Translaminar facet augmentation and flexible spinal stabilization
First Claim
1. A facet implant for stabilizing a first and a second adjacent vertebrae, comprising:
- a first implant member positionable and attachable through a facet of the first vertebra;
a second implant member positionable and attachable through a facet of the second vertebra; and
an intermediate implant element connecting the first and second implant members positionable between the first and second vertebra facets that controls the relative movement between the first and second vertebrae.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is an apparatus and method for stabilizing the facet joints of the spine. One aspect of the present invention is the stabilization of the facet joint by insertion of a facet implant through two opposing facet surfaces. The facet joint is not fixedly frozen by insertion of the screw, but instead the facet surfaces are flexibly and movably anchored to preserve movement because the screw or anchor includes a flexible intermediate portion which is positioned between the facet surfaces. The facet implant may be in the form of a screw or other anchor with the intermediate portion in the form of a polyaxial head, a cord, a spring, etc. The facet implant may furthermore be used in conjunction with a facet spacer that is placed between the first and second facet.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A facet implant for stabilizing a first and a second adjacent vertebrae, comprising:
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a first implant member positionable and attachable through a facet of the first vertebra;
a second implant member positionable and attachable through a facet of the second vertebra; and
an intermediate implant element connecting the first and second implant members positionable between the first and second vertebra facets that controls the relative movement between the first and second vertebrae. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A facet implant for stabilizing a first and a second adjacent vertebrae, comprising:
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a first implant member positionable in a facet of the first vertebra and attachable to the first vertebra;
a second implant member positionable in a facet of the second vertebra and attachable to the second vertebra, wherein the first vertebra facet is adjacent to the second vertebra facet; and
a means for connecting and permitting relative movement between the first and second implant members positionable between the first and second vertebra facet surfaces.
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10. A system for stabilizing an opposing pair of facet surfaces, comprising:
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a first facet implant for insertion between the opposing pair of facet surfaces for providing spacing and support to the facet surfaces, the first facet implant including an articulating surface; and
a second facet implant for placement through a surface of each of the opposing pair of facet surfaces, the second facet implant including a distal element, a proximal element, and an intermediate portion, the second facet implant extending through the first facet implant such that the intermediate portion is positionable between the opposing pair of facet surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for stabilizing an opposing pair of facet surfaces, comprising:
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a facet implant for insertion between an opposing pair of facet surfaces, the facet implant including an articulating surface and at least one fixation tab, the facet implant providing spacing and support to the opposing facet surfaces;
a cord for insertion through the opposing pair of facet surfaces and the facet implant; and
at least one bone anchor for anchoring the cord to the spine. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A method of stabilizing a facet joint, comprising:
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drilling a receiving hole through an opposing pair of facet surfaces; and
inserting a facet implant into the receiving hole such that it extends through the opposing surfaces, the facet implant including an intermediate element positioned between the opposing facet surfaces for controlling the relative movement of the pair of facet surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A method for stabilizing a facet joint, comprising:
securing together two opposing facet surfaces of a facet joint with a screw, the screw including a distal element, a proximal element, and an intermediate portion, the intermediate portion positionable and attachable between the two opposing facet surfaces and providing improved structural stability to the facet joint but to also allow for movement of the facet surfaces in relation to one another.
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20. A system for stabilizing the spine, comprising:
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a first facet implant for insertion between an opposing pair of facet surfaces, the first facet implant being substantially T-shaped and including an articulating surface and at least one fixation wing, the articulating surface providing spacing and support to the opposing pair of facet surfaces, the fixation wings anchoring the first facet implant to the spine; and
a second implant for insertion through the opposing pair of facet surfaces and the first facet implant, the second facet implant including a screw with a distal end, a proximal end, and an intermediate portion, the intermediate portion flexibly linking the distal and proximal ends.
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21. An apparatus for stabilizing a first and a second adjacent vertebra, comprising:
a screw including a proximal element, a distal element, and an intermediate portion, the proximal element and the distal element including external screw threads and connected by the intermediate portion such that the proximal element and the distal element may move relative to each other, the screw placed through a lamina of a spine, through a pair of opposing facet surfaces of a facet joint, and into the transverse process, the intermediate portion positioned between the opposing pair of facet surfaces of the facet joint.
Specification