Method of supporting and distracting opposing vertebral bodies

• US 8,343,193 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2012
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Spine Wave Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Spine Wave Incorporated
• Inventors: Lipschultz, Tyler, Wales, Larry, Kieval, Robert, Johnson, Wesley D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Robert, Eduardo C
• Assistant Examiner(s): COMSTOCK, DAVID C
• Application Number:
  US13/406,048
• Publication Number:
  US 20120158003A1
• Time in Patent Office: 309 Days
• Field of Search: 606/246, 606/279, 606/313, 606/90, 606/105, 606/99, 606/86.A, 606 92- 94, 623 1711- 1716
• US Class Current: 606/279
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/025 Joint distractors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/66 Alignment, compression or distraction mechanisms
• 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 2017/0256 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/28 Bones joints A61F2/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/44 for the spine, e.g. vertebrae, spinal discs
• 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 2/4425 made of articulated components
• 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 2/447 substantially parallelepipedal, e.g. having a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4611 of spinal prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30075 swellable, e.g. when wetted
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3008 radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30237 partial tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30261 parallelepipedal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30385 the rib and groove having non-parallel, e.g. conically-tapered, cooperating sides, e.g. having a trapezoidal front cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30387 Dovetail connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30392 Rotation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/304 with additional means for limiting said sliding
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30448 : using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30449 : the adhesive being cement
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30462 : retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30476 : locked by an additional locking mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3049 : using a slidable sleeve covering the connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/305 : Snap connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30599 : stackable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30604 : modular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30616 : Sets comprising a plurality of prosthetic parts of different sizes or orientations
• 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 2002/4485 : comprising three or more 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 2002/4666 : for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0061 : swellable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0025 : Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/005 : using adhesives
• 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 2230/0069 : cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0082 : parallelepipedal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0063 : Nested prosthetic parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0098 : radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00017 : Iron- or Fe-based alloys, e.g. stainless steel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00023 : Titanium or titanium-based alloys, e.g. Ti-Ni alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00029 : Cobalt-based alloys, e.g. Co-Cr alloys or Vitallium
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00071 : Nickel or Ni-based alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00203 : containing alumina or aluminium oxide
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00239 : containing zirconia or zirconium oxide ZrO2
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00293 : containing a phosphorus-containing compound, e.g. apatite
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00353 : Bone cement, e.g. polymethylmethacrylate or PMMA
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00359 : Bone or bony tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00365 : Proteins; Polypeptides; Degradation products thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 606/907 : Composed of particular material or coated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 606/912 : Radiolucent material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 606/914 : Toolkit for installing or removing spinal positioner or stabilizer

Abstract

An apparatus and method is provided for distracting, in a given direction, and supporting opposing vertebral bodies. A plurality of wafers are consecutively inserted between the vertebral bodies to create a column of wafers. The column of wafers is oriented between the vertebral bodies so as to expand in the given direction as the wafers are consecutively added to the column.

Claims

1. A method of supporting and distracting opposing vertebral bodies of a spine in a space therebetween, said vertebral bodies comprising spaced opposing endplates adjacent said space, comprising the steps of:

placing an access channel adjacent said space between said opposing endplates;

introducing through said access channel a non-inflatable expandable structure into said space between said opposing endplates;

expanding said expandable structure in substantially only the direction of the axis of the spine to distract and support said endplates supporting and distracting opposing vertebral bodies of a spine in a space therebetween, said vertebral bodies comprising spaced opposing endplates adjacent said space thereby increasing the height of said space between said vertebral bodies; and

then,

introducing bone filler through said access channel into said space at a location exteriorly of, adjacent to and in contact with said expanded structure such that said bone filler cooperates with said expanded structure and said endplates to stabilize said expanded structure.

2. The method of claim 1, further including the step of providing an expandable structure that comprises openings through which bone filler may flow.

3. A method of supporting and distracting opposing vertebral bodies of a spine in a space therebetween, said vertebral bodies comprising spaced opposing endplates adjacent said space, comprising the steps of:

placing an expandable access channel adjacent said space between said opposing endplates;

introducing through said access channel a non-inflatable expandable structure having an upper contact face and a lower contact face into said space between said opposing endplates, the structure having openings to receive a bone filler and to facilitate movement of such bone filler therethrough;

expanding said expandable structure with said upper face and said lower face moving substantially only in the direction of the axis of the spine to distract and support said endplates restoring height to thereby increase the height of said space between said vertebral bodies; and

then,

introducing bone filler through said access channel into and through said openings of said expanded structure to stabilize said expanded structure.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said step of providing access is practiced by an access channel having a passageway therethrough, said access channel being placed adjacent said space with said passageway in communication with said expanded structure.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said step of introducing said non-inflatable expandable structure is practiced by an inserter releasably supporting said expandable structure, said inserter being configured to pass through said passageway of said access channel.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said step of introducing said bone filler is practiced by a bone filler delivery device separate from and additional to said inserter and including a delivery channel configured to pass through said access channel passageway in communication with said expanded structure upon release of said inserter from said structure and removal from said access channel.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said step of introducing said bone filler is practiced with said inserter.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein said upper contact face and said lower contact face are moved substantially in parallel.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein said upper contact face and said lower contact face are moved to an oblique orientation.

10. A method of supporting and distracting opposing vertebral bodies of a spine in a space therebetween, said vertebral bodies comprising spaced opposing endplates adjacent said space, comprising the steps of:

placing an access channel adjacent said space between said opposing endplates;

introducing through said access channel a non-inflatable expandable structure into said space between said opposing endplates;

expanding said expandable structure in the direction of the axis of the spine to distract and support said endplates thereby increasing the height of said space between said vertebral bodies; and

then,

introducing an injection channel having at least one opening into said access channel and advancing said injection channel through access channel and into said space until said at least one opening approximates the expanded structure;

injecting a bone filler through the injection channel directly into said space adjacent the expanded structure.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said expandable structure is substantially solid and said filler is placed at a location exteriorly of, adjacent to and in contact with said expanded structure such that said bone filler cooperates with said expanded structure and said endplates to stabilize said expanded structure.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said expandable structure has at least one opening and wherein said filler is injected into said expanded structure and through said at least one opening into said space.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said access channel has a passageway, and wherein said expandable structure is introduced through said passageway in a non-expanded condition.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said expandable structure is configured for expansion in substantially only one direction.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein said method comprises spinal interbody fusion and wherein said bone filler comprises a fusion promoting composition.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein said expandable structure comprises a plurality of substantially similarly configured elements, said expandable structure being formed in vivo by consecutive individual insertion of each of said elements into said space and in contact with each other, one of atop and beneath one another.