Systems and Methods for Joint Stabilization

• US 20130041472A1
• Filed: 10/19/2012
• Published: 02/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illuminoss Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illuminoss Medical, Inc.
• Inventors: Rabiner, Robert A., DiPoto, Gene P., Gausepohl, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,936,644 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/18.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7079 Tools requiring anchors to be already mounted on an implanted longitudinal or transverse element, e.g. where said element guides the anchor motion
• 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 17/7216 for bone lengthening or compression A61B17/7258 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7275 with expanding cylindrical parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7291 for small bones, e.g. in the foot, ankle, hand or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30 Joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30583 filled with hardenable fluid, e.g. curable in-situ
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0085 hardenable in situ, e.g. epoxy resins

Abstract

Photodynamic devices for stabilizing a joint are provided. In some embodiments, a photodynamic joint spacer is provided that includes an expandable member configured for attachment to a bone having an excised region; a formable bar configured for attachment to the bone along at least a portion of the expandable member; and a light-sensitive liquid passed into the expandable member to expand the expandable member, wherein the expandable member is shaped by the formable bar to a shape resembling the excised region of the bone, and wherein the light-sensitive liquid is curable upon exposure to light energy to set the expandable member in the shape resembling the excised region to form a photodynamic joint spacer.

Claims

1. A photodynamic joint spacer comprising:

an expandable member configured for attachment to a bone having an excised region;

a formable bar configured for attachment to the bone along at least a portion of the expandable member; and

a light-sensitive liquid passed into the expandable member to expand the expandable member,

wherein the expandable member is shaped by the formable bar to a shape resembling the excised region of the bone, and

wherein the light-sensitive liquid is curable upon exposure to light energy to set the expandable member in the shape resembling the excised region of the bone to form a photodynamic joint spacer.

2. The photodynamic joint spacer of claim 1, wherein the formable bar conforms to an outer surface of the bone.

3. The photodynamic joint spacer of claim 1, wherein the formable bar is semi-cylindrical for conformal attachment of the formable bar to an outer surface of the bone.

4. The photodynamic joint spacer of claim 1, wherein the expandable member is insertable into an intramedullary cavity of the bone.

5. The photodynamic joint spacer of claim 1 further comprising an inner lumen in the expandable member to provide kink resistance to the expandable member.

6. The photodynamic joint spacer of claim 1 further comprising an inner lumen in the expandable member for insertion of a light conducting fiber into the expandable member for providing light energy to the light-sensitive liquid.

7. The photodynamic joint spacer of claim 1 further comprising retaining members for attaching the expandable member to the formable bar.

8. The photodynamic joint spacer of claim 1, wherein the expandable member is bent by the formable member to a natural angle of the excised region of the bone.

9. A system for forming a photodynamic joint spacer, the system comprising:

a delivery catheter having an elongated shaft with a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis therebetween, the delivery catheter having an inner void for passing at least one light-sensitive liquid therethrough;

an expandable member releasably engaging the distal end of the delivery catheter, the expandable member moveable from a deflated state to an inflated state when the at least one light-sensitive liquid enters the expandable member, wherein the expandable member is sufficiently designed to engage a bone;

a formable bar configured for attachment to the bone adjacent the expandable member to shape the expandable member into a desired shape; and

a light conducting fiber for providing light energy to the light-sensitive liquid within the expandable member to cure the light-sensitive liquid within the expandable member to set the expandable member in the desired shape to form a photodynamic joint spacer.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the formable bar conforms to an outer surface of the bone.

11. The system for forming a photodynamic joint spacer of claim 9, wherein the formable bar is semi-cylindrical for conformal attachment of the formable bar to an outer surface of the bone.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the expandable member is insertable into an intramedullary cavity of the bone.

13. The system of claim 9 further comprising an inner lumen in the expandable member to provide kink resistance to the expandable member.

14. The system of claim 9, further comprising one or more retaining members for attaching the expandable member to the formable bar.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the formable member shapes the expandable member to a natural angle of an excised portion of the bone.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the light conducting fiber passes through an inner lumen of the delivery catheter and into the expandable member to disperse light energy to initiate cure of the at least one light-sensitive liquid within the expandable member.

17. A method for stabilizing an articular joint comprising:

attaching a formable bar to a bone in proximity to an excised region;

disposing an expandable member adjacent to the formable member;

shaping, with the formable bar, the expandable member to approximate an anatomical angle of the excised region of the bone;

expanding the expandable member with a light-sensitive liquid; and

curing the light-sensitive liquid within the expandable member to create a photodynamic joint spacer having the anatomical angle of the excised region of the bone to stabilize the joint.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein in the step of attaching, the formable bar is semi-cylindrical to facilitate conformal attachment of the formable bar to an outer surface of the bone.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of disposing comprises inserting the expandable member into an intramedullary cavity of the bone.

20. A method for stabilizing an articular joint comprising:

inserting an expandable member into a cavity through a joint such that a first end of the expandable member is positioned in a first bone on one side of the joint and a second end of the expandable member is inserted into a second bone on the opposite side of the joint;

expanding the expandable member with a light-sensitive liquid; and

curing the light-sensitive liquid within the expandable member to fuse the joint.