wall positioned along a first plane with said central portion positioned inward of said first plane to form a recessed region when said implant body is in said initial configuration, said recessed region defining a minimum non-expanded implant height of said implant body in said initial configuration at said central portion of said first axial wall; and   an expansion member engaged with said central portion to transition said implant body from said initial configuration to said expanded configuration wherein said recessed region is outwardly expanded generally along said transverse axis with at least a portion of said recessed region extending outwardly beyond said first plane when said implant body is in said expanded configuration.   
   
   
       54 . The implant of  claim 53 , wherein said implant body includes first and second transverse end walls interconnecting said opposite end portions of said first axial wall with corresponding opposite end portions of said second axial wall to substantially maintain said opposite end portions of said first and second axial walls in a non-expanded state. 
   
   
       55 . The implant of  claim 53 , wherein opposite end portions of said second axial wall are positioned along a second plane with a central portion of said second axial wall positioned inward of said second plane to form a second recessed region when said implant body is in said initial configuration; and
 wherein said second recessed region is outwardly expanded generally along said transverse axis with at least a portion of said second recessed region extending outwardly beyond said second plane when said implant body is in said expanded configuration.   
   
   
       56 . The implant of  claim 55 , wherein a distance between said central portions of said first and second axial walls defines said minimum non-expanded implant height of said implant body in said initial configuration; and
 wherein a distance between said first and second planes defines a maximum non-expanded implant height of said implant body in said initial configuration at said opposite end portion of said first and second axial walls.   
   
   
       57 . The implant of  claim 53 , wherein said recessed region comprises a concave curvature extending inwardly along said transverse axis when said implant body is in said initial configuration, said concave curvature extending from said opposite end portions of said first axial wall and inwardly along said transverse axis to define said minimum non-expanded implant height at said central portion of said first axial wall in said initial configuration. 
   
   
       58 . The implant of  claim 57 , wherein said recessed region of said first axial wall defines a convex curvature extending outwardly along said transverse axis when said implant body is in said expanded configuration. 
   
   
       59 . The implant of  claim 53 , wherein said opposite end portions of said first axial wall are planar. 
   
   
       60 . An expandable intervertebral implant, comprising:
 an implant body having a longitudinal axis and being transitionable between an initial configuration and an expanded configuration, said implant body including first and second axial walls spaced apart along a transverse axis, a first of said axial walls having opposite end portions spaced apart along said longitudinal axis and a central portion located between said opposite end portions, said opposite end portions of said first axial wall positioned along a first plane with said central portion positioned inward of said first plane to define a recessed region when said implant body is in said initial configuration, said recessed region comprising a concave curvature extending inwardly along said transverse axis and curving in a longitudinal direction along said longitudinal axis and along substantially an entire length of said first axial wall between said pair of opposite end portions; and   an expansion member engaged with said central portion to transition said implant body from said initial configuration to said expanded configuration wherein said recessed region is outwardly expanded generally along said transverse axis with at least a portion of said recessed region extending outwardly beyond said first plane when said implant body is in said expanded configuration.   
   
   
       61 . The implant of  claim 60 , wherein said implant body includes first and second transverse end walls interconnecting said opposite end portions of said first axial wall with corresponding opposite end portions of said second axial wall to substantially maintain said opposite end portions of said first and second axial walls in a non-expanded state. 
   
   
       62 . The implant of  claim 60 , wherein opposite end portions of said second axial wall are positioned along a second plane with a central portion of said second axial wall positioned inward of said second plane to form a second recessed region when said implant body is in said initial configuration; and
 wherein said second recessed region is outwardly expanded generally along said transverse axis with at least a portion of said second recessed region extending outwardly beyond said second plane when said implant body is in said expanded configuration.   
   
   
       63 . The implant of  claim 62 , wherein said concave curvature extends from said opposite end portions of said first axial wall and inwardly along said transverse axis to define said minimum non-expanded implant height of said implant body at said central portion of said first axial wall in said initial configuration. 
   
   
       64 . The implant of  claim 63 , wherein said concave curvature curves in a longitudinal direction along said longitudinal axis and extends along substantially an entire length of said first axial wall between said opposite end portions. 
   
   
       65 . The implant of  claim 60 , wherein said recessed region of said first axial wall defines a convex curvature extending outwardly along said transverse axis when said implant body is in said expanded configuration. 
   
   
       66 . The implant of  claim 60 , wherein said recessed region extends from said opposite end portions of said first axial wall and inwardly along said transverse axis to define a minimum non-expanded implant height of said implant body at said central portion of said first axial wall in said initial configuration. 
   
   
       67 . The implant of  claim 60 , wherein said implant body has a first outer transverse dimension at said opposite end portion of said first axial wall in said initial configuration, said implant body having a second outer transverse dimension at said central portion defining said recessed region when said implant body is in said initial configuration; and
 wherein said second outer transverse dimension is less than said first outer transverse dimension.   
   
   
       68 . The implant of  claim 60 , wherein said first axial wall is outwardly expanded generally along said transverse axis to increase said implant height along said central portion while substantially maintaining said opposite end portions in a non-expanded state to substantially maintain said implant height adjacent said opposite end portions. 
   
   
       69 . The implant of  claim 60 , wherein said opposite end portions of said first axial wall are planar. 
   
   
       70 . An expandable intervertebral implant, comprising:
 an implant body having a longitudinal axis and being transitionable between an initial configuration and an expanded configuration, said implant body including first and second axial walls spaced apart along a transverse axis, each of said axial walls having opposite end portions spaced apart along said longitudinal axis and a central portion located between said end portions, said opposite end portions of said first axial wall positioned along a first plane, said opposite end portions of said second axial wall positioned along a second plane, said central portion of each of said first and second axial walls positioned inward of said first and second planes, respectively, to form first and second recessed regions that together define a minimum non-expanded implant height of said implant body in said initial configuration at said central portions of said first and second axial walls; and   an expansion member engaged with said central portions of said first and second axial walls to transition said implant body from said initial configuration to said expanded configuration wherein said recessed regions are outwardly expanded generally along said transverse axis with at least a portion of said first and second recessed regions extending outwardly beyond said first and second planes, respectively, when said implant body is in said expanded configuration.   
   
   
       71 . The implant of  claim 70 , wherein said implant body includes first and second transverse end walls interconnecting said opposite end portions of said first axial wall with said opposite end portions of said second axial wall to substantially maintain said opposite end portions of said first and second axial walls in a non-expanded state. 
   
   
       72 . The implant of  claim 70 , wherein a distance between said first and second planes defines a maximum non-expanded implant height of said implant body in said initial configuration at said opposite end portion of said first and second axial walls. 
   
   
       73 . The implant of  claim 70 , wherein said first and second recessed regions each extend from said opposite end portions of said first and second axial wall, respectively, and inwardly along said transverse axis to define said minimum non-expanded implant height of said implant body in said initial configuration. 
   
   
       74 . The implant of  claim 73 , wherein said first and second recessed regions each comprise a concave curvature extending inwardly along said transverse axis when said implant body is in said initial configuration. 
   
   
       75 . The implant of  claim 74 , wherein said first and second recessed regions each define a convex curvature extending outwardly along said transverse axis when said implant body is in said expanded configuration. 
   
   
       76 . The implant of  claim 70 , wherein said first and second axial walls are outwardly expanded generally along said transverse axis to increase said implant height along said central portions while substantially maintaining said opposite end portions in a non-expanded state to substantially maintain said implant height adjacent said opposite end portions. 
   
   
       77 . The implant of  claim 70 , wherein said opposite end portions of said first and second axial walls are planar.