Spinal diagnostic methods and apparatus

• US 7,824,390 B2
• Filed: 12/26/2006
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Globus Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kyphon SARL (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Campbell, Peter F., Alamin, Todd, Miller, David R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi; Nicholas D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bouchelle; Laura A
• Application Number:
  US11/616,213
• Publication Number:
  US 20080215033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,407 Days
• Field of Search: 46/960.1, 465/06, 465/09, 465/10
• US Class Current: 604/509
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3401 Puncturing needles for the peridural or subarachnoid space or the plexus, e.g. for anaesthesia local anaesthesia A61M19/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3421 Cannulas
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3472 for bones, e.g. intraosseus injections
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3478 Endoscopic needles, e.g. for infusion biopsy needles A61B10/0233; catheters with injection needles A61M25/0067
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00261 Discectomy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00469 for insertion of instruments, e.g. guide wire, optical fibre
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3488 Fixation to inner organ or inner body tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30677 Means for introducing or releasing pharmaceutical products, e.g. antibiotics, into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/444 for replacing the nucleus pulposus

Abstract

Methods, devices and systems facilitate diagnosis, and in some cases treatment, of back pain originating in intervertebral discs. Methods generally involve introducing one or more substances into one or more discs using a catheter device. In one embodiment, a patient assumes a position that causes back pain, and a substance such as an anesthetic or analgesic is introduced into the disc to determine whether the substance relieves the pain. Injections into multiple discs may optionally be performed, to help pinpoint a disc as a source of the patient'"'"'s pain. In some embodiments, the catheter device is left in place, and possibly coupled with another implantable device, to provide treatment of one or more discs. A catheter device includes at least one anchoring member for maintaining a distal portion of the catheter within a disc.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

inserting a catheter into an intervertebral disc in a patient'"'"'s body, the catheter having an expandable member;

expanding the expandable member of the catheter within the intervertebral disc to anchor the catheter within the intervertebral disc;

introducing a substance through the catheter into the intervertebral disc in the patient'"'"'s body automatically via an automated injection device; and

treating the intervertebral disc with the introduced substance,

wherein the substance is an anesthetic.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the substance is introduced through the catheter while the catheter is anchored in the intervertebral disc.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the expandable member is configured to increase a cross-sectional diameter of the catheter at one or more locations on the catheter.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

instructing the patient to assume various back-pain-generating positions; and

recording one or more patient inputs describing back pain experienced by the patient.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the intervertebral disc as a source of the patient'"'"'s pain.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising identifying the intervertebral disc as a possible source of the patient'"'"'s pain before introducing the substance.

7. A method comprising:

inserting a catheter into an intervertebral disc of a patient'"'"'s body, the catheter having an expandable member;

expanding the expandable member of the catheter within the intervertebral disc to anchor the catheter within the intervertebral disc;

introducing a substance into the intervertebral disc in the patient'"'"'s body with an automated injection device;

treating the intervertebral disc with the introduced substance;

instructing the patient to assume various back-pain-generating positions; and

recording one or more patient inputs describing back pain experienced by the patient,

wherein the substance comprises an anesthetic.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

identifying the intervertebral disc as a possible source of the patient'"'"'s pain before introducing the substance.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein expanding the expandable member comprises increasing a cross-sectional diameter of the catheter at one or more locations on the catheter.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the substance is introduced through the catheter while the catheter is anchored in the intervertebral disc.

11. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

identifying the intervertebral disc as a source of the patient'"'"'s pain.