Method and apparatus for spinal distraction and fusion

• US 20050261695A1
• Filed: 07/26/2005
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mis Ip Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Andrew H. Cragg, Eugene A. Dickhudt, Robert L. Assell
• Inventors: Assell, Robert L., Cragg, Andrew H., Dickhudt, Eugene A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,608,077 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/86.R
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1671 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1757 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32002 with continuously rotating, oscillating or reciprocating cutting instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320725 with radially expandable cutting or abrading elements A61B17/32075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/66 Alignment, compression or distraction mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/70 Spinal positioners or stabilisers ; Bone stabilisers comprising fluid filler in an implant
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7055 connected to sacrum, pelvis or skull
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7061 for stabilising vertebrae or discs by improving the condition of their tissues, e.g. using implanted medication or fluid exchange intraosseous injection devices A61B17/3472
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8811 characterised by the introducer tip, i.e. the part inserted into or onto the bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00004 (bio)absorbable, (bio)resorbable, resorptive for implantable prostheses A61F2210/0004
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00261 Discectomy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00557 inflatable A61B2017/22051 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00867 shape memory effect for prostheses A61F2210/0014
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2905 flexible
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320012 Brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320733 with a flexible cutting or scraping element, e.g. with a whip-like distal filament member
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/564 Methods for bone or joint treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30723 Plugs or restrictors for sealing a cement-receiving space tools for inserting plugs A61F2/4614; sealing collars for use during cementing A61B17/8808
• 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 2/4455 : for the fusion of spinal bodies, e.g. intervertebral fusion of adjacent spinal bodies, e.g. fusion cages intervertebral discs A61F2/442
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4465 : having a circular or kidney shaped cross-section substantially perpendicular to the axis of the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4601 : for introducing bone substitute, for implanting bone graft implants or for compacting them in the bone cavity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4611 : of spinal prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/2817 : Bone stimulation by chemical reactions or by osteogenic or biological products for enhancing ossification, e.g. by bone morphogenetic or morphogenic proteins [BMP] or by transforming growth factors [TGF]
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/2835 : Bone graft implants for filling a bony defect or an endoprosthesis cavity, e.g. by synthetic material or biological material
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30092 : using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30233 : Stepped cylinders, i.e. having discrete diameter changes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30235 : tubular, e.g. sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3055 : for adjusting length
• 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 2002/30593 : hollow
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30677 : Means for introducing or releasing pharmaceutical products, e.g. antibiotics, into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30774 : internally-threaded
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30784 : Plurality of holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3085 : with a threaded, e.g. self-tapping, bone-engaging surface, e.g. external surface
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30859 : having threaded portions of different pitches
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30879 : Ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/448 : comprising multiple adjacent spinal implants within the same intervertebral space or within the same vertebra, e.g. comprising two adjacent spinal implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0014 : using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0069 : cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00023 : Titanium or titanium-based alloys, e.g. Ti-Ni alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00796 : Coating or prosthesis-covering structure made of a phosphorus-containing compound, e.g. hydroxy(l)apatite
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00976 : Coating or prosthesis-covering structure made of proteins or of polypeptides, e.g. of bone morphogenic proteins BMP or of transforming growth factors TGF

Abstract

The invention provides an implantable spinal distraction/fusion rod with varied thread pitch and diameters along different portions of its length that it is capable of distracting two or more vertebral bodies relative to each other and/or facilitating the procedure of fusing the vertebral bodies together from within the spine. The present invention also provides for methods of using the rod to distract and/or fuse two or more vertebral bodies from within the spine.

Claims

1. A method of treating the spine, comprising the steps of:

identifying a site on the anterior surface of the sacrum;

forming a lumen from the site into the sacrum, through a first vertebral body and into a second vertebral body; and

introducing a distraction device into the lumen.

2. A method of treating the spine as in claim 1, additionally comprising engaging a proximal end of the distraction device with respect to the first vertebral body and engaging a distal end of the distraction device with respect to the second vertebral body.

3. A method of treating the spine as in claim 2, additionally comprising the step of manipulating the distraction device to increase a distance between the first and second vertebral bodies.

4. A method of treating the spine as in claim 3, wherein the lumen extends at least as far as the L4 vertebrae.

5. A method of treating the spine as in claim 4, wherein the lumen is linear.

6. A method of treating the spine as in claim 1, wherein the forming step comprises drilling.

7. A method of treating the spine as in claim 3, wherein the method additionally comprises removing at least a part of a disk from between the first and the second vertebral bodies.

8. A method of treating the spine as in claim 3, wherein the method additionally comprises removing an entire nucleus from between the first and the second vertebral bodies.

9. A method of treating the spine as in claim 3, additionally comprising introducing a bone growth facilitator through the lumen.

10. A method of treating the spine as in claim 9, wherein the bone growth facilitator is introduced through the distraction device.

11. A method of treating the spine as in claim 3, further comprising the step of removing the distraction device from the lumen after increasing the distance between the first and second vertebral bodies.

12. A method of treating the spine as in claim 3, further comprising the step of disengaging the distraction device from a distraction device delivery tool, to implant the distraction device within the lumen.

13. A method of treating the spine, comprising the steps of:

identifying a site on the posterior surface of the sacrum;

forming a nonlinear lumen from the site through the sacrum, through a first vertebral body and into a second vertebral body; and

introducing a distraction device into the lumen.

14. A method of treating the spine as in claim 13, additionally comprising engaging a proximal end of the distraction device with respect to the first vertebral body and engaging a distal end of the distraction device with respect to the second vertebral body.

15. A method of treating the spine as in claim 14, additionally comprising the step of manipulating the distraction device to increase a distance between the first and second vertebral bodies.

16. A method of treating the spine as in claim 15, wherein the lumen extends at least as far as the L4 vertebrae.

17. A method of treating the spine as in claim 15, wherein the method additionally comprises removing at least a part of a disk from between the first and the second vertebral bodies.

18. A method of treating the spine as in claim 15, wherein the method additionally comprises removing an entire nucleus from between the first and the second vertebral bodies.

19. A method of treating the spine as in claim 15, additionally comprising introducing a bone growth facilitator through the lumen.

20. A method of treating the spine as in claim 19, wherein the bone growth facilitator is introduced through the distraction device.