Larry Ray Boyd

US Patent:

7329283, Feb 12, 2008

Filed:

Mar 30, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/094699

Inventors:

Bradley T. Estes - Memphis TN, US
Larry Boyd - Memphis TN, US
John A. Pafford - Germantown TN, US

Assignee:

Warsaw Orthopedic, Inc. - Warsaw IN

International Classification:

A61F 2/44

US Classification:

623 1716, 606 61

Abstract:

Open chambered spacers, implanting tools and methods are provided. The spacers ′ include a body ′ having a wall ′ which defines a chamber ′ and an opening ′ in communication with the chamber ′. In one embodiment the wall ′ includes a pair of arms ′ facing one another and forming a mouth ′ to the chamber ′. Preferably, one of the arms ′ is truncated relative to the other, forming a channel. In one aspect the body ′ is a bone dowel comprising an off-center plug from the diaphysis of a long bone. The tools include spacer engaging means for engaging a spacer and occlusion means for blocking an opening defined in the spacer. In some embodiments, the occlusion means includes a plate extendable from the housing. In one specific embodiment the plate defines a groove which is disposed around a fastener attached to the housing so that the plate is slideable relative to the housing.