Percutaneous spinal implants and methods

• US 8,096,995 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2007
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Europe SARL (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Kyphon SARL (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Kohm, Andrew C., Malandain, Hugues F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Robert, Eduardo C
• Assistant Examiner(s): CARTER, TARA ROSE E
• Application Number:
  US11/693,500
• Publication Number:
  US 20080071376A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,755 Days
• Field of Search: 606/279, 606/99, 606/86.A, 606246-249, 606/90, 606/105, 623/17.11
• US Class Current: 606/86.A
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/025 Joint distractors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7062 Devices acting on, attached to, or simulating the effect of, vertebral processes, vertebral facets or ribs rib fixation devices A61B17/8076; Tools for such devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7065 Devices with changeable shape, e.g. collapsible or having retractable arms to aid implantation; Tools therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8863 Apparatus for shaping or cutting osteosynthesis equipment by medical personnel
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00557 inflatable A61B2017/22051 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00986 Malecots, e.g. slotted tubes, of which the distal end is pulled to deflect side struts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0256 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4405 for apophyseal or facet joints, i.e. between adjacent spinous or transverse processes devices implanted between spinous or transverse processes A61B17/7062

Abstract

An apparatus includes a first elongate member, a second elongate member and a connector. The second elongate member is movably disposed within a distal end portion of the first elongate member. The second elongate member is configured to engage an inner member of an implant disposed within an outer member of the implant. The connector is disposed at the distal end portion of the first elongate member and is configured to releasably connect the distal end portion of the first elongate member to the outer member of the implant.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

inserting an elongate member into a patient'"'"'s body, the elongate member having an outer shell and an inner drive member;

the inserting occurring with an implant already disposed in an interspinous space defined between adjacent spinous processes within the patient'"'"'s body;

after the inserting and with the implant disposed in the interspinous space, coupling a distal end of the outer shell of the elongate member to an outer member of the implant while the implant remains disposed in the interspinous space;

after the inserting and with the implant disposed in the interspinous space, coupling the inner drive member of the elongate member to an inner member of the implant while the implant remains disposed in the interspinous space;

while the outer shell and the inner drive member are coupled to the outer and inner members of the implant respectively, moving the inner drive member of the elongate member in a distal direction relative to the outer shell of the elongate member such that the inner member of the implant moves in the distal direction relative to a first portion of the outer member of the implant to deform the outer member of the implant from an expanded configuration to a collapsed configuration;

wherein a retention arm of the outer member of the implant is disposed farther away from a longitudinal axis of the implant in the expanded configuration than in the collapsed configuration.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the outer member of the implant includes a tubular body; and

the inner member of the implant includes a cylindrical body slidably disposed within the tubular body.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the inserting includes inserting the elongate member percutaneously.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein coupling the distal end portion of the elongate member to the outer member of the implant prevents the outer member of the implant from moving distally relative to the elongate member.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein a connector is coupled to the distal end of the outer shell of the elongate member and the coupling of the distal end of the outer shell of the elongate member to the outer member of the implant includes disposing a portion of the connector within an opening defined in a proximal end of the outer member of the implant.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

repositioning the implant within the patient'"'"'s body by moving the elongate member after the moving inner member while the elongate member remains coupled to the implant.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

removing the implant from the interspinous space by moving the elongate member after the moving inner member while the elongate member remains coupled to the implant.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the inner drive member is threadedly coupled to a second elongate member and the method further comprises rotating the second elongate member to cause the inner drive member to move in the distal direction.