VERTEBRAL JOINT IMPLANTS AND DELIVERY TOOLS

• US 20130018474A1
• Filed: 09/13/2012
• Published: 01/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Providence Medical Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Providence Medical Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: McCormack, Bruce M., Smith, Jeffrey D., Tanaka, Shigeru, Liou, Edward, Eyster, Edward Fletcher, Carver, Jonathan, Druker, Joshua, Leugers, Martin, Tu, Kurin, Lombrozo, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,828,062 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/17.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/025 Joint distractors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0642 for bones, e.g. for osteosynthesis or connecting tendon to bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1604 Chisels; Rongeurs; Punches; Stamps
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1659 Surgical rasps, files, planes, or scrapers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1671 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1735 for rasps or chisels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1757 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7064 Devices acting on, attached to, or simulating the effect of, vertebral facets; Tools therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7074 Tools specially adapted for spinal fixation operations other than for bone removal or filler handling A61B17/7062, A61B17/808, A61B17/8858 take precedence; for spinal image producing devices A61B90/36, A61B34/20; markers A61B90/39
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/863 with thread interrupted or changing its form along shank, other than constant taper
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8811 characterised by the introducer tip, i.e. the part inserted into or onto the bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8819 characterised by the introducer proximal part, e.g. cannula handle, or by parts which are inserted inside each other, e.g. stylet and cannula A61B17/8825 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8822 characterised by means facilitating expulsion of fluid from the introducer, e.g. a screw pump plunger, hydraulic force transmissions, application of vibrations or a vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00424 ergonomic, e.g. fitting in fist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00429 with a roughened portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0256 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320028 with reciprocating movements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/031 torque limiting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/034 abutting on parts of the device itself
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/037 with a frangible part, e.g. by reduced diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4405 : for apophyseal or facet joints, i.e. between adjacent spinous or transverse processes devices implanted between spinous or transverse processes A61B17/7062
• 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 2002/30131 : horseshoe- or crescent- or C-shaped or U-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30168 : L-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30176 : V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30266 : wedge-shaped parallelepipeds
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30289 : helically-coiled
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30378 : Spherically-shaped protrusion and recess
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30405 : made by screwing complementary threads machined on the parts themselves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30451 : soldered or brazed or welded
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30471 : connected by a hinged linkage mechanism, e.g. of the single-bar or multi-bar linkage type
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30484 : Mechanically expandable devices located on the first prosthetic part for locking into or onto the second prosthetic part
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30507 : using a threaded locking member, e.g. a locking screw or a set screw
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3052 : unrestrained in only one direction, e.g. moving unidirectionally
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30523 : by means of meshing gear teeth
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30538 : for adjusting angular orientation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30556 : for adjusting thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30599 : stackable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30733 : Inserts placed into an endoprosthetic cavity, e.g. for modifying a material property
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30841 : Sharp anchoring protrusions for impaction into the bone, e.g. sharp pins, spikes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3085 : with a threaded, e.g. self-tapping, bone-engaging surface, e.g. external surface
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30904 : serrated profile, i.e. saw-toothed
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/448 : comprising multiple adjacent spinal implants within the same intervertebral space or within the same vertebra, e.g. comprising two 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: H04L 45/00 : Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 : Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 : Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/28 : using route fault recovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/04 : Error control

Abstract

A spinal joint distraction system for treating a facet joint including articular surfaces having a contour is disclosed and may include a delivery device including a generally tubular structure adapted to engage a facet joint, an implant adapted to be delivered through the delivery device and into the facet joint, the implant comprising two members arranged in opposed position, and an implant distractor comprising a generally elongate member adapted to advance between the two members of the implant causing separation of the members and distraction of the facet joint, wherein the implant is adapted to conform to the shape of the implant distractor and/or the articular surfaces of the facet upon being delivered to the facet joint. Several embodiments of a system, several embodiments of an implant, and several methods are disclosed including a method for interbody fusion.

Claims

1. A method of implanting a spinal implant in a spinal facet joint space, the method comprising:

a) providing an outer portion of the spinal implant, the outer portion comprising a first member and a second member in opposed relation to each other and each of the first and second members comprising a distal leading portion and a proximal trailing portion opposite the distal leading portion, the first and second members coupled together near their respective distal leading portions;

b) minimally invasively delivering via a posterior approach the outer portion into the spinal facet joint space, the delivered outer portion extending along the spinal facet joint space;

c) providing a distractor member; and

d) delivering the distractor member into the delivered outer portion, the delivery of the distractor member into the delivered outer portion causing the proximal trailing portions of the first and second members to displace away from each other.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the delivered outer portion is at least substantially contained in the spinal facet joint space.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first member or the second member is a generally planar member.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering the distractor member into the delivered outer portion comprises causing the distractor member to displace distally between the first and second members of the delivered outer portion.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering the distractor member into the delivered outer portion comprises threading the distractor member between the first and second members of the delivered outer portion.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the distractor member comprises a shaft and a thread extending along the shaft;

the first member further comprises at least one slot defined in the first member, the at least one slot extending from an inner surface of the first member through a thickness of the first member to an outer surface of the first member; and

delivering the distractor member into the delivered outer portion comprises threading the distractor member between the first member and second member of the delivered outer portion such that at least a portion of the thread extends through the at least one slot to extend outwardly past the outer surface of the first member.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the causing the proximal trailing portions of the first and second members to displace away from each other results in:

the first member pushing against a first articular surface of the spinal facet joint space; and

the second member pushing against a second articular surface of the spinal facet joint space, the first and second articular surfaces being in a superior-inferior relationship to each other.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the outer portion is delivered into the spinal facet joint space with the first and second members substantially parallel to each other.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the delivery of the distractor member into the delivered outer portion causes the outer portion to transition to a wedge-shaped configuration.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a hinge couples the first and second members together at their respective distal leading portions.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the hinge comprises a flexible hinge.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the flexible hinge comprises a continuous, unitary extension of the distal leading portion of the first member into the distal leading portion of the second member

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first and second members are formed via a single member bent to form the flexible hinge and define the first and second members.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the flexible hinge comprises a U-shaped member extending between the first and second members at their respective distal leading portions.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the U-shaped member overlaps a region of each of the distal leading portions of the first and second members.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the flexible hinge comprises a weld coupling together the first and second members near their respective distal leading portions.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the flexible hinge comprises an interlocked slot arrangement comprising:

a first slot in the first member near a distal leading end of a distal leading portion of the first member and extending laterally across a region of the first member; and

a second slot in the second member near a distal leading end of a distal leading portion of the second member and extending laterally across a region of the second member,

wherein the first and second slots are interlocked together to couple the first and second members together to form the outer portion of the spinal implant.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein, in being interlocked together, the first and second slots are received in each other.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the flexible hinge further comprises a weld across aspects of the interlocked slot arrangement.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing the distractor member to lock with the outer portion such that the distractor member is prevented from self-displacing relative to the outer portion.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the outer portion and the distractor member include complementary truncated threaded features that threadably lock with each other to cause the distractor member to lock with the outer portion.