Inflatable nuclear prosthesis

• US 20050027358A1
• Filed: 07/29/2003
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Loubert Suddaby
• Original Assignee: Loubert Suddaby
• Inventors: Suddaby, Loubert
• Granted Patent: US 6,958,077 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/17.110
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/441 made of inflatable pockets or chambers filled with fluid, e.g. with hydrogel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/442 Intervertebral or spinal discs, e.g. resilient non-disc-shaped intervertebral inflatable pockets A61F2/441; non-disc-shaped intervertebral fusion implants A61F2/4455
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4611 of spinal prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30014 differing in elasticity, stiffness or compressibility
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30016 differing in hardness, e.g. Vickers, Shore, Brinell
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30563 having elastic means or damping means, different from springs, e.g. including an elastomeric core or shock absorbers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30583 filled with hardenable fluid, e.g. curable in-situ
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30586 having two or more inflatable pockets or chambers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/444 for replacing the nucleus pulposus
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4627 with linear motion along or rotating motion about the instrument axis or the implantation direction, e.g. telescopic, along a guiding rod, screwing inside the instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0085 hardenable in situ, e.g. epoxy resins
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0018 differing in elasticity, stiffness or compressibility
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0019 differing in hardness, e.g. Vickers, Shore, Brinell

Abstract

The nucleus of an intervertebral disc is replaced with a construct including a distendable sack or balloon which is inflated with a hardenable material and is detached in situ when the injected material has hardened. Alternatively, two nested balloons may be inserted, and then filled with materials which have different hardnesses when cured, to simulate a natural disc.

Claims

1. A method of replacing a natural vertebral disc, said method comprising steps of

removing at least a portion of the vertebral disc, leaving an intervertebral space between opposed vertebral end plates,

inserting a deflated balloon into said space,

injecting a first liquid into said space until proper intervertebral spacing is achieved,

aspirating all of said first liquid from said space and measuring the withdrawn volume of said first liquid,

injecting the same volume of a hardenable material in liquid form into said space, and

causing or allowing said hardenable material to harden in said space, without withdrawing the balloon, thereby forming a stable mass conforming in shape to said intervertebral space.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said hardenable material is a polymeric material.

3. A method of replacing a natural vertebral disc, said method comprising steps of

removing at least a portion of the vertebral disc, leaving an intervertebral space between opposed vertebral end plates,

inserting a first deflated balloon into said space,

placing a second deflated balloon within said first balloon, thus defining a second chamber between said first balloon and said second balloon,

injecting a first material in liquid form into said first balloon,

injecting a second hardenable material in liquid form into said chamber, and

causing or allowing said hardenable materials to harden, without withdrawing either balloons, thereby forming a stable mass conforming in shape to said intervertebral space.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said first material is hardenable.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said first hardenable material and said second hardenable material have, when hardened, different physical properties.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said first hardenable material is harder than said second hardenable material, when both have hardened.