Tissue Distraction Device
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method is provided for distracting, in a given direction, and supporting opposed endplates of a vertebral body. A plurality of wafers are consecutively inserted within the vertebral body between the two endplates to create a column of wafers. The column of wafers is oriented between the endplates so as to expand in the given direction as the wafers are consecutively added to the column. The method further includes the step of introducing bone filler in contact with the expanded structure.
-
Citations
111 Claims
-
1-97. -97. (canceled)
-
98. A method of restoring height to a damaged or diseased vertebral body in a spine, said vertebral body comprising spaced opposing superior and inferior endplates and cancellous bone therewithin, comprising the steps of:
-
providing access into said cancellous bone between said opposing endplates;
introducing an expandable structure into said cancellous bone between said opposing endplates;
expanding said expandable structure in the direction of the axis of the spine to distract and support said endplates restoring height to said vertebral body; and
then,introducing bone filler into said cancellous bone at a location exteriorly of, adjacent to and in contact with said expanded structure such that said bone filler interdigitates with said cancellous bone and cooperates with said expanded structure to stabilize said vertebral body. - View Dependent Claims (99, 100, 101, 102)
-
-
103. A method of restoring height to a damaged or diseased vertebral body in a spine, said vertebral body comprising spaced opposing superior and inferior endplates and cancellous bone therewithin, comprising the steps of:
-
providing access into said cancellous bone between said opposing endplates;
introducing a non-inflatable expandable structure into said cancellous bone between said opposing endplates, the structure having openings to receive a bone filler and to facilitate movement of such bone filler therethrough;
expanding said expandable structure in the direction of the axis of the spine to distract and support said endplates restoring height to said vertebral body; and
then,introducing bone filler into and through said openings of said expanded structure to stabilize said vertebral body. - View Dependent Claims (104, 105, 106, 107)
-
-
108. A method of restoring height to a damaged or diseased vertebral body in a spine, said vertebral body comprising spaced opposing superior and inferior endplates and cancellous bone therewithin, comprising the steps of:
-
providing access into said cancellous bone between said opposing endplates;
providing a delivery member having a delivery passage, said delivery member movably supporting a plunger communicating with said delivery passage;
disposing a plurality of elements adjacent one another in a linear array in said passage;
placing said delivery member in communication with said access to said cancellous bone;
moving said plunger along the delivery passage to apply a force to said elements to move said elements into said cancellous bone in contact with each other to distract and support said endplates thereby restoring height to said vertebral body; and
introducing bone filler into said vertebral body in contact with said elements to stabilize said vertebral body. - View Dependent Claims (109, 110, 111)
-
Specification