Vertebral body nerve and vein cauterizing system and method

• US 8,282,628 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2009
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Globus Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Globus Medical, Inc.
• Inventors: Paul, David C., Suh, Sean, Weiman, Mark, Seifert, Jody L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Park, Kinam
• Application Number:
  US12/605,836
• Publication Number:
  US 20110098693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• Field of Search: 606/2, 606/14, 606/12, 606/21, 606/27, 607/89, 607/88, 128/898
• US Class Current: 606/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1671 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8805 for introducing fluid filler into bone or extracting it A61B17/7097, A61B17/8833 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8855 inflatable, e.g. kyphoplasty balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/02 by cooling, e.g. cryogenic techniques devices for cooling specific reflex points of the body within cell-life limits A61H39/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/04 by heating by applying electromagnetic radiation A61B18/18; hyperthermia using electric or magnetic fields, radiation or ultrasound A61N
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/08 by means of electrically-heated probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0022 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00565 Bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00595 Cauterization
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/44 for the spine, e.g. vertebrae, spinal discs

Abstract

Disclosed are vertebroplasty methods that include cauterizing an inner cavity of a vertebra of a mammal, such as a human, and injecting bone cement into the vertebra. Systems and kits for performing such methods are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A vertebroplasty method, comprising:

cauterizing an inner cavity of a fractured vertebra of a mammal; and

inserting bone cement into the fractured vertebra of the mammal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the bone cement comprises Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA) bone cement.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the bone cement comprises at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of bone glue and bone filler.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said cauterizing is performed by a method selected from the group consisting of heat fluid delivery via contained vessel, laser, bi-polar, ultrasonic oscillation energy, microwave, and plasma laser treatment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said cauterizing comprises cryo-ablation by freezing nerve endings.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said mammal is a human.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said inserting comprises percutaneously injecting bone cement into the fractured vertebra.

8. A vertebroplasty method, comprising:

creating a cavity in a fractured vertebra of a mammal;

restoring body height of the fractured vertebra;

cauterizing the cavity of the fractured vertebra; and

inserting bone cement into the fractured vertebra.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising containing the bone cement within the cavity.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said inserting comprises filling at least 50% of the cavity in the fractured vertebra with bone cement.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said inserting comprises percutaneously injecting bone cement into the fractured vertebra.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the bone cement comprises acrylic bone cement.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the bone cement comprises Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA) bone cement.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the bone cement comprises at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of bone glue and bone filler.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein said cauterizing is performed by a method selected from the group consisting of heat fluid delivery via contained vessel, laser, bi-polar, ultrasonic oscillation energy, microwave, and plasma laser treatment.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein said cauterizing comprises cryo-ablation by freezing nerve endings.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein said mammal is a human.

18. The method of claim 8, wherein said creating a cavity, restoring body height, cauterizing, and inserting cement steps are performed by the use of a single endoscopic instrument.

19. A kyphoplasty method, comprising:

placing a balloon into a vertebra of a mammal;

cauterizing an inner cavity of the vertebra; and

inserting bone cement into the vertebra.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the balloon is inflated after placement into the collapsed vertebra.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the inserting comprises percutaneously injecting bone cement into the fractured vertebra.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the bone cement comprises Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA) bone cement.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the bone cement comprises at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of bone glue and bone filler.

24. A kit for performing vertebroplasty, comprising:

a tool adapted for creating a working channel within a patient;

a tool adapted for creating a cavity within a vertebral body;

at least one cauterizing element adapted for cauterizing an interior portion of a vertebral body; and

a device adapted for injecting bone cement into the vertebral body.