Annulotomy closure device

• US 6,964,674 B1
• Filed: 09/15/2000
• Issued: 11/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nuvasive Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nuvasive Incorporated
• Inventors: Marino, James F., Matsuura, David G., Gillespie, Walter D., Pastore, Selise M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dawson, Glenn K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAVIS, DANIEL J
• Application Number:
  US09/663,250
• Time in Patent Office: 1,887 Days
• Field of Search: 623/17.11, 623/17.13, 623/17.16, 623/23.64, 623/13.14, 623/23.48, 623/17.12, 128/898, 606/61, 606/151, 606/99, 606/155, 606/213, 606/215, 606/157, 606/153, 606/158, 606/200, 606/191, 606/95, 606/123
• US Class Current: 606/213
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0057 Implements for plugging an opening in the wall of a hollow or tubular organ, e.g. for sealing a vessel puncture or closing a cardiac septal defect sutures A61B17/04; closing rectum or urethra near body surface A61F2/0009
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/68 Internal fixation devices , including fasteners and spinal fixators, even if a part thereof projects from the skin bone staples A61B17/0642
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00261 Discectomy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00575 for closure at remote site, e.g. closing atrial septum defects
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00592 Elastic or resilient implements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00601 Implements entirely comprised between the two sides of the opening
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00606 Implements H-shaped in cross-section, i.e. with occluders on both sides of the opening
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00619 Locking means for locking the implement in expanded state
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00623 Introducing or retrieving devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00654 entirely comprised between the two sides of the opening
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0063 Implantable repair or support meshes, e.g. hernia meshes
• 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 2002/0068 having a special mesh pattern
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0072 Delivery tools therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3008 radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30171 rosette- or star-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30224 cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30461 sutured, ligatured or stitched
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30571 Leaf springs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30579 with mechanically expandable devices, e.g. fixation devices
• 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 2220/0075 : sutured, ligatured or stitched, retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/005 : Rosette-shaped, e.g. star-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0069 : cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0098 : radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 29/02 : Dilators made of swellable material balloon catheters for angioplasty A61M25/104

Abstract

A system for sealing a hole in a body, comprising a generally cylindrical mesh formed from a plurality of helical strands which is inserted into the hole, with at least one end of the cylindrical mesh being moved least partially through an interior portion of the cylindrical shaped mesh such that the mesh expands radially outwards against sides of the hole.

Claims

1. A method of sealing a hole in a body part, comprising:

introducing a generally cylindrical shaped mesh into the hole, the mesh having a generally cylindrical shaped lumen extending between a proximal end and a distal end; and

moving at least one of the proximal end and the distal end of the mesh at least partially into said lumen such that the mesh expands radially outwards against sides of the hole.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein moving at least one end of the cylindrical shaped mesh at least partially into the lumen comprises advancing the proximal end of the mesh in a distal direction.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the proximal end is advanced in a distal direction by a push rod.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the proximal end is advanced distally past the distal end.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the mesh bulges around the perimeter of the proximal end of the hole and forms an ingress prevention element.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein moving at least one of the proximal and distal end of the mesh at least partially into the lumen comprises advancing a distal end of the mesh in a proximal direction.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the distal end is advanced proximally past the proximal end.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the mesh bulges around the perimeter of the distal end of the hole and forms an egress prevention element.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the distal end is advanced in a proximal direction by pulling on a tether attached to the distal end of the mesh.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical shaped mesh is introduced into the hole by:

inserting a tubular inserter into the hole, wherein the mesh is received within a central bore of the tubular inserter; and

withdrawing the tubular inserter from the hole while holding the mesh in the hole.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

pushing the proximal end of the mesh in a distal direction with a cylindrical inserter received within the tubular inserter.

12. A method of sealing a hole in a bony structure, comprising:

introducing a generally cylindrical shaped mesh into the hole, the mesh having a generally cylindrical shaped lumen extending between a proximal end and a distal end; and

moving at least one of the proximal end and the distal end of the mesh at least partially into the lumen such that the mesh expands radially outwards against sides of the hole to seal said hole in said bony structure.

13. A method of sealing a hole in a vertebral annulus, comprising:

introducing a generally cylindrical shaped mesh into the hole; and

moving at least one end of the cylindrical shaped mesh at least partially into an interior portion of the cylindrical shaped mesh such that the mesh expands radially outwards against sides of the hole to seal said hole in said vertebral annulus.

14. A method of sealing a hole in a body, comprising:

introducing a generally cylindrically shaped mesh into the hole, the mesh having a generally cylindrical shaped lumen extending between a proximal end and a distal end; and

pushing a proximal end of the mesh at least partially into the lumen such that the mesh expands radially outwards against the sides of the hole.

15. A method of sealing a hole in a body, comprising:

introducing a generally cylindrically shaped mesh into the hole, the mesh having a generally cylindrically shaped lumen extending between a proximal end and a distal end; and

pulling the distal end of the mesh at least partially back into the lumen such that the mesh expands radially outwards against the sides of the hole.