Apparatus for promoting healing in a bony structure having an injury is provided. A bone graft is positioned directly on a conductive mesh frame, which is placed over the bone injury site. A retainer is fastened to the conductive mesh frame and sandwiches the bone graft therebetween. Over the retainer a brace is fastened and further secured to the bony structure directly over the site of the injury. The brace effectively applies pressure on the retainer to effect an intimate contact between the fusion bone and the injury site. An electronic module is further mounted to the brace and coupled to the conductive mesh frame to deliver a stimulating energy to the conductive mesh frame.
An implantable bone growth stimulator comprising an electrical signal generator having an anode connected thereto along with a prefabricated flexible wire mesh cathode that is extendable to at least twice its preformed initial length. The cathode in a preferred embodiment includes a single chain of conductive wire links formed as alternating loops and twists of two strands of monofilament titanium wire.
A spinal fusion stimulator comprising an interbody fusion cage or other interbody fixation device adapted to be implanted in the intervertebral disc space of a patient's spine, the interbody fusion cage in the preferred embodiment having a hollow body with internal and external conductive surfaces. The stimulator includes a constant current generator connected to the interbody fusion cage and set to provide a DC current effective to produce a surface current density of at least 1 .mu.A/cm.sup.2 in the interbody fusion cage when implanted.
6395030 - Spinal fixation system - Owned by Michigan Technological University (Houghton, MI) Pioneer Laboratories, Inc. (Marquette, MI)
An implantable, spinal, vertebral replacement device comprises a tubular cage for fitting into a space left by a missing vertebral body and for optionally retaining bone graft material. First and second transverse plates are respectively positioned at opposed ends of the tubular cage for supporting the respective cage ends and for pressing a plate face against an adjacent vertebral body in spinal column-supporting relation. The transverse plates are each joined in transverse relation to at least one vertebral attachment plate which, in use, extends generally parallel to the spine. The vertebral attachment plate defines screw holes for screw securance to at least one vertebral body adjacent to the space. Preferably, one or more vertebral attachment plates are connected to the pair of adjacent vertebral bodies that bracket the space left by the missing vertebral body.
An implantable, spinal, vertebral replacement device comprises a tubular cage for fitting into a space left by a missing vertebral body and for optionally retaining bone graft material. First and second transverse plates are respectively positioned at opposed ends of the tubular cage for supporting the respective cage ends and for pressing a plate face against an adjacent vertebral body in spinal column-supporting relation. The transverse plates are each joined in transverse relation to a vertebral attachment plate which, in use, extends generally parallel to the spine. The vertebral attachment plate defines screw holes for preferably open helix screw securance to the pair of adjacent vertebral bodies that bracket the space left by the missing vertebral body.
A method of interlocking first and second inserts between adjacent vertebrae comprising: introducing the first insert between adjacent vertebrae; rotating the first insert to anchor the first insert into a fixed position between the adjacent vertebrae; introducing the second insert between the adjacent vertebrae; rotating the second insert to anchor the second insert into a fixed position between the adjacent vertebrae; and fastening the first insert to the second insert.
