Intervertebral Body Implant, Instrument and Method

Abstract

Interbody implant systems and methods of implant interbody implants are described. In one aspect, an implant includes a body have a distal end portion and a proximal end portion and a first articulation surface formed at a proximal end of the proximal end portion. An insertion instrument includes an elongate shaft having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion; and a second articulation surface formed at a distal end of the distal end portion. The second articulation surface is configured to interface with the first articulation surface. An attachment member is configured to connect the implant to the insertion instrument. The attachment member is actuatable to compress the first and second articulation surfaces together in a locked configuration with sufficient force to prevent relative rotation between the first and second articulation surfaces. The attachment member is actuatable to reduce an amount of compression force existing in the locked configuration to place the first and second articulation surfaces in an unlocked configuration such that the first articulation surface can rotate relative to the second articulation surface.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A method of inserting an interbody implant, said method comprising:
 attaching an interbody implant to an inserter instrument, wherein the interbody implant includes at least a pair of curved teeth on both top and bottom surfaces and extending adjacent curved sides of the implant in a direction from a distal end to a proximal end of the implant;   aligning a distal end of the implant between two bony surfaces;   driving the implant, using the instrument, wherein the teeth of the implant cut tracks into said bony surfaces, respectively, and wherein curvature of the curved teeth establish the tracks and curved tracks and cause the implant to follow a curved insertion path; and   at at least one intermediate position between a starting insertion position of the implant and a final insertion position of the implant, providing sufficiently low compression force between an articulation surface of the implant and an articulation surface of the insertion instrument to allow rotation of the insertion instrument relative to the implant, while the insertion instrument remains connected to the implant.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the sufficiently low compression force is provided during an entire extent of the insertion process by the insertion instrument. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein, over a least a portion of said driving, rotation of the instrument relative to the implant is not allowed, the compression force between the articulation forces being increased to prevent relative rotation of the articulation surfaces. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein relative rotation between the instrument and the implant occurs more than once during insertion of the implant. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising detaching the instrument from the implant and further inserting the implant to the final position using a compactor instrument. 
     
     
         27 . The method of claim  20 , further comprising preventing retropulsion of the implant via at least one retropulsion resistor formed in at least one tooth of the implant. 
     
     
         28 . A method of inserting an interbody implant, said method comprising:
 attaching an interbody implant to an inserter instrument, wherein the interbody implant includes at least one curved tooth on at least one of top and bottom surfaces that extends adjacent at least one curved side of the implant in a direction from a distal end to a proximal end of the implant;   aligning a distal end of the implant between two bony surfaces;   driving the implant, using the instrument, wherein the at least one tooth of the implant cuts tracks into said bony surfaces, respectively, and wherein curvature of the at least one curved tooth establishes the tracks and causes the implant to follow a curved insertion path; and   at at least one intermediate position between a starting insertion position of the implant and a final insertion position of the implant, rotating the insertion instrument relative to the implant, while the insertion instrument remains connected to the implant.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein a longitudinal axis of the implant is more nearly aligned with a longitudinal axis of the inserter instrument when in the starting insertion position than when in the intermediate position. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein prior to said driving, the two bony surfaces are distracted so as to be spaced apart by a distance slightly less than a height of the implant, and slightly greater than a height of a tapered distal end of the implant. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the curvature of the at least one tooth assists in delivering the implant along a curved delivery path, wherein a longitudinal axis of the implant is substantially aligned in a posterior-anterior direction relative to a patient upon initially driving the implant, and wherein the implant rotates from the initial driving position to a final implantation position, so that the longitudinal axis of the implant is transverse to the posterior-anterior direction. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the implant rotates substantially ninety degrees from the initial driving position to the final implantation position, so that the longitudinal axis of the implant is substantially normal to the posterior-anterior direction.