Patent ID: 8182537

Claim:
A vertebral body replacement device comprising: a body member having an inner wall, an outer wall, and a Longitudinal axis, the body member having at least one tool port extending from the outer wall through the inner wall and toward the Longitudinal axis of the body member; a central rod member having a first threaded portion and a second threaded portion, the central rod member being configured to be operatively associated within the body member, the central rod member comprising a gear wheel portion, the gear wheel portion having a toothed surface and a support surface, the toothed surface exposed through the at least one tool port when the central rod member is operatively associated within the body member; a first end member and a second end member, the first end member being configured to threadingly engage the first threaded portion of the central rod member and the second end member being configured to threadingly engage the second threaded portion of the central rod member; and wherein the body member, and first and second end members are configured to inhibit rotational movement of the first and second end members when the vertebral body replacement device is disposed within a space within a spinal column with the first and second end members engaging respective vertebral bodies of the spinal column and the central rod member is rotationally actuated to move the first end member and the second end member in an axial direction relative to the body member allowing for the first end member and the second end member to apply a force to the two vertebral bodies to maintain a desired space therebetween, wherein the at least one tool port comprises a plurality of tool ports positioned in a circular arrangement around a perimeter of the body member, each tool port extending from the outer wall through the inner wall and toward the longitudinal axis of the body member, the toothed surface of the gear wheel portion exposed through the plurality of tool ports when the central rod member is operatively associated within the body member.