Tissue Repair with Space-Seeking Spirals of Filament

• US 20140277457A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey E. Yeung, Teresa Tan Yeung
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey E. Yeung, Teresa Tan Yeung
• Inventors: Yeung, Jeffrey E., Yeung, Teresa Tan
• Granted Patent: US 9,326,791 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/17.11
• 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: A61F 2/0036 implantable A61F2/0018 takes precedence
• 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 2/4611 of spinal prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30289 helically-coiled
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30294 Conical or frustoconical body made by spirally rolling up a sheet or a strip around itself
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30677 Means for introducing or releasing pharmaceutical products, e.g. antibiotics, into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4435 Support means or repair of the natural disc wall, i.e. annulus, e.g. using plates, membranes or meshes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4495 having a fabric structure, e.g. made from wires or fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4635 using minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0061 swellable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0091 helically-coiled or spirally-coiled, i.e. having a 2-D spiral cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00598 Coating or prosthesis-covering structure made of compounds based on metal oxides or hydroxides
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/0061 Coating made of silicon oxide or hydroxides
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/0097 Coating or prosthesis-covering structure made of pharmaceutical products, e.g. antibiotics
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00976 Coating or prosthesis-covering structure made of proteins or of polypeptides, e.g. of bone morphogenic proteins BMP or of transforming growth factors TGF
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00982 Coating made of collagen

Abstract

The distal portion of a shape-memory filament extends from a needle containing at least one filament gripping element. To implant the shape-memory filament in tissue, the needle is inserted into a cannula with a flexible and removable hook. During partial withdrawal of the needle, the hook holds the distal portion of the filament stationary to deposit a section of filament in the distal portion of the cannula. The needle is re-advanced, pushing the section of the shape-memory filament to coil or fold within the tissue. Rotation of the needle with the filament gripping element further tightens the coiled or folded filament. Partial withdrawal, re-advancement, rotation and pushing of the needle are repeated to fill, pack, strengthen, enlarge or augment the tissue with the shape-memory filament.

Claims

1. A deployment device for implanting a selectable amount of filament within tissue, the deployment device comprising:

a cannula capable of being guided such that a distal opening thereof may be located within an implant location,

a filament having a proximal portion and a distal portion,

a filament needle comprises a proximal end and a distal end, and said distal portion of said filament extends from said distal end of said filament needle,

said distal end of said filament needle and said distal portion of said filament entirely locatable within said cannula,

a one-way filament retainer approximates said filament needle, wherein said one-way filament retainer further comprises a distal tip,

said filament needle is capable of being rotated, thereby twisting said distal portion of said filament into a twisted distal portion located distally to said distal end of said filament needle,

and said filament needle is capable of being advanced and retracted to pack said twisted distal portion of said filament into the implant location.

3. The deployment device of claim 1 or 2, wherein said filament needle is capable of being advanced and retracted more than once, thereby allowing said deployment device to pack multiple twisted distal portions of said filament in the implant location.

4. The deployment device of claim 1 or 2, wherein said distal tip of said one-way filament retainer has at least one filament snagger.

5. The deployment device of claim 4, wherein said at least one filament snagger takes the form of a pointed tip.

6. The deployment device of claim 1 or 2, wherein said one-way filament retainer has a ribbon shape.

7. The deployment device of claim 1 or 2, wherein said distal end of said filament needle comprises a filament gripper.

8. The deployment device of claim 7, wherein said filament gripper takes the form of a distally pointing tip.

9. The deployment device of claim 1 or 2, wherein said filament needle comprises an elongated cross-sectional lumen.

10. The deployment device of claim 1 or 2, wherein said filament has a shape memory property.

11. The deployment device of claim 1 or 2, wherein said cannula comprises a proximal end, and wherein said proximal end further comprises a funnel.

12. The deployment device of claim 11, wherein said proximal end of said cannula further comprises a latch engaging said proximal end of said filament needle.

13. The deployment device of claim 1 or 2, wherein said proximal end of said filament needle comprises a bobbin, and wherein said proximal portion of said filament is spooled over said bobbin.

2. A deployment device for implanting a selectable amount of filament within tissue, the deployment device comprising:

a needle capable of reaching and puncturing into an implant location,

a guide wire comprises a distal portion insertable into said needle,

a dilator comprises a lumen sized to slide over said guide wire,

a cannula comprises a lumen sized to slide along said dilator,

a filament comprises a proximal portion and a distal portion,

a filament needle comprises a proximal end and a distal end,

an one-way filament retainer comprises a distal tip,

said distal portion of said filament extends from said distal end of said filament needle,

said distal end of said filament needle, said distal portion of said filament and said distal tip of said one-way filament retainer entirely locatable within said cannula,

said filament needle is capable of being rotated, thereby twisting said distal portion of said filament into a twisted distal portion located distally to said distal end of said filament needle,

and said filament needle is capable of being advanced and retracted to pack said twisted distal portion of said filament into the implant location.

14. A method of implanting a selectable amount of filament within tissue, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) inserting a cannula into the tissue;

(b) inserting a filament needle comprising a length of filament distal to said filament needle into said cannula;

(c) inserting a one-way filament retainer into said cannula;

(d) and spiraling said length of filament into the tissue by twisting said filament needle.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

(e) withdrawing said filament needle;

(f) loading a new length of filament distal to said filament needle;

(g) advancing said filament needle;

(h) and spiraling said new length of filament into the tissue by twisting said filament needle.

16. The method of claim 14 or 15, wherein said spiraling of said length of filament is performed by using at least one gripper member located on said filament needle and friction between said length of filament and the tissue.

17. The method of claim 14 or 15, wherein said spiraling of said length of filament is performed by an elongated lumen of said filament needle and friction between said length of filament and the tissue.

18. The method of claim 14 or 15, wherein said spiraling of said length of filament is performed by using a shape memory filament in said filament needle.

19. The method of claim 14 or 15, wherein the method is used to treat degenerated intervertebral disc.

20. The method of claim 14 or 15, wherein the method is used to treat incontinence.