SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING AND PLACING SPINAL IMPLANTS OR PROSTHESES

• US 20110092859A1
• Filed: 10/06/2010
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Seth L. Neubardt
• Original Assignee: Seth L. Neubardt
• Inventors: Neubardt, Seth L.
• Application Number:
  US12/898,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20110092859A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/594
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8855 inflatable, e.g. kyphoplasty balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0256 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/102 Modelling of surgical devices, implants or prosthesis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/104 Modelling the effect of the tool, e.g. the effect of an implanted prosthesis or for predicting the effect of ablation or burring
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/105 Modelling of the patient, e.g. for ligaments or bones
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/108 Computer aided selection or customisation of medical implants or cutting guides
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/374 NMR or MRI
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/376 using X-rays, e.g. fluoroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/10 Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1077 Measuring of profiles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4504 Bones A61B5/4547 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4514 Cartilage
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4561 Evaluating static posture, e.g. undesirable back curvature A61B5/1116 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/505 for diagnosis of bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/02 Devices for expanding tissue, e.g. skin tissue implements for holding wounds open, surgical tractors A61B17/02; implantable mammary prosthesis A61F2/12; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/06 Measuring instruments not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/44 for the spine, e.g. vertebrae, spinal discs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/441 made of inflatable pockets or chambers filled with fluid, e.g. with hydrogel
• 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 2/4657 : Measuring instruments used for implanting artificial joints for surgical instruments A61B90/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3008 : radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/302 : toroidal, e.g. rings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30583 : filled with hardenable fluid, e.g. curable in-situ
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30586 : having two or more inflatable pockets or chambers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30841 : Sharp anchoring protrusions for impaction into the bone, e.g. sharp pins, spikes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30952 : using CAD-CAM techniques or NC-techniques
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0085 : hardenable in situ, e.g. epoxy resins
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0065 : toroidal, e.g. ring-shaped, doughnut-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0098 : radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers

Abstract

A system for determining and placing spinal implants or prostheses includes apparatus for measuring a change in position of vertebrae at an affected level of a patient'"'"'s spine from a position of pain where the patient reports greatest pain originating from the affected level, to a position of comfort where the patient reports the least pain from the affected level. Spinal implants or prostheses are constructed and arranged for urging the affected level of the spine to the position of comfort when applied to or placed at determined locations in the affected level. In one embodiment, an implant device includes one or more inflatable balloons, wherein each balloon is placed at a certain location in a disc space at the affected level, and vertebrae above and below the balloon are urged to the position of comfort at the affected level when the balloons are inflated.

Claims

1. A system for determining and placing spinal implants or prostheses, comprising:

means for measuring a spatial change in position of vertebrae at an affected level of a patient'"'"'s spine from a position of pain (POP) where the patient reports experiencing a greatest pain determined to originate from the affected level, to a position of comfort (POC) where the patient reports experiencing a least pain originating from the affected level; and

one or more spinal implants or prostheses constructed and arranged for urging the affected level of the patient'"'"'s spine to the position of comfort when applied to or placed at determined locations in the affected level.

2. A system according to claim 1, including a database associated with the measuring means, wherein the database is configured to store information concerning a number of spinal implants or prostheses, and the measuring means is constructed and arranged to select one or more implants or prostheses from the database according to the change in position of the vertebrae from the POP to the POC as measured at the affected level.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the implants or prostheses are selected from among artificial discs, rod/screw constructs, flexible rods, and distraction devices.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the measuring means comprises a scanner for producing radiographic image data.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the measuring means comprises apparatus for producing an X-ray at the POP and at the POC.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the measuring means comprises a surgical table.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the measuring means comprises at least one of an electrogoniomter and a torsiometer.

8. A system for determining and placing spinal implants or prostheses, comprising:

means for measuring a spatial change in position of vertebrae at an affected level of a patient'"'"'s spine from a position of pain (POP) where the patient reports experiencing a greatest pain determined to originate from the affected level, to a position of comfort (POC) where the patient reports experiencing a least pain originating from the affected level; and

an implant device including one or more inflatable balloons dimensioned and arranged for insertion into a disc space in the affected level, wherein each balloon of the device is placed at a determined location in the disc space, and vertebrae above and below the balloon are urged to the position of comfort at the affected level when the balloons of the device are inflated.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein the measuring means comprises a scanner for producing radiographic image data.

10. A system according to claim 8, wherein the measuring means comprises apparatus for producing an X-ray at the POP and at the POC.

11. A system according to claim 8, wherein the measuring means comprises a surgical table.

12. A system according to claim 8, wherein the measuring means comprises at least one of an electrogoniomter and a torsiometer.

13. A system according to claim 8, wherein the implant device comprises a flexible, generally disk shaped plate, and a plurality of the inflatable balloons disposed on an inside surface of the plate.

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein the implant device includes an inflatable anchor balloon disposed on the inside surface of the plate, and a spike projecting from an outside surface of the plate opposite the inside surface in the region of the anchor balloon, so that the spike is forced into a confronting vertebral bone when the plate is operatively inserted in the disc space and the anchor balloon is inflated.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein the anchor balloon is shaped so that when inflated, the anchor balloon defines an open central region inside the disc space.

16. A system according to claim 13, including a tool for inserting the balloons into the disc space percutaneously, and for inflating the balloons.

17. A system according to claim 16, wherein the tool comprises a syringe or pump for dispensing a liquid substance or a cement for inflating the balloons, a selector device in communication with the syringe or pump, and a number of balloon filling tubes each of which has an associated one of the balloons fixed at a distal end of the tube, wherein the selector device is constructed and arranged to direct a filling liquid or cement from the syringe or pump through a selected one of the filling tubes to inflate the associated balloon.

18. A system according to claim 16, wherein the tool is constructed and arranged for inserting a bone fixing material into an open central region inside the disc space after the balloons are inflated and the vertebrae above and below the balloons are urged to the position of comfort at the affected level.

19. A system according to claim 18, wherein the anchor balloon is formed so that when inflated, the anchor balloon defines the open central region inside the disc space.