Intervertebral disc annulus repair system and method
First Claim
1. A device for at least partially closing an aperture in an annulus fibrosus of an intervertebral disc of a patient, the device comprising:
- an implant delivery tool includinga substantially rigid outer tube having a proximal section and a sharpened distal tip;
a body coupled to the proximal section of the outer tube;
a plunger assembly movable axially relative to the body and including a plunger member and a pusher tube coupled thereto and disposed within the outer tube; and
an implant releasably coupled to the implant delivery tool including;
first and second tissue anchors serially disposed within the distal section of the outer tube; and
a flexible connecting element coupling the first and second tissue anchors, the connecting element at least partially formed from a braided tubular suture material and including;
a distal segment of the braided suture material attached to the first tissue anchor;
an intermediate segment of the braided suture material extending proximally from the distal segment and including a locking element and an adjustable loop, wherein a portion of the intermediate segment extends internally within the braided suture material of the locking element, and wherein the second tissue anchor is slidably coupled to the braided suture material of the adjustable loop; and
a proximal segment of the braided suture material extending proximally from the intermediate segment and releasably coupled to the implant delivery tool.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A device for at least partially closing an aperture in an annulus fibrosus of an intervertebral disc of a patient comprises an implant delivery tool and an implant releasably coupled to the implant delivery tool. The implant delivery tool includes a substantially rigid outer tube having a sharpened distal tip, a body a body coupled to the proximal section of the outer tube, and a plunger assembly movable axially relative to the body and including a plunger member and a pusher tube coupled thereto and disposed within the outer tube. The implant includes first and second tissue anchors serially disposed within the distal section of the outer tube, and a flexible connecting element coupling the first and second tissue anchors including a knotless braided suture structure for adjusting the length of the flexible coupling element.
721 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A device for at least partially closing an aperture in an annulus fibrosus of an intervertebral disc of a patient, the device comprising:
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an implant delivery tool including a substantially rigid outer tube having a proximal section and a sharpened distal tip; a body coupled to the proximal section of the outer tube; a plunger assembly movable axially relative to the body and including a plunger member and a pusher tube coupled thereto and disposed within the outer tube; and an implant releasably coupled to the implant delivery tool including; first and second tissue anchors serially disposed within the distal section of the outer tube; and a flexible connecting element coupling the first and second tissue anchors, the connecting element at least partially formed from a braided tubular suture material and including; a distal segment of the braided suture material attached to the first tissue anchor; an intermediate segment of the braided suture material extending proximally from the distal segment and including a locking element and an adjustable loop, wherein a portion of the intermediate segment extends internally within the braided suture material of the locking element, and wherein the second tissue anchor is slidably coupled to the braided suture material of the adjustable loop; and a proximal segment of the braided suture material extending proximally from the intermediate segment and releasably coupled to the implant delivery tool. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A device for at least partially closing an aperture in an annulus fibrosus of an intervertebral disc of a patient, the device comprising:
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an implant delivery tool including; a substantially rigid outer tube having a proximal section, an intermediate section, and a distal section terminating in a sharpened tissue-piercing distal tip having an open end, the intermediate section having a first length, wherein the proximal and distal sections are laterally offset from one another by the intermediate section; a body coupled to the proximal section of the outer tube; a plunger assembly including a plunger member slidably disposed within the body, and a pusher tube slidably disposed within the body and the outer tube and coupled to the plunger member, the pusher tube including a distal end and a flexible segment proximal to the distal end axially coincident with the intermediate portion of the outer tube, the flexible segment having a second length greater than the first length of the intermediate portion of the outer tube; and an implant releasably coupled to the implant delivery tool including a pair of tissue anchors serially disposed within the distal section of the outer tube, and an adjustable flexible connecting element connecting the tissue anchors, wherein the plunger assembly is operable by a user to selectively displace the pusher tube distally within the outer tube so as to serially eject the first tissue anchor and then the second tissue anchor from the open end of the outer tube. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A device for at least partially closing an aperture in an annulus fibrosus of an intervertebral disc of a patient, the device comprising:
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an implant delivery tool including a substantially rigid outer tube having a proximal section, a distal section, and an intermediate section having a non-linear shape laterally offsetting the proximal and distal sections from one another; a body coupled to the proximal section of the outer tube; a plunger assembly movable axially relative to the body and including a plunger member and a pusher tube coupled thereto and disposed within the outer tube, the pusher tube having a substantially rigid proximal segment, a substantially rigid distal segment including a distal end, and a flexible segment between the proximal and distal segments, wherein the pusher tube is slidably displaceable within the outer tube to assume a plurality of positions, and wherein the flexible segment is configured to conform to the nonlinear shape of the intermediate section of the outer tube in each of the plurality of positions of the pusher tube; and an implant releasably coupled to the implant delivery tool including a pair of tissue anchors serially disposed within the distal section of the outer tube, and an adjustable flexible connecting element connecting the tissue anchors. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A system for at least partially closing an aperture in an annulus fibrosus of an intervertebral disc of a patient, the system comprising:
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first and second repair devices each including; an implant delivery tool including a substantially rigid outer tube having a proximal section and a distal section terminating in a sharpened distal tip; a body coupled to the proximal section of the outer tube; a plunger assembly movable axially relative to the body and including a pusher tube disposed within the outer tube, wherein the pusher tube is slidably displaceable within the outer tube to assume a plurality of positions; and an implant releasably coupled to the implant delivery tool including; first and second tissue anchors serially disposed within the distal section of the outer tube; and a flexible connecting element coupling the first and second tissue anchors, the connecting element at least partially formed from a braided tubular suture material and including; a distal segment of the braided suture material attached to the first tissue anchor; an intermediate segment of the braided suture material extending proximally from the distal segment and including a locking element and an adjustable loop, wherein a portion of the intermediate segment extends internally within the braided suture material of the locking element, and wherein the second tissue anchor is slidably coupled to the braided suture material of the adjustable loop; and a proximal segment of the braided suture material extending proximally from the intermediate segment and releasably coupled to the implant delivery tool.
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Specification