Spinal tissue distraction devices

• US 7,785,368 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2006
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IZI Medical Products LLC (Halma PLC)
• Original Assignee: Benvenue Medical, Inc. (Halma PLC)
• Inventors: Schaller, Laurent
• Primary Examiner(s): Robert; Eduardo C
• Assistant Examiner(s): HARVEY, JULIANNA NANCY
• Application Number:
  US11/464,782
• Publication Number:
  US 20070055271A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,477 Days
• Field of Search: 606/90, 606/92, 606/105, 623 1711- 1716
• US Class Current: 623/17.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/70 Spinal positioners or stabilisers ; Bone stabilisers comprising fluid filler in an implant
• 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 17/8852 capable of being assembled or enlarged, or changing shape, inside the bone or disc
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00867 shape memory effect for prostheses A61F2210/0014
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0256 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/44 for the spine, e.g. vertebrae, spinal discs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/441 made of inflatable pockets or chambers filled with fluid, e.g. with hydrogel
• 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 2/4611 of spinal prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/2835 Bone graft implants for filling a bony defect or an endoprosthesis cavity, e.g. by synthetic material or biological material
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30092 using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30153 rectangular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30235 tubular, e.g. sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30263 cubical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30289 helically-coiled
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30462 retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3052 unrestrained in only one direction, e.g. moving unidirectionally
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30594 slotted, e.g. radial or meridian slot ending in a polar aperture, non-polar slots, horizontal or arcuate slots
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30601 telescopic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30677 : Means for introducing or releasing pharmaceutical products, e.g. antibiotics, into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30772 : Apertures or holes, e.g. of circular cross section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4415 : elements of the prosthesis being arranged in a chain like manner
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/448 : comprising multiple adjacent spinal implants within the same intervertebral space or within the same vertebra, e.g. comprising two adjacent spinal implants
• 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 2002/4635 : using minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4683 : by applying ultrasonic vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4688 : having operating or control means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0014 : using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0085 : hardenable in situ, e.g. epoxy resins
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0025 : Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements
• 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 2230/0019 : rectangular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0069 : cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0084 : cubical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0091 : helically-coiled or spirally-coiled, i.e. having a 2-D spiral cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0067 : Means for introducing or releasing pharmaceutical products into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00293 : containing a phosphorus-containing compound, e.g. apatite

Abstract

Spinal tissue distraction devices that include a member which has a pre-deployed configuration for insertion between tissue layers and a deployed configuration in which the member, by change of configuration, forms a support structure for separating and supporting layers of spinal tissue.

Claims

1. An intravertebral treatment system for treating a human vertebral body including an interior region defined by a superior endplate, an inferior endplate and a cortical rim, and containing cancellous bone therewith, the implant comprising:

at least one generally elongated non-expandable implant that is sufficiently flexible to be changeable from a pre-implanted configuration to an implanted configuration;

in the pre-implanted configuration, the implant being substantially linear and having a free distal end configured for insertion into the interior region of the vertebral body;

in the implanted configuration, the implant defining a vertically extending support structure wherein the free distal end of the implant forms a portion of the support structure, the support structure defining a hollow, cross-sectionally circular cylindrical shape with a cross-sectional size that is sufficiently small to reside within the interior region of the vertebral body, the hollow support structure defining a cross-sectionally circular cylindrical hollow resident volume for containing undisturbed cancellous bone and having a vertical extent in a direction between the endplates sufficient to exert a force to separate, support or both separate and support the superior and inferior endplates when said support structure is located within the interior region of the vertebral body; and

a bone filler injection device for delivering bone filler into the resident volume, the bone filler injection device having an elongated bone filler delivery channel that is adapted to be placed in fluid communication with the resident volume.

2. The intravertebral treatment system of claim 1 in which the implant defines a generally coil-shaped support structure having a plurality of windings in the implanted configuration.

3. The intravertebral treatment system of claim 2 in which each winding is substantially in contact with an immediately adjacent winding.

4. The intravertebral treatment system of claim 1 in which the vertical extent of the support structure increases as the elongated implant changes to the implanted configuration.

5. The intravertebral treatment system of claim 1 in which the implant has a cross-sectional shape that assists in maintaining the shape of the support structure.

6. The intravertebral treatment system of claim 1 in which the implant includes interfering surfaces that assist in maintaining the shape of the support structure.

7. The intravertebral treatment system of claim 1 in which the support structure is substantially rigid.

8. An intravertebral treatment system for treating a human vertebral body including an interior region defined by a superior endplate, an inferior endplate and a cortical rim, and containing cancellous bone therewith, the implant comprising:

at least one generally elongated implant that is comprised of a shape memory material inherently predispositioned to change from a pre-implanted configuration to an implanted configuration;

in the pre-implanted configuration, the implant having a free distal end configured for insertion into the interior region of the vertebral body;

in the implanted configuration, the implant defining a vertically extending support structure wherein the free distal end of the implant forms a portion of the support structure, the support structure defining a hollow, cross-sectionally circular cylindrical shape with a cross-sectional size that is sufficiently small to reside within the interior region of the vertebral body, the hollow support structure defining a cross-sectionally circular cylindrical hollow resident volume for containing undisturbed cancellous bone and having a vertical extent in a direction between the endplates sufficient to exert a force to separate, support or both separate and support the superior and inferior endplates when said support structure is located within the interior region of the vertebral body; and

a bone filler injection device for delivering bone filler into the resident volume, the bone filler injection device having an elongated bone tiller delivery channel that is adapted to be placed in fluid communication with the resident volume.

9. The intravertebral treatment system of claim 8 in which the elongated implant changes from the pre-implanted to the implanted configuration without application of external force.

10. The intravertebral treatment system of claim 8 in which the pre-implanted configuration is generally linear.

11. The intravertebral treatment system of claim 8 in which the implant defines a generally coil-shaped support structure having a plurality of windings in the implanted configuration.

12. The intravertebral treatment system of claim 11 in which each winding is substantially in contact with an immediately adjacent winding.

13. The intravertebral treatment system of claim 8 in which the vertical extent of the support structure increases as the elongated implant changes to the implanted configuration.

14. The intravertebral treatment system of claim 8 in which the implant has a cross-sectional shape that assists in maintaining the shape of the support structure.

15. The intravertebral treatment system of claim 8 in which the implant includes interfering surfaces that assist in maintaining the shape of the support structure.

16. The intravertebral treatment system of claim 8 in which the support structure is substantially rigid.