SPINAL IMPLANTS AND METHODS
First Claim
1. An implant, for at least one of (i) treating an annular defect in an intervertebral disc between adjacent vertebrae of a patient, and (ii) maintaining a height between the adjacent vertebrae, comprising:
- a head portion, sized and shaped to be positioned within the intervertebral disc space between the adjacent vertebrae and configured to engage tissue in the intervertebral disc space;
a tail portion; and
a coupling member that couples the tail portion to the head portion;
wherein, when the head portion is positioned between the adjacent vertebrae, the tail portion contacts a surface of the annulus fibrosus of the intervertebral disc and forms a barrier that prevents substantial expulsion of material from within the disc past the barrier.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Spinal implants are disclosed that can be used for annular repair, facet unloading, disc height preservation, disc decompression, or for sealing a portal through which a nucleus an intervertebral implant was placed. In some embodiments, an implant is placed within the intervertebral disc space, primarily within the region of the annulus fibrosus. In some embodiments, the implant is expandable. In some embodiments, the implant has a sealing tail structure comprising a tail flange and a linkage. In some embodiments, the sealing tail structure limits the extrusion or expulsion of disc material, either annulus fibrosus or nucleus, into the posterior region of the spine where it could impinge on nerves. In some embodiments, the tail structure is retained in place within the annulus fibrosus by means of an anchor. In some embodiments, the anchor is constructed from multiple components.
-
Citations
72 Claims
-
1. An implant, for at least one of (i) treating an annular defect in an intervertebral disc between adjacent vertebrae of a patient, and (ii) maintaining a height between the adjacent vertebrae, comprising:
-
a head portion, sized and shaped to be positioned within the intervertebral disc space between the adjacent vertebrae and configured to engage tissue in the intervertebral disc space; a tail portion; and a coupling member that couples the tail portion to the head portion; wherein, when the head portion is positioned between the adjacent vertebrae, the tail portion contacts a surface of the annulus fibrosus of the intervertebral disc and forms a barrier that prevents substantial expulsion of material from within the disc past the barrier. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 15, 16, 18, 20, 21, 22, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
-
-
5. (canceled)
-
7. (canceled)
-
10. (canceled)
- 13. (canceled)
-
17. (canceled)
-
19. (canceled)
-
23. (canceled)
-
25. (canceled)
-
40. An implant, for at least one of (i) treating an annular defect in an intervertebral disc between adjacent vertebrae of a patient, and (ii) maintaining a height between the adjacent vertebrae, comprising:
-
a spacer, sized and shaped to be positioned within the intervertebral disc space between the adjacent vertebrae to engage at least one of the adjacent vertebrae; wherein, when the implant is positioned between the adjacent vertebrae, a portion of the implant engages tissue in intervertebral disc space and forms a barrier that prevents substantial expulsion of material from within the disc past the barrier; wherein the spacer has a height and a width that are each substantially transverse to a long axis of the spacer; wherein the height and the width are such that, when the spacer is in a first rotational position with respect to the long axis, the spacer passes into the intervertebral disc space as the spacer is advanced substantially along the long axis between the adjacent vertebrae; wherein, when the spacer is in the intervertebral disc space and is rotated into a second rotational position with respect to the long axis, the spacer engages tissue in intervertebral disc space, substantially conforming a height of a region of the intervertebral disc space to the height of the spacer. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43)
-
-
44. An implant, for at least one of (i) treating an annular defect in an intervertebral disc between two adjacent vertebrae of a patient, and (ii) maintaining a height between the adjacent vertebrae, comprising:
-
an anchoring member, configured to be positioned in the intervertebral disc space between the adjacent vertebrae, a portion of the anchoring member being configured to engage tissue in the intervertebral disc space; and a tail portion, coupled to the at least one anchoring member, such that when the portion is embedded into the at least one of the adjacent vertebrae, the tail portion contacts a surface of the annulus fibrosus of the intervertebral disc and forms a barrier that prevents substantial expulsion of material from the disc past the tail portion; and at least one coupling member that couples the anchoring member to the tail portion and fixes the tail portion in a position relative to the head, such that the tail portion contacts the surface of the disc. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
-
-
50. (canceled)
-
51. (canceled)
-
52. (canceled)
-
53. (canceled)
-
54. (canceled)
-
55. (canceled)
-
56. (canceled)
-
57. (canceled)
-
58. (canceled)
-
59. (canceled)
-
60. A method, for at least one of (i) treating an annular defect in an intervertebral disc between adjacent vertebrae of a patient, and (ii) maintaining a height between the adjacent vertebrae, comprising:
-
inserting a portion of an implant, in a first configuration, through an opening in the intervertebral disc and into the intervertebral disc space between the adjacent vertebrae; transforming the portion, in the intervertebral disc space, from the first configuration to a second configuration that substantially inhibits the portion from exiting the intervertebral disc space through the opening; engaging another portion of the implant with the disc, such that the other portion forms a barrier effective to prevent substantial expulsion of material from the disc. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62)
-
-
63. A method, for at least one of (i) treating an annular defect in an intervertebral disc between adjacent vertebrae of a patient, and (ii) maintaining a height between the adjacent vertebrae, comprising:
-
providing an implant having a head portion coupled to a tail portion, wherein the head portion has a long axis; inserting the head portion, in substantially a first rotational position with respect to the long axis, into the intervertebral disc space between the adjacent vertebrae; when the head portion is in the intervertebral disc space, rotating at least the head portion from the first rotational position to a second rotational position with respect to the long axis, thereby engaging at least one of the adjacent vertebrae with the head portion; and engaging the disc with the tail portion, such that the tail portion forms a barrier effective to prevent substantial expulsion of material from the disc. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65, 66)
-
-
67. A method, for at least one of (i) treating an annular defect in an intervertebral disc between adjacent vertebrae of a patient, and (ii) maintaining a height between the adjacent vertebrae, comprising:
-
providing an implant having a long axis; inserting the implant, in substantially a first rotational position with respect to the long axis, into the intervertebral disc space between the adjacent vertebrae; when the implant is at least partially in the intervertebral disc space, rotating the implant from the first rotational position to a second rotational position with respect to the long axis, thereby engaging tissue in the intervertebral disc space with the implant; and engaging the disc with the implant so as to form a barrier effective to prevent substantial expulsion of material from the disc. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70)
-
-
71. (canceled)
-
72. (canceled)
Specification