Percutaneous spinal implants and methods

• US 20070043362A1
• Filed: 06/16/2006
• Published: 02/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Europe SARL (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Kyphon SARL (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Malandain, Hugues, Kohm, Andrew, Edidin, Avram
• Granted Patent: US 7,998,174 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/262
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/025 Joint distractors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7062 Devices acting on, attached to, or simulating the effect of, vertebral processes, vertebral facets or ribs rib fixation devices A61B17/8076; Tools for such devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7065 Devices with changeable shape, e.g. collapsible or having retractable arms to aid implantation; Tools therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00557 inflatable A61B2017/22051 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0256 for the spine

Abstract

An apparatus includes an elongate member having a portion configured to be deformed from a first configuration to a second configuration. In one variation, the apparatus includes an outer body, defining an interior region, and an inner body. A portion of the outer body is configured to be disposed between adjacent spinous processes. The inner body is disposed within the interior region of the outer body. A distal end portion of the inner body is coupled to a distal end portion of the outer body. A proximal end portion of the inner body configured to removably receive a tool to move the outer body between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an outer body defining an interior region, at least a portion of the outer body configured to be disposed between adjacent spinous processes; and

an inner body disposed within the interior region of the outer body and having a distal end portion coupled to a distal end portion of the outer body, a proximal end portion of the inner body configured to removably receive a tool to move the outer body between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a distal end portion of the outer body has a tapered shape configured to facilitate insertion of the outer body from a common side of the adjacent spinous process.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outer body defines a first tab and a second tab, the first tab and the second tab collectively configured to limit expansion of the outer body when the outer body is moved from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inner body is configured to substantially maintain a shape of the outer body when the outer body is disposed between adjacent spinous processes.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inner body is configured to bear a load exerted by the adjacent spinous processes.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outer body has a first extension and a second extension spaced a distance apart from the first extension along a longitudinal axis defined by the outer body when the outer body is in the expanded configuration.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outer body has a first extension and a second extension spaced a distance apart from the first extension along a longitudinal axis defined by the outer body when the outer body is in the expanded configuration, the first extension having a length in a direction substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis greater than a length of the second extension in a direction substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tool is configured to apply an axial load in a distal direction on a proximal portion of the outer body and an axial force in a proximal direction on a proximal portion of the inner body to move the outer body between the collapsed configuration and the expanded configuration.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outer body includes a central portion configured to maintain a minimum spacing between the adjacent spinous processes, the outer body further includes an expandable distal portion and an expandable proximal portion.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein when the outer body is in the expanded configuration, a first portion of the outer body is configured to contact the adjacent spinous processes during at least a portion of a range of motion of the adjacent spinous processes, and a second portion of the outer body is configured to retain the outer body between the adjacent spinous processes.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the distal end portion of the inner body is threadedly coupled to the distal end portion of the outer body.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the distal end portion of the inner body is fixedly coupled to the distal end portion of the outer body.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the proximal end portion of the inner body is configured to threadedly couple to the tool.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

an outer body having a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration; and

an inner body disposed within an interior region defined by the outer body and having a distal end portion coupled to a distal end portion of the outer body, the inner body having an inner threaded portion configured to threadedly couple to a deployment tool configured to exert a compressive axial force on the outer body to move the outer body between the expanded configuration and the collapsed configuration while at least a portion of the outer body is disposed between adjacent spinous processes.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the outer body defines a first tab and a second tab, the first tab and the second tab collectively configured to limit expansion of the outer body when the outer body is moved from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the inner body is configured to substantially maintain a shape of the outer body when the outer body is disposed between adjacent spinous processes.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the inner body is configured to bear a load exerted by the adjacent spinous processes.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the outer body has a first extension and a second extension spaced a distance apart from the first extension along a longitudinal axis defined by the outer body when the outer body is in the expanded configuration.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the outer body has a first extension and a second extension spaced a distance apart from the first extension along a longitudinal axis defined by the outer body when the outer body is in the expanded configuration, the first extension having a length in a direction substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis greater than a length of the second extension in a direction substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the deployment tool is configured to apply an axial load in a distal direction on a proximal portion of the outer body and an axial force in a proximal direction on a proximal portion of the inner body to move the outer body between the collapsed configuration and the expanded configuration.

21. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the outer body includes a central portion configured to maintain a minimum spacing between the adjacent spinous processes, the outer body further includes an expandable distal portion and an expandable proximal portion.

22. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein when the outer body is in the expanded configuration, a first portion of the outer body is configured to contact the adjacent spinous processes during at least a portion of a range of motion of the adjacent spinous processes, and a second portion of the outer body is configured to retain the outer body between the adjacent spinous processes.

23. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the distal end portion of the inner body is threadedly coupled to the distal end portion of the outer body.

24. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the distal end portion of the inner body is fixedly coupled to the distal end portion of the outer body.

25. A method, comprising:

inserting percutaneously into a tissue an implant having an outer body and an inner body disposed within an interior region of the outer body while the outer body is in a collapsed configuration;

disposing the implant between adjacent spinous processes; and

actuating a deployment tool to move the outer body from the collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration while at least a portion of the implant is disposed between the adjacent spinous processes, a distal portion of the deployment tool being removably coupled to a proximal portion of the inner body.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

after the actuating, removing the deployment tool from within the opening of the inner body.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

after the actuating, actuating the deployment tool to move the outer body from the expanded configuration to the collapsed configuration while the portion of the implant is disposed between the adjacent spinous processes.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the actuating the deployment tool includes exerting an axial force in a distal direction on a proximal portion of the outer body and an axial force in a proximal direction on a proximal portion of the inner body.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the inserting the deployment tool includes threadedly coupling the deployment tool to the inner body.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein the disposing the implant includes disposing the implant at a first location between the adjacent spinous processes, the method further comprising:

after the actuating, actuating the deployment tool to move the outer body from the expanded configuration to the collapsed configuration; and

disposing the implant at a second location between the adjacent spinous processes different from the first location while the outer body is in the collapsed configuration.

31. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

defining a percutaneous path to a location between the adjacent spinous processes, the inserting being along the percutaneous path.

32. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

defining a percutaneous path to a location between the adjacent spinous processes, the percutaneous path being curved and approaching the location from a common side of the adjacent spinous processes,

the inserting being along the percutaneous path and from the common side of the adjacent spinous processes.

33. A kit, comprising:

an implant being reconfigurable between an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration while disposed between adjacent spinous processes, the implant having an outer body and an inner body coupled to the outer body; and

a deployment tool configured to be releasably coupled to the inner body, the deployment tool configured to move the outer body between the collapsed configuration and the expanded configuration while the implant is disposed between the adjacent spinous processes.

34. The kit of claim, 33, wherein the inner body is disposed within an interior region defined by the outer body.

35. The kit of claim 33, wherein the deployment tool is configured to impart an axial force on a proximal end of the outer body to move the outer body between the collapsed configuration and the expanded configuration.

36. The kit of claim 33, wherein when the implant is in the expanded configuration, a first portion of the implant is configured to contact the adjacent spinous processes during at least a portion of a range of motion of the adjacent spinous processes, and a second portion of the implant is configured to retain the implant between the adjacent spinous processes.

37. The kit of claim 33, wherein the inner body defines an opening on a proximal end portion, the deployment tool is configured to be received within the opening.

38. The kit of claim 33, wherein a distal end portion of the inner body is fixedly coupled to a distal end portion of the outer body.

39. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein a distal end portion of the inner body is threadedly coupled to a distal end portion of the outer body.

40. The kit of claim 33, further comprising:

a trocar configured to define a percutaneous path to a location between the adjacent spinous processes.

41. The kit of claim 33, further comprising:

a trocar configured to define a percutaneous path to a location between the adjacent spinous processes, the trocar having a tapered distal end portion configured to distract the adjacent spinous processes as the tapered distal end portion is moved between the adjacent spinous processes.

42. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the deployment tool is configured to be threadedly coupled to a proximal portion of the inner body.

43. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the outer body defines a first tab and a second tab, the first tab and the second tab collectively configured to limit expansion of the outer body when the outer body is moved from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration.

44. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the inner body is configured to bear a load exerted by the adjacent spinous processes.

45. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the outer body has a first extension and a second extension spaced a distance apart from the first extension along a longitudinal axis defined by the outer body when the outer body is in the expanded configuration.

46. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the outer body includes a central portion configured to maintain a minimum spacing between the adjacent spinous processes, the outer body further includes an expandable distal portion and an expandable proximal portion.