CERVICAL DISTRACTION/IMPLANT DELIVERY DEVICE

• US 20130310943A1
• Filed: 07/23/2013
• Published: 11/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Providence Medical Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Providence Medical Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: McCormack, Bruce M., Smith, Jeffrey D.
• Application Number:
  US13/949,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20130310943A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/17.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/025 Joint distractors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/562 Implants for placement in joint gaps without restricting joint motion, e.g. to reduce arthritic pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7062 Devices acting on, attached to, or simulating the effect of, vertebral processes, vertebral facets or ribs rib fixation devices A61B17/8076; Tools for such devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7064 Devices acting on, attached to, or simulating the effect of, vertebral facets; Tools therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7065 Devices with changeable shape, e.g. collapsible or having retractable arms to aid implantation; Tools therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8014 the extension or compression force being caused by interaction of the plate hole and the screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8085 with pliable or malleable elements or having a mesh-like structure, e.g. small strips A61B17/8071, A61B17/8076 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8095 Wedge osteotomy devices
• 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 17/8855 inflatable, e.g. kyphoplasty balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00557 inflatable A61B2017/22051 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0256 for the spine
• 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 2/442 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 2/4455 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 2/446 having a circular or elliptical cross-section substantially parallel to the axis of the spine, e.g. cylinders or frustocones
• 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 2002/30205 conical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30227 : arched, domed or vaulted
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3023 : wedge-shaped cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30266 : wedge-shaped parallelepipeds
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30281 : wedge-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30433 : using additional screws, bolts, dowels, rivets or washers e.g. connecting screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30579 : with mechanically expandable devices, e.g. fixation devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30622 : Implant for fusing a joint or bone material
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30841 : Sharp anchoring protrusions for impaction into the bone, e.g. sharp pins, spikes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30878 : with non-sharp protrusions, for instance contacting the bone for anchoring, e.g. keels, pegs, pins, posts, shanks, stems, struts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30879 : Ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30884 : Fins or wings, e.g. longitudinal wings for preventing rotation within the bone cavity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30892 : parallel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30894 : inclined obliquely with respect to each other
• 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: A61F 2220/0041 : using additional screws, bolts, dowels or rivets, e.g. connecting screws

Abstract

Systems for distracting a facet joint and positioning a permanent implant in the joint are disclosed. The implants serve to retain a distracted position of the facet joint which is achieved with positioning of the leading end of a distraction tool in the facet joint and then distracting or enlarging the joint a desired amount. The permanent implant could be part of the distraction mechanism which can be separated from the delivery tool once the joint has been distracted or an auxiliary implant may be positioned before the distraction mechanism is removed from the distracted joint. The permanent implants can be solid, mechanical devices that may have fixation means thereon to hold them in place or injected fluids such as hydrogels or fluids confined within balloons.

Claims

1. A system for treating a spinal facet joint, the system comprising:

a) a spinal facet implant configured for minimally invasive insertion into the spinal facet joint; and

b) a delivery assembly comprising;

i) a body configured for minimally invasively accessing the spinal facet joint and including a distal region, a proximal region opposite the distal region and a channel extending between the distal and proximal regions, the distal region including a first member and a second member offset from the first member transverse to a longitudinal axis of the channel, each of the first and second members distally terminating in a beveled termination and collectively defining a distal tip of the body; and

ii) a plunger distally displaceable within channel and along the longitudinal axis,

wherein the system is configured such that, when the spinal facet implant is located in the channel and the distal tip is located in the spinal facet joint, distal displacement of the plunger along the longitudinal axis causes the spinal facet implant to distally displace between the beveled terminations for implantation of the spinal facet implant into the spinal facet joint.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plunger is slidably coupled to the body.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the beveled terminations are moveable relative to each other.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the beveled terminations are biased towards each other.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the body further includes an elastic band extending around first and second members and biasing the beveled terminations towards each other.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the beveled terminations are configured to displace away from each other to distract the spinal facet joint when the beveled terminations are located in the spinal facet joint.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the spinal facet implant comprises allograft.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the spinal facet implant comprises steel.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the spinal facet implant comprises polymer, carbon or silicone.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the spinal facet implant is configured to fuse the spinal facet joint.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the spinal facet implant comprises allograft.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the spinal facet implant comprises steel.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the spinal facet implant comprises polymer, carbon or silicone.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the spinal facet implant is configured to fuse the spinal facet joint.

11. A method of treating a spinal facet joint, the method comprising:

inserting into the spinal facet joint via a minimally invasive posterior approach a pair of beveled terminations of a respective pair of members of a distal region of a body of a delivery assembly, the members being offset from each other transverse to a longitudinal axis of a channel of the body, the channel extending between the distal region and a proximal region of the body, and the pair of beveled terminations defining a distal tip of the body; and

distally displacing a plunger within the channel to cause a distal end of the plunger to distally displace spinal facet implant located between the pair of members, the distal displacing of the plunger taking place while the beveled terminations are located within the spinal facet joint.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the plunger is slidably coupled to the body.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the pair of beveled terminations are inserted into the spinal facet joint with a first beveled termination of the pair of the beveled terminations oriented superior in the spinal facet joint and a second beveled termination of the pair of the beveled terminations oriented inferior in the spinal facet joint.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising distracting the facet joint by causing the beveled terminations to displace away from each other while located within the spinal facet joint.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the beveled terminations are biased towards each other.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the body further includes an elastic band extending around the members and biasing the beveled terminations towards each other.