Disc shunt delivery with stepped needle

• US 20120065570A1
• Filed: 09/12/2011
• Published: 03/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Andrew Yeung, Jeffrey E. Yeung, Teresa T. Yeung
• Original Assignee: Andrew Yeung, Jeffrey E. Yeung, Teresa T. Yeung
• Inventors: Yeung, Jeffrey E., Yeung, Teresa T., Yeung, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 8,449,490 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/8
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3468 for implanting or removing devices, e.g. prostheses, implants, seeds, wires devices for implanting seeds A61M37/0069
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7061 for stabilising vertebrae or discs by improving the condition of their tissues, e.g. using implanted medication or fluid exchange intraosseous injection devices A61B17/3472

Abstract

A solid stepped needle delivers a disc shunt bridging between muscle and a degenerated disc, drawing blood plasma from muscle into the degenerated disc to alleviate back pain and regenerate the disc. The device further includes pull lines attached to the ends of the disc shunt for withdrawing and repositioning the stepped needle during shunt delivery.

Claims

1. A device for treatment of an intervertebral disc, the device comprising:

a solid needle comprising a distal end, a protruded step and a proximal end, wherein said protruded step is located between said distal end and said proximal end,

wherein said proximal end has an outside wall,

a disc shunt comprising a first portion, a second portion and a middle portion,

wherein said distal end of said solid needle erects from said middle portion, and said first and second portions of said disc shunt drape over said outside wall,

wherein said distal end, protruded step and said middle portion are sized and configured to enter an intervertebral disc,

and wherein said first and second portions of said disc shunt are located outside said intervertebral disc, and are sized and configured to house within a muscle.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said protruded step comprises at least one barb engaging said middle portion.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said protruded step comprises at least one indentation.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said distal end is sharp.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said solid needle is curved.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein said disc shunt connects to at least one linked shunt partially housed within said intervertebral disc.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein said first portion connects to a pull line extending outside the skin.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein said second portion connects to a pull line extending outside the skin.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein said middle portion is thinner than said first or said second portions of said disc shunt.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein said disc shunt is made with braided filaments.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein said disc shunt is made with knitted filaments.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein said disc shunt is made with woven filaments.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein said disc shunt is made with filaments,

and wherein at least some of said filaments are oriented length-wise parallel with said disc shunt.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein said disc shunt is made with micro-tubes.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein said micro-tubes are bundled by a wrapper.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein said disc shunt is made with sponge.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein said disc shunt has a water contact angle between 0 and 60 degrees.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein said disc shunt has pore sizes between 1 nano-meter and 200 micro-meters.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein said disc shunt has a drug coating.

20. A method for implanting a disc shunt to treat an intervertebral disc, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) puncturing skin and muscle into an intervertebral disc with a solid needle carrying a disc shunt,

(b) bridging said disc shunt between the muscle and the intervertebral disc, and

(c) withdrawing said solid needle from the skin, thereby transporting blood plasma from the muscle to the intervertebral disc through said disc shunt.