Systems and Methods for Joint Stabilization
First Claim
1. 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 bar;
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.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
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.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for stabilizing an articular joint comprising:
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attaching a formable bar to a bone in proximity to an excised region; disposing an expandable member adjacent to the formable bar; 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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for stabilizing an articular joint comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A joint spacer comprising:
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an expandable member configured for insertion into a bone having an excised region; a formable bar configured for attachment to the bone adjacent the expandable member to shape the expandable member to a shape resembling the excised region of the bone; a curable liquid for expanding the expandable member when the curable liquid is passed into the expandable member; and wherein the curable liquid is curable to set the expandable member in the shape resembling the excised region of the bone to form a hardened joint spacer. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification