Methods for limiting the movement of material introduced between layers of spinal tissue

• US 7,955,391 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2010
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• 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:
  US12/705,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20100174288A1
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: 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

Methods for limiting the movement of flowable material introduced into or between tissue layers of the human spine. The method can include inserting a member between tissue layers of the human spine. The member has a first configuration for insertion of the elongated member between tissue layers. The shape of the member is changed into a second configuration that defines a barrier that limits or directs the movement of flowable material. Flowable material is introduced to a selected location between the tissue layers and the barrier acts to limit or direct the movement of the flowable material.

Claims

1. A method of treating a human vertebral body containing cancellous bone therewithin, the method comprising:

inserting at least a distal end portion of an elongated guide member into an interior region of a vertebral body the distal end portion of the guide member having an arcuate configuration extending greater than 360 degrees about a generally vertical axis in the vertebral body and around a region of cancellous bone;

advancing an elongated intravertebral implant along the distal end portion of the guide member within the vertebral body, the implant being independently movable relative to the guide member for advancement therealong and being sufficiently flexible to follow the arcuate configuration of the distal end portion of the guide member so that the implant extends greater than 360degrees about the generally vertical axis and around the region of cancellous bone; and

delivering a flowable material into the region of cancellous bone.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the distal end portion of the guide member is constrained in a substantially linear configuration for advancement into the vertebral body and self-forms into the arcuate configuration in the vertebral body upon release of the constraint.

3. The method of claim 1 in which the distal end portion of the guide member is constrained in a substantially linear configuration by a cannula through which the guide member is inserted into the vertebral body.

4. The method of claim 1 in which at least the distal end portion of the guide member is comprised of a shape memory material.

5. The method of claim 1 further including removing the guide member from the vertebral body and allowing the implant to remain within the vertebral body.

6. The method of claim 1 in which the elongated implant has a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal passageway therethrough, wherein the passageway is configured to receive the guide member for advancement of the elongated implant along the guide member.

7. The method of claim 1 in which the arcuate configuration of the distal end portion of the guide member in the vertebral body comprises a plurality of generally horizontally-disposed windings.

8. A method of treating a human vertebral body containing cancellous bone therewithin, the method comprising:

inserting at least a distal end portion of an elongated guide member in a substantially linear configuration into an interior region of a vertebral body;

forming the distal end portion of the guide member into a plurality of generally horizontally-disposed windings within the interior region of the vertebral body;

advancing an elongated intravertebral implant along the windings of the distal end portion of the guide member within the vertebral body, the implant being independently movable relative the guide member and sufficiently flexible to follow the windings of the distal end portion of the guide member so that the implant defines a structure including a plurality of generally horizontally-disposed windings encircling an interior resident volume within the vertebral body; and

delivering flowable material into the interior resident volume.

9. The method of claim 8 in which forming the distal end portion of the guide member in to a plurality of windings results from a self-forming of the distal end portion of the guide member into the plurality of windings.

10. The method of claim 8 in which at least the distal end portion of the guide member is comprised of a shape memory material.

11. The method of claim 8 in which at least one of the windings of the structure has at least one adjacent winding thereabove or therebelow and the at least one winding being in contact with the adjacent winding.

12. The method of claim 8 in which the elongated implant has a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal passageway therethrough, wherein the passageway is configured to receive the guide member for advancement of the elongated implant along the guide member.

13. The method of claim 8 further including removing the guide member from the structure.