Devices and methods for facilitating controlled bone growth or repair
First Claim
1. A facet screw, comprising:
- a threaded body defining an outside surface and configured to fuse a facet joint, said body having a size that facilitates passing said body through a superior facet of a lower vertebra and an inferior facet of an upper vertebra;
a carrier receiving area defined by said body configured to receive a carrier material;
a port that communicates said outside surface with said carrier receiving area for facilitating delivery of a biologically active substance onto said carrier material, wherein the port comprises a self-sealing member disposed therein;
a pathway that communicates with said carrier receiving area for delivering said biologically active substance from said carrier receiving area to a target bone structure.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Bone implantable devices and methodologies permit careful application of biologically active substances and management of bone growth processes. The device includes a body defining a carrier receiving area for locating adjacent bone. Carrier material is located in the carrier receiving area. Substance is delivered onto carrier material through a port. A pathway delivers substance from the carrier receiving area to the bone surface. The body may be in the form of a spinal fusion cage, facet fusion screw, artificial joint, bone fixation plate, interbody graft, IM nail, hip stem, or other bone-to-bone appliances or bone-to-device appliances. In use, carrier is installed in the carrier receiving area of the device. The device is then implanted adjacent a bone. The substance is applied to the carrier for subsequent delivery to the bone. By doping carrier material after device implantation, inadvertent contact of the substance with non-target bone is more easily eliminated.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A facet screw, comprising:
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a threaded body defining an outside surface and configured to fuse a facet joint, said body having a size that facilitates passing said body through a superior facet of a lower vertebra and an inferior facet of an upper vertebra; a carrier receiving area defined by said body configured to receive a carrier material; a port that communicates said outside surface with said carrier receiving area for facilitating delivery of a biologically active substance onto said carrier material, wherein the port comprises a self-sealing member disposed therein; a pathway that communicates with said carrier receiving area for delivering said biologically active substance from said carrier receiving area to a target bone structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An implant, comprising:
a facet screw comprising an elongate threaded body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an outer surface extending therebetween, the elongate body configured to fuse a facet joint and having a size that facilitates passing the body through a superior facet of a lower vertebra and an inferior facet of an upper vertebra; a carrier receiving area defined by the body configured to receive a carrier material; an end cap located on the proximal end of the body configured to seal the carrier receiving area; and a pathway that communicates with the carrier receiving area for delivering the biologically active substance from the carrier receiving area to a target bone structure. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. An implant, comprising:
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a facet screw comprising a proximal head; a threaded body extending distally from the head and having a diameter less than a diameter of the proximal head, the threaded body defining an outside surface and configured to fuse a facet joint, the body having a size that facilitates passing the body through a superior facet of a lower vertebra and an inferior facet of an upper vertebra; a carrier receiving area defined by the body configured to receive a carrier material; and a plurality of apertures formed in the outside surface that communicate with the carrier receiving area for delivering said biologically active substance from said carrier receiving area to a target bone structure, the plurality of apertures configured to be adjacent at least one of the superior facet of the lower vertebra and the inferior facet of the upper vertebra, wherein the outside surface includes a single continuous perforated zone and a non-perforated zone, the perforated zone comprising all of the plurality of apertures and configured to be adjacent the superior facet and the inferior facet upon implantation, and wherein the non-perforated zone is configured to face away from the facet joint upon implantation. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification