Spinal disc annulus reconstruction method and deformable spinal disc annulus stent

• US 20060167553A1
• Filed: 03/23/2006
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KRT Investors, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Anulex Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Wales, Lawrence W., Burns, Matthew M., Burmeister, Paul, Hektner, Thomas R., Cauthen, Joseph C. III, Adams, Daniel O., Houfourg, Rodney L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,088,165 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/17.160
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/04 for suturing wounds; Holders or packages for needles or suture materials suture materials A61L17/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06166 Sutures suture materials A61L17/00; manufacture of artificial threads D01D; treatment of threads D06M
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0642 for bones, e.g. for osteosynthesis or connecting tendon to bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/86 Pins or screws or threaded wires; nuts therefor A61B17/72 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00004 (bio)absorbable, (bio)resorbable, resorptive for implantable prostheses A61F2210/0004
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06176 with protrusions, e.g. barbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0641 having at least three legs as part of one single body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0647 having one single leg, e.g. tacks
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0648 threaded, e.g. tacks with a screw thread
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0063 Implantable repair or support meshes, e.g. hernia meshes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30907 Nets or sleeves applied to surface of prostheses or in cement
• 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 2/4601 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 2002/30062 (bio)absorbable, biodegradable, bioerodable, (bio)resorbable, resorptive
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30092 using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30158 trapezoidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30299 umbrella-shaped or mushroom-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30579 : with mechanically expandable devices, e.g. fixation devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30777 : Oblong apertures
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30784 : Plurality of holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30841 : Sharp anchoring protrusions for impaction into the bone, e.g. sharp pins, spikes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4435 : Support means or repair of the natural disc wall, i.e. annulus, e.g. using plates, membranes or meshes
• 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 2210/0004 : bioabsorbable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0019 : operated at only one temperature whilst inside or touching the human body, e.g. constrained in a non-operative shape during surgery, another temperature only occurring before the operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0026 : trapezoidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0093 : Umbrella-shaped, e.g. mushroom-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00011 : Metals or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 623/902 : Method of implanting

Abstract

A spinal disc annulus repair stent for repair and reconstruction of the spinal disc wall (annulus) after surgical invasion or pathologic rupture, which may incorporate suture closure or other means of stent insertion and fixation, designed to reduce the failure rate of conventional surgical procedures on the spinal discs. In an illustrative embodiment, the design of the spinal disc annulus stent advantageously allows ingrowth of normal cells of healing in an enhanced fashion strengthening the normal reparative process.

Claims

1. A method of intervertebral disc reconstruction for treating a disc having an aperture in the wall of the annulus fibrosis, wherein the aperture provides a path for the migration of nucleus pulposus from the subannular space, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an expandable device having a first configuration dimensioned to pass through the aperture and a second expanded configuration having at least one dimension at least as large as the aperture and having at least one dimension larger than a corresponding dimension in said first configuration;

inserting the device through the aperture into the subannular space when the device is in the first collapsed configuration; and

causing or allowing the device to expand in the subannular space into the second expanded configuration to bridge the aperture, thereby occluding the aperture and preventing the migration of nucleus pulposus therethrough.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the device is comprised of a shape memory material.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the shape memory material is nitinol.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is at least in part bioabsorbable.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of treating the annulus tissue surrounding the aperture to reduce the relative motion thereof.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of reapproximating the aperture.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the device further comprises at least one fixation element for attaching the device to the annulus.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the device further comprises at least one element for reapproximating the aperture.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the aperture is pathologic.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the aperture is formed at least in part by a surgical incision.

11. A method of intervertebral disc reconstruction for treating a disc having an aperture in the wall of the annulus fibrosis, wherein the method of claim 1 is performed following discectomy.