SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FIXATION OF BONE WITH AN EXPANDABLE DEVICE

• US 20070173939A1
• Filed: 12/11/2006
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford Management Co.)
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford Management Co.)
• Inventors: Kim, Daniel, Flaherty, J.
• Application Number:
  US11/609,223
• Publication Number:
  US 20070173939A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/17.110
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/025 for taking bone, bone marrow or cartilage samples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0283 with vacuum aspiration, e.g. caused by retractable plunger or by connected syringe A61B10/025, A61B10/0266 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1633 Sleeves, i.e. non-rotating parts surrounding the bit shaft, e.g. the sleeve forming a single unit with the bit shaft A61B17/1644 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1646 with sealing means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1671 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7098 wherein the implant is permeable or has openings, e.g. fenestrated screw hollow surgical screws A61B17/864
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8858 laterally or radially expansible inflatable A61B17/8855
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/005 with suction drainage system

Abstract

Apparatus, systems and methods for providing fixation to an interior body region of a patient are provided. The apparatus includes an expandable cage which is inserted into a body region, such as cancellous bone of a vertebra, in a first geometry, and transitioned to a second geometry. Delivery devices and other tools are included including a material delivery device used to inject an agent into a body region without requiring or creating a void in that region. Methods are also provided for providing fixation to an internal body region.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing fixation of an interior body region of a patient, said apparatus comprising:

an expandable cage comprising;

a proximal ring;

a distal ring; and

a plurality of elongate members, each elongate member including a proximal end, a distal end and a middle portion therebetween, wherein each proximal end is fixedly attached to the proximal ring of the expandable cage and each distal end is fixedly attached to the distal ring of the expandable cage;

wherein the plurality of elongate members are transitionable from a first geometry with the plurality of the middle portions defining a first area to a second geometry with the plurality of middle portions defining a second area; and

wherein the second area is larger than the first area.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first area or the second area approximate a circle.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first area or the second area approximate a rectangle.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first area or the second area approximate an oval.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the expandable cage is configured to provide structural reinforcement of an interior body region when in the second geometry.

175. A method of providing fixation to an interior body region of a patient, said method comprising:

providing the apparatus of claim 1;

inserting the apparatus into the interior body region of the patient; and

causing the elongate members of the expandable cage to transition from the first geometry to the second geometry.

176. The method of claim 175 wherein the interior body region is a fractured or impending fracture bone segment.

177. The method of claim 175 wherein the interior body region is a segment of osteoporotic bone.

178. The method of claim 175 wherein the interior body region is a portion of a bone in a limb of the patient.

179. The method of claim 175 wherein the interior body region is a cancellous bone portion of a vertebra of the patient.

6-132. -132. (canceled)

133. A method of manufacturing an expandable cage for placement into an interior body region of a patient comprising:

creating a hollow tube with a proximal end and a distal end; and

creating multiple slots that extend from a point distal said tube proximal end and proximal to said tube distal end, said slots creating a plurality of elongate members each with a middle portion;

wherein the plurality of middle portions are expandable from a first geometry defining a first area to a second geometry defining a second area greater than the first area.

134. The method of claim 133 wherein the first area or the second area approximates a circle.

135. The method of claim 133 wherein the first area or the second area approximates a rectangle.

136. The method of claim 133 wherein the first area or the second area approximates a oval.

137. The method of claim 133 wherein the tube is created with an extrusion operation.

138-174. -174. (canceled)

180-189. -189. (canceled)

190. A device for placing material into an interior body region of a patient comprising:

an elongate tube with a proximal end and a distal end;

a body material pulverizing assembly deployable from the distal end of the elongate tube and configured to contact and pulverize material proximate said distal end;

a vacuum assembly configured to remove the pulverized body material from the interior body region; and

an agent delivery assembly configured to deliver an agent to the interior body region in the space previously occupied by the pulverized material;

wherein the agent is placed into the interior body region prior to a void being created in said interior body region.

191. The device of claim 190 wherein the elongate tube is rigid along a majority of its length.

192. The device of claim 190 wherein the elongate tube is flexible along a majority of its length.

193. The device of claim 190 wherein the elongate tube includes at least one hinged portion along its length.

194. The device of claim 190 wherein the elongate tube distal end is configured to be deflected by an operator.

195-212. -212. (canceled)