Spine implant insertion device and method

Abstract

A spinal implant include a top, wherein at least a portion of the top is configured to contact a first vertebra, a bottom, wherein at least a portion of the bottom is configured to contact a second vertebra, a side having a releasable attachment to receive an insertion device and a cam surface to engage a cam on the insertion device

1 . A method to surgically insert a spinal implant between vertebra in a mammalian patient using an insertion tool, the method comprising:
 releasebly attaching the spinal implant to a distal portion of the insertion tool;   inserting the spinal implant between the vertebra while the spinal implant is attached to the distal portion;   while the spinal implant is between the vertebra, manipulating a proximal region of the insertion tool to force the spinal implant to make a yaw movement with respect to an axis of the distal portion, and   after making the yaw movement, releasing the distal portion from the spinal implant and removing the insertion tool from the patient while the spinal implant remains between the vertebra.   
     
     
         2 . The method as in  claim 1  wherein the manipulation of the proximal region includes turning a tube about a rod coaxial to the tube, wherein the step of releasably attaching includes attaching a distal end of the rod to the spinal implant and the yaw movement is made by turning a distal end of the tube against the implant. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising locking the implant at a first angle relative to the shaft of the instrument prior to the insertion of the implant. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the implant such that a longitudinal axis of the implant is generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of the insertion tool. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein turning the shaft rotates a cam fixed to the shaft across a cam surface on the implant. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the cam surface is slanted and the movement of the cam across the cam surface pivots the implant. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the manipulation of the proximal end of the tool is performed without tilting a shaft between the proximal region and distal region. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein during the steps of the insertion, the manipulation and the removal, a shaft between the proximal region and the distal portions remains aligned along a single line. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the yaw movement is within a plane parallel to a shaft between the proximal region and the distal portion. 
     
     
         10 . A method comprising:
 inserting an implant into a patient;   loosening the implant relative to the shaft;   turning the shaft about an axis of the shaft to pivot the implant relative to the shaft, and   releasing the implant from the instrument so that the implant is in position between the bone.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising locking the implant at a first angle relative to the shaft of the instrument prior to the insertion of the implant. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein turning the shaft rotates a cam fixed to the shaft across a cam surface on the implant. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the cam surface is slanted and the movement of the cam across the cam surface pivots the implant. 
     
     
         14 . An assembly of a spinal implant and an insertion tool to insert the spinal implant between vertebras wherein
 the insertion tool comprising:
 a shaft assembly including a hollow tube concentric with a rod; 
 a distal portion of the rod including a coupling for releasably attaching to the spinal implant; 
 a distal portion of the hollow tube having a cam surface adapted to engage an opposing cam surface on the spinal implant, and 
 a proximal region of the shaft assembly including a first grip to rotate the hollow tube about the rod and a second grip to rotate the rod within the hollow tube, and 
   the spinal implant comprising:
 a pivoting pin within a housing on the implant, the pivoting pin adapted to couple to the coupling of the distal portion of the rod, wherein the pivoting pin is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the shaft assembly, and 
 the opposing cam surface is adjacent the housing. 
   
     
     
         15 . The assembly in  claim 14  wherein the opposing cam surface is aligned with a line extending through a longitudinal axis of the pin. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly in  claim 14  wherein the housing has a hemispherical outer surface and the opposing cam surface is adjacent the hemispherical outer surface. 
     
     
         17 . The assembly in  claim 14  wherein the cam surface is a planer surface. 
     
     
         18 . The assembly in  claim 14  wherein the pin includes a threaded aperture to receive a threaded tip at the distal portion of the rod. 
     
     
         19 . The assembly in  claim 14  wherein the housing and opposing cam surface are on a side of the spinal implant. 
     
     
         20 . The assembly as in  claim 19  where the spinal implant includes an upper surface and a lower surface each adapted to engage one of the vertebras, and wherein the side extends from the upper surface to the lower surface. 
     
     
         21 . The assembly as in  claim 14  wherein the implant includes at least one of allograft bone, xenograft bone and autograft bone. 
     
     
         22 . A method to surgically insert a spinal implant between vertebra in a mammalian patient using an insertion tool, the method comprising:
 releasebly attaching the spinal implant to a distal portion of a shaft of the insertion tool;   inserting the spinal implant between the vertebra while the spinal implant is attached to the distal portion of the shaft;   while the spinal implant is between the vertebra, manipulating a proximal region of the insertion tool to force the spinal implant to make a yaw movement with respect to an axis of the distal portion while the shaft remains substantially aligned with respect to a stationary straight line extending from between the vertebra, and   after making the yaw movement, releasing the distal portion from the spinal implant and removing the insertion tool from the patient while the spinal implant remains between the vertebra.   
     
     
         23 . A method to insert a spinal implant between vertebra of a mammalian patient, the method comprising:
 forming a space for the spinal implant between adjacent vertebra;   attaching the spinal implant to an end of a center shaft of an insertion tool, wherein the insertion tool includes a tubular shaft coaxial to the center shaft;   aligning the spinal implant with an axis of the shaft before inserting the spinal implant into the patient and while the spinal implant is positioned in or proximate to the space between the adjacent vertebra;   after positioning the spinal implant in or proximate to the space between the adjacent vertebra, rotating the tubular shaft about the center shaft to pivot the spinal implant relative to the center shaft, and   releasing the spinal implant from the center shaft so that the implant remains between the vertebra and the insertion tool may be removed from the patient.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising locking the spinal implant into the alignment with the axis of the shaft while the implant and center shaft are inserted into the patient and releasing the locking to rotate the tubular shaft and pivot the spinal implant. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24  wherein pivoting the spinal implant includes moving the spinal implant in a yaw direction with respect to the center shaft and holding the center shaft stationary while the spinal implant moves in the yaw direction.