Elastomeric spinal disc nucleus replacement

• US 20060190083A1
• Filed: 07/25/2004
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Premia Spine Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Impliant Ltd. (Premia Spine Ltd.)
• Inventors: Arnin, Uri, Sudin, Yuri, Tauber, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,758,647 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/17.13
• 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 2002/30069 elastomeric
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30092 using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30131 horseshoe- or crescent- or C-shaped or U-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/302 toroidal, e.g. rings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30224 cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30235 tubular, e.g. sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30331 made by longitudinally pushing a protrusion into a complementarily-shaped recess, e.g. held by friction fit
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30495 using a locking ring
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30545 for adjusting a diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30556 for adjusting thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30578 having apertures, e.g. for receiving fixation screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30579 with mechanically expandable devices, e.g. fixation devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30601 telescopic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30738 Sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30919 Sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4415 elements of the prosthesis being arranged in a chain like manner
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/444 for replacing the nucleus pulposus
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0014 using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0025 Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0033 : made by longitudinally pushing a protrusion into a complementary-shaped recess, e.g. held by friction fit
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0013 : Horseshoe-shaped, e.g. crescent-shaped, C-shaped, U-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0065 : toroidal, e.g. ring-shaped, doughnut-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0069 : cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0009 : for adjusting thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/001 : for adjusting a diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00017 : Iron- or Fe-based alloys, e.g. stainless steel

Abstract

A spinal disc nucleus replacement including an elastomeric sheath (12) assembled around a rod (14), a portion of the sheath being arranged for sliding along the rod, and a sheath compactor (18) adapted to slide a portion of the sheath along the rod from a first position to a second position, wherein in the first position the sheath is in a non-expanded orientation and in the second position the sheath is in an expanded orientation wherein folds of the sheath expand radially outwards from the rod.

Claims

1. A spinal disc nucleus replacement comprising:

an elastomeric sheath assembled around a rod, a portion of said sheath being arranged for sliding along said rod; and

a sheath compactor adapted to slide a portion of said sheath along said rod from a first position to a second position, wherein in the first position said sheath is in a non-expanded orientation and in the second position said sheath is in an expanded orientation wherein folds of said sheath expand radially outwards from said rod.

2. The spinal disc nucleus replacement according to claim 1, wherein a stopper is at a distal portion of said rod and said sheath compactor is adapted to push a distal portion of said sheath against said stopper.

3. The spinal disc nucleus replacement according to claim 1, wherein a removable fastening ring holds a portion of said sheath to said rod.

4. The spinal disc nucleus replacement according to claim 1, wherein said rod comprises a removable portion.

5. The spinal disc nucleus replacement according to claim 1, wherein said rod is flexible.

6. The spinal disc nucleus replacement according to claim 5, wherein said rod is flexed into an arcuate shape.

7. The spinal disc nucleus replacement according to claim 1, wherein said rod is constructed of at least one of a shape memory alloy and a shape memory polymer.

8. The spinal disc nucleus replacement according to claim 5, wherein ends of said rod are fastenable together.

9. The spinal disc nucleus replacement according to claim 1, wherein said rod is withdrawable and removable from said sheath.

10. The spinal disc nucleus replacement according to claim 1, wherein said folds of said sheath expand outwards generally uniformly.

11. The spinal disc nucleus replacement according to claim 1, wherein said folds of said sheath expand outwards non-uniformly.

12. The spinal disc nucleus replacement according to claim 1, wherein a distance between folds of said sheath varies axially along said rod.

13. The spinal disc nucleus replacement according to claim 1, wherein there are more folds on one side of said sheath than on another side of said sheath.

14. The spinal disc nucleus replacement according to claim 1, further comprising an anchor for attachment to spinal structure.

15. The spinal disc nucleus replacement according to claim 1, further comprising a guiding wire for introducing said sheath thereover.

16. The spinal disc nucleus replacement according to claim 1, wherein said sheath is constructed of at least one of polyurethane, latex, natural rubber, silicone rubber, nylon, and shape memory polymer.