Method for treatment or evacuation of intervertebral disc
First Claim
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1. A method of treatment or evacuation of an interior of a mammalian intervertebral disc, comprising the steps of:
- a) forming an opening through a posterior wall of a mammalian intervertebral disc;
b) advancing an introducer comprising a guide through said opening in said posterior wall of the mammalian intervertebral disc, wherein said guide extends into the interior of the mammalian intervertebral disc;
c) with said introducer in position in said opening of said mammalian intervertebral disc, engaging the guide with an elongated tool formed of a shape memory material and comprising a preformed S-shape, wherein the S-shape comprises two separate and distinct arcs, and advancing said elongated tool along said guide, wherein said preformed S-shape of said elongated tool is deformed by said guide while said preformed S-shape engages said guide;
d) continuing to advance said elongated tool along said guide until a portion of said elongated tool comprising said preformed S-shape exits said guide into the interior of the mammalian intervertebral disc, whereupon the preformed S-shape of said elongated tool assumes said preformed S-shape as said elongated tool exits said guide in the interior of the mammalian intervertebral disc;
e) positioning said elongated tool as desired within the interior of the mammalian intervertebral disc, wherein a distal end of the elongated tool is selectively positioned at different points in the interior of the mammalian intervertebral disc as the method of treatment is performed by the elongated tool by combining selective advancement and retraction of the elongated tool within the interior of the mammalian intervertebral disc with independent selective advancement and retraction of the introducer; and
f) withdrawing said elongated tool from the interior of the mammalian intervertebral disc.
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Abstract
A method of positioning an S-shaped tool against inner annular walls of the disc that particularly facilitates reaching posterior and postero-lateral portions of the inner annulus of the disc by arthroscopy. An elongated, arcuate and S-shaped tool such as a catheter is positioned against the inner annular wall of the disc, and particularly on the posterior and postero-lateral portions of the inner annulus of the disc, which are portions of the disc to be treated. The deformable, arcuate and S-shaped tool retains its predetermined arcuate, S-shape when no pressure or force is applied to the tool.
41 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of treatment or evacuation of an interior of a mammalian intervertebral disc, comprising the steps of:
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a) forming an opening through a posterior wall of a mammalian intervertebral disc; b) advancing an introducer comprising a guide through said opening in said posterior wall of the mammalian intervertebral disc, wherein said guide extends into the interior of the mammalian intervertebral disc; c) with said introducer in position in said opening of said mammalian intervertebral disc, engaging the guide with an elongated tool formed of a shape memory material and comprising a preformed S-shape, wherein the S-shape comprises two separate and distinct arcs, and advancing said elongated tool along said guide, wherein said preformed S-shape of said elongated tool is deformed by said guide while said preformed S-shape engages said guide; d) continuing to advance said elongated tool along said guide until a portion of said elongated tool comprising said preformed S-shape exits said guide into the interior of the mammalian intervertebral disc, whereupon the preformed S-shape of said elongated tool assumes said preformed S-shape as said elongated tool exits said guide in the interior of the mammalian intervertebral disc; e) positioning said elongated tool as desired within the interior of the mammalian intervertebral disc, wherein a distal end of the elongated tool is selectively positioned at different points in the interior of the mammalian intervertebral disc as the method of treatment is performed by the elongated tool by combining selective advancement and retraction of the elongated tool within the interior of the mammalian intervertebral disc with independent selective advancement and retraction of the introducer; and f) withdrawing said elongated tool from the interior of the mammalian intervertebral disc. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of treatment or evacuation of an interior of a mammalian intervertebral disc, comprising the steps of:
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a) forming an opening through a posterior wall of a mammalian intervertebral disc; b) advancing an introducer comprising a guide through said opening in said posterior wall of the mammalian intervertebral disc, wherein said guide extends into the interior of the mammalian intervertebral disc; c) with said introducer in position in said opening of said mammalian intervertebral disc, engaging the guide with an elongated tool formed of a shape memory material and comprising a preformed S-shape, and advancing said elongated tool along said guide, wherein said preformed S-shape of said elongated tool is deformed by said guide while said preformed S-shape engages said guide; d) continuing to advance said elongated tool along said guide until a portion of said elongated tool comprising said preformed S-shape exits said guide into the interior of the mammalian intervertebral disc, whereupon the preformed S-shape of said elongated tool assumes said preformed S-shape as said elongated tool exits said guide in the interior of the mammalian intervertebral disc; e) positioning said elongated tool as desired within the interior of the mammalian intervertebral disc, wherein a distal end of the elongated tool is postionable on all interior surfaces of the mammalian intervertebral disc as the method of treatment is performed by the elongated tool by combining selective advancement and retraction of the elongated tool within the interior of the mammalian intervertebral disc with independent selective advancement and retraction of the introducer, and wherein selective advancement and retraction of the elongated tool within the interior of the mammalian intervertebral disc with independent selective advancement and retraction of the introducer; and f) withdrawing said elongated tool from the interior of the mammalian intervertebral disc. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification