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Cervical distraction method

  • US 7,824,431 B2
  • Filed: 04/28/2008
  • Issued: 11/02/2010
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2006
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for increasing foraminal height between first and second adjacent vertebrae of a patient under conscious sedation, the adjacent vertebrae having a facet joint comprising opposing articulating surfaces of adjacent vertebrae and a joint capsule that extends beyond the margin of the articulating surfaces, the opposing articulating surfaces having a shape and a relative orientation defining a geometry of a patient anatomy, the method comprising:

  • determining the geometry of the patient anatomy;

    selecting an implant from a plurality of inflatable implants, each implant comprised of an inelastic material, wherein a geometry of the selected implant corresponds to the geometry of the patient anatomy and an intended reversal of narrowing of a nerve root canal of the patient;

    creating an access hole through the joint capsule with an introducer needle;

    injecting dye through the introducer needle;

    fluoroscopically confirming that the introducer needle is positioned in the facet joint;

    inserting the selected implant through the needle and into the facet joint with a catheter, the selected implant being in a collapsed configuration and being connected to a distal end of the catheter;

    positioning the selected implant such that the geometry of the selected implant corresponds to the geometry of the patient anatomy;

    inflating the selected implant within the facet joint by advancing a bio-inert hydrogel through the catheter and into the selected implant with a catheter inflation syringe, the hydrogel including a contrast dye;

    monitoring the inflating via a monitor positioned on the syringe;

    fluoroscopically monitoring the inflating via the contrast dye in the hydrogel;

    obtaining intra-operative patient feedback regarding symptom improvement;

    iteratively adiustinq the inflating of the selected implant according to patient feedback.

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