Tissue Distraction Device

• US 20080027437A1
• Filed: 10/05/2007
• Published: 01/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spine Wave Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Spine Wave Incorporated
• Inventors: Kieval, Robert, Wales, Larry, Johnson, Wes, Lipschultz, Tyler
• Granted Patent: US 7,744,637 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/61
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/025 Joint distractors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/66 Alignment, compression or distraction mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7097 Stabilisers comprising fluid filler in an implant, e.g. balloon; devices for inserting or filling such implants disc prostheses made of inflatable chambers or pockets filled with fluid A61F2/441; replacing the nucleus pulposus A61F2002/444
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8852 capable of being assembled or enlarged, or changing shape, inside the bone or disc
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0256 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/28 Bones joints A61F2/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/44 for the spine, e.g. vertebrae, spinal discs
• 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 2/447 substantially parallelepipedal, e.g. having a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4611 of spinal prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30075 swellable, e.g. when wetted
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3008 radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30237 partial tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30261 parallelepipedal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30385 the rib and groove having non-parallel, e.g. conically-tapered, cooperating sides, e.g. having a trapezoidal front cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30387 Dovetail connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30392 Rotation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/304 with additional means for limiting said sliding
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30448 : using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30449 : the adhesive being cement
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30462 : retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30476 : locked by an additional locking mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3049 : using a slidable sleeve covering the connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/305 : Snap connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30599 : stackable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30604 : modular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30616 : Sets comprising a plurality of prosthetic parts of different sizes or orientations
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30772 : Apertures or holes, e.g. of circular cross section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4415 : elements of the prosthesis being arranged in a chain like manner
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4485 : comprising three or more adjacent spinal implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4627 : with linear motion along or rotating motion about the instrument axis or the implantation direction, e.g. telescopic, along a guiding rod, screwing inside the instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4666 : for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0061 : swellable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0025 : Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/005 : using adhesives
• 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 2230/0082 : parallelepipedal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0063 : Nested prosthetic parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0098 : radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers
• 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 2310/00071 : Nickel or Ni-based alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00203 : containing alumina or aluminium oxide
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00239 : containing zirconia or zirconium oxide ZrO2
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00293 : containing a phosphorus-containing compound, e.g. apatite
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00353 : Bone cement, e.g. polymethylmethacrylate or PMMA
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00359 : Bone or bony tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00365 : Proteins; Polypeptides; Degradation products thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 606/907 : Composed of particular material or coated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 606/912 : Radiolucent material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 606/914 : Toolkit for installing or removing spinal positioner or stabilizer

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.

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.

99. The method of claim 98, wherein said bone filler comprises bone cement.

100. The method of claim 98, further including the step of providing an expandable structure that comprises openings through which bone filler may flow.

101. The method of claim 98, wherein said expandable structure comprises a plurality of substantially similarly configured elements, said expandable structure being formed in vivo by consecutive individual insertion of each of said elements into said cancellous bone and in contact with each other.

102. The method of claim 101, wherein said elements are configured to cause said expansion in said substantially only one direction upon said consecutive insertion.

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.

104. The method of claim 103, wherein bone filler comprises bone cement.

105. The method of claim 103, wherein said expandable structure is configured for expansion in substantially only one direction.

106. The method of claim 105, wherein said expandable structure comprises a plurality of substantially similarly configured elements, said expandable structure being formed in vivo by consecutive individual insertion of each of said elements into said cancellous bone and in contact with each other.

107. The method of claim 106, wherein said elements are configured to cause said expansion in said substantially only one direction upon said consecutive insertion.

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.

109. The method of claim 108, wherein said elements are configured to form an expandable structure upon movement of said elements into said cancellous bone.

110. The method of claim 109, wherein said elements are configured to cause expansion of said structure in said substantially only one direction.

111. The method of claim 110, wherein said bone filler is introduced after said structure is expanded.