Patent ID: 9107761
Filing Date: 2015-08-18
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. An intervertebral prosthesis, comprising: a body including first and second spaced apart major surfaces, the first major surface for engaging an endplate of a first vertebral bone of a spine, and the second major surface for engaging an endplate of an adjacent, second vertebral bone of the spine, and the first and second major surfaces defining a longitudinal axis extending transversely through the first and second spaced apart major surfaces; a first aperture extending from within the body and opening at one of the first and second major surfaces; a first anchoring element disposed within the first aperture and including a shaft having proximal and distal ends, where the proximal end of the first anchoring element includes a first ball; and a drive mechanism having: (i) a threaded shaft defining a longitudinal axis thereof and a head at a proximal end of the threaded shaft, (ii) a translator element having a threaded bore in threaded engagement with the threaded shaft, and a coupling element having a first socket within which the first ball is engaged, wherein: the drive shaft is fixed in a direction of the longitudinal axis thereof, but rotatable, within the body, such that a rotation force on the drive shaft causes the translator to: (i) move along the longitudinal axis of the drive shaft, (ii) translate the proximal end of the first anchoring element parallel to the longitudinal axis of the drive shaft, and (iii) push the first anchoring element out through the first aperture, and the first ball is captive within the first socket such that the translator is in engagement with and permits articulation of the first anchoring element in more than one plane as the translator moves along the longitudinal axis of the drive shaft.