Prosthetic Facet Joint Ligament

• US 20060259142A1
• Filed: 07/25/2006
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DePuy Synthes Products LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: DePuy Synthes Products LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Gracia, Mark, Serhan, Hassan, Dooris, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 8,540,773 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/13.150
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0401 Suture anchors, buttons or pledgets, i.e. means for attaching sutures to bone, cartilage or soft tissue; Instruments for applying or removing suture anchors A61B17/0642 takes precedence; fixation devices for tendons or ligaments A61F2/0811
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7011 Longitudinal element being non-straight, e.g. curved, angled or branched adjustable length longitudinal elements A61B17/7014; A61B17/7019 takes precedence, e.g. coil springs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7064 Devices acting on, attached to, or simulating the effect of, vertebral facets; Tools therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/08 Muscles; Tendons; Ligaments sutures A61B17/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30 Joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30742 Bellows or hose-like seals; Sealing membranes A61B17/8808 takes precedence; sealing membranes for retaining bone substitute A61F2/2846
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30965 Reinforcing the prosthesis by embedding particles or fibres during moulding or dipping
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4405 for apophyseal or facet joints, i.e. between adjacent spinous or transverse processes devices implanted between spinous or transverse processes A61B17/7062
• 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 2/4425 made of articulated components
• 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 2002/30014 differing in elasticity, stiffness or compressibility
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30032 differing in absorbability or resorbability, i.e. in absorption or resorption time
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30062 (bio)absorbable, biodegradable, bioerodable, (bio)resorbable, resorptive
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30224 cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30242 spherical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30383 made by laterally inserting a protrusion, e.g. a rib into a complementarily-shaped groove
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30462 retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30507 using a threaded locking member, e.g. a locking screw or a set screw
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30553 for adjusting a position by translation along an axis
• 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 2002/30565 : having spring elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30578 : having apertures, e.g. for receiving fixation screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30649 : Ball-and-socket joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30662 : with rotation-limiting means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30673 : Lubricating means, e.g. synovial pocket
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30682 : Means for preventing migration of particles released by the joint, e.g. wear debris or cement particles
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30772 : Apertures or holes, e.g. of circular cross section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30774 : internally-threaded
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30777 : Oblong apertures
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30841 : Sharp anchoring protrusions for impaction into the bone, e.g. sharp pins, spikes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/443 : having two transversal endplates and at least one intermediate component
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0004 : bioabsorbable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0025 : Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0075 : sutured, ligatured or stitched, retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0069 : cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0071 : spherical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0008 : for adjusting a position by translation along an axis or two perpendicular axes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0018 : differing in elasticity, stiffness or compressibility
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/003 : differing in adsorbability or resorbability, i.e. in adsorption or resorption time
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00011 : Metals or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00017 : Iron- or Fe-based alloys, e.g. stainless steel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00023 : Titanium or titanium-based alloys, e.g. Ti-Ni alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00029 : Cobalt-based alloys, e.g. Co-Cr alloys or Vitallium
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00161 : Carbon; Graphite
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00179 : Ceramics or ceramic-like structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00365 : Proteins; Polypeptides; Degradation products thereof
• 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

This invention relates to a spinal facet joint ligament.

Claims

1. A facet joint prosthesis for replacing a natural facet joint comprising first and second facets, the prosthesis comprising:

a) a superior facet joint component having a superior outer surface adapted to attach to a superior facet,

b) an inferior facet joint component having an inferior outer surface adapted to attach to an inferior facet, and

c) a ligament adapted to constrain relative movement between the facets.

2. The prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the superior and inferior components are integral.

3. The prosthesis of claim 2 wherein the superior and inferior components form an interbody fusion device.

4. The prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the superior and inferior components are not integral.

5. The prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the ligament comprises a first attachment end portion adapted to attach to a first portion of the superior facet join component.

6. The prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the ligament comprises a first attachment end portion adapted to attach to a natural vertebra.

7. The prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the ligament comprises a first attachment end portion adapted to attach to the first facet.

8. The prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the ligament comprises a first attachment end portion adapted to attach to an anchor adapted to attach to a natural vertebra.

9. The prosthesis of claim 8 wherein the anchor is a pedicle screw.

10. The prosthesis of claim 1 adapted to limit extension by no more than 7 degrees.

11. The prosthesis of claim 10 wherein the ligament has a stiffness of no more than 2 Nm/degree.

12. The prosthesis of claim 1 adapted to limit axial compression to between 0.1 mm and 2 mm.

13. The prosthesis of claim 1 adapted to limit flexion by no more than 12degrees.

14. The prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the ligament comprises a sheath having a tensile strength of at least 100 N.

15. The prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the superior and inferior components each have an inner articulating surface having a compressive strength of at least 100 N.

16. The prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the superior and inferior components each have an inner articulating surface having a shear strength of at least 500 N.

17. The prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the superior and inferior components each have an inner articulating surface, wherein at least one of the surface is convex.

18. The prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the superior and inferior components each have an inner articulating surface, wherein at least one of the surface is concave.

19. The prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the superior and inferior components each have an inner articulating surface, and the surfaces are conforming.

20. The prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the superior and inferior components each have an inner articulating surface, and the surfaces are non-conforming.

21. The prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the ligament comprises a sheath adapted to enclose a facet joint.

22. The prosthesis of claim 21 wherein the sheath encloses a fluid.

23. The prosthesis of claim 22 wherein the sheath is permeable to a fluid.

24. The prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the ligament has a flexible portion.

25. The prosthesis of claim 24 wherein the flexible portion is curved.

26. The ligament of claim 1 being inflexible.