EXPANDABLE BONE IMPLANT

• US 20100286782A1
• Filed: 05/07/2010
• Published: 11/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Depuy Synthes Products Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Depuy Synthes Products Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Schaller, Konrad, Frigg, Robert, Lechmann, Beat
• Granted Patent: US 9,216,023 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/17.12
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/149 Chain, wire or band saws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1604 Chisels; Rongeurs; Punches; Stamps
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1642 for producing a curved bore
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1671 for the spine
• 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 17/8858 laterally or radially expansible inflatable A61B17/8855
• 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 2/46 Special tools or methods for implanting or extracting artificial joints, accessories, bone grafts or substitutes, or particular adaptations therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4611 of spinal prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/2835 Bone graft implants for filling a bony defect or an endoprosthesis cavity, e.g. by synthetic material or biological material
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30593 hollow
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30953 using a remote computer network, e.g. Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4625 with relative movement between parts of the instrument during use
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4635 using minimally invasive surgery

Abstract

An expandable implant includes an implant body defining an internal void, the implant body including a plurality of interconnected linkages. A first plurality of the linkages has an expansion characteristic that is different from a second plurality of the linkages. An expandable bladder is sized to be disposed in the internal void. The bladder defines a bore configured to receive an expansion material, such that the expansion material applies an expansion force against the bladder, which thereby applies the expansion force against the implant body so as to cause the first linkage to expand greater than the second linkage. The expandable implant can be placed in a fracture location so as to restore height to a fractured target bone.

Claims

1. An expandable implant configured to restore height to a fractured target bone, the expandable implant comprising:

a body having a plurality of linkages connected so as to define at least one annular row, the linkages defining first and second opposed side portions connected by corresponding first and second end portions, the first and second side portions defining a distance therebetween, such that the distance increases from a first distance to a second distance, the second distance being greater than the first distance when the linkages are subjected to an expansion force that causes the body to expand to an expanded configuration from an insertion configuration,

wherein at least a first linkage of the plurality of linkages is sized different than at least a second linkage of the plurality of linkages such that the expansion force causes the first linkage to expand greater than the second linkage.

2. The expandable implant as recited in claim 1, wherein the linkages are directly connected to each other.

3. The expandable implant as recited in claim 1, wherein the linkages are indirectly connected to each other.

4. The expandable implant as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of linkages defines a plurality of rows spaced apart along a column direction.

5. The expandable implant as recited in claim 1, wherein the body is substantially cylindrical when the body is in the insertion configuration.

6. The expandable implant as recited in claim 1, wherein the body is asymmetrically shaped when the body is in the expanded configuration.

7. The expandable implant as recited in claim 6, wherein the body is bent when the body is in the expanded configuration.

8. The expandable implant as recited in claim 6, wherein the side portions of the first linkage is longer than the side portions of the second linkage.

9. The expandable implant as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second side portions are substantially straight.

10. The expandable implant as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second side portions are substantially parallel to each other.

11. The expandable implant as recited in claim 1, wherein the end portions are curved between the side portions.

12. The expandable implant as recited in claim 1, wherein the distance is a circumferential distance.

13. The expandable implant as recited in claim 1, wherein the body includes a plurality of separate discrete links configured to be connected to each other via an expansion device configured to receive the filler material so as to apply the expansion force against the implant body.

14. The expandable implant as recited in claim 1, wherein the implant is a spinal implant.

15. An expandable implant assembly configured to insert an implant into a target bone, the expandable implant assembly comprising:

an implant body defining an internal void, the implant body including a plurality of interconnected linkages, at least a first one of the linkages having an expansion characteristic that is different from at least a second one of the linkages; and

a expandable bladder sized to be disposed in the internal void, the bladder defining a bore configured to receive an expansion material, such that the expansion material applies an expansion force against the bladder, which thereby applies the expansion force against the implant body so as to cause the first linkage to expand greater than the second linkage.

16. The expandable implant assembly as recited in claim 15, wherein the bladder includes a plurality of segments that are hingedly connected to each other about respective joints, and the implant body including a plurality of links spaced apart on the plurality of segments.

17. The expandable implant assembly as recited in claim 15, wherein the first linkage is longer than the second linkage.

18. The expandable implant assembly as recited in claim 15, wherein the target bone is a vertebra.

19. An implant system configured to insert an implant into a fracture location of a target bone, the implant system comprising:

an expandable implant body defining an internal void, the implant body including a plurality of interconnected linkages, at least a first one of the linkages having an expansion characteristic that is different from at least a second one of the linkages, such that the first linkage expands greater than the second linkage when an expansion force is applied to the implant body from an expansion material; and

an opening device having a cutting blade configured to cut through the target bone, the opening device defining a cannula having a proximal end and an opposed distal end, the distal end disposed proximate to a fracture location, the cannula defining a guide path configured to receive the implant body so as to direct the implant body to the fracture location.

20. The implant system as recited in claim 19, further comprising a expandable bladder sized to be disposed in the internal void, the bladder defining a bore configured to receive an expansion material, such that the expansion material applies an expansion force against the bladder, which thereby applies the expansion force against the implant body so as to cause the first linkage to expand greater than the second linkage.

21. The implant system as recited in claim 20, further comprising a cutting device configured to perform an osteotomy on the target bone so as to separate a bone fragment from a remainder of the bone.

22. The implant system as recited in claim 21, wherein the cutting device comprises a plurality of teeth and a protective sleeve configured to assume a first position whereby the teeth are covered, and a second position whereby the teeth extend through the protective sleeve.

23. The implant system as recited in claim 21, wherein the cutting device comprises a guide wire sized to be received in the cannula.