Steerable needle assembly for use in vertebral body augmentation

• US 9,439,693 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2013
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Depuy Synthes Products Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Depuy Synthes Products Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Childs, Joseph M., Fisher, Michael A., Murphy, Raymond, Ramsay, Christopher, Maguire, Paul S., Rusbarsky, Christine, Konieczynski, David, Afshari, Payman
• Primary Examiner(s): BOUCHELLE, LAURA A
• Application Number:
  US13/756,592
• Publication Number:
  US 20140221967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,320 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7094 Solid vertebral fillers; devices for inserting such fillers
• 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 2017/00309 Cut-outs or slits

Abstract

Disclosed herein are devices for minimally invasive vertebral augmentation and restoration of spinal lordosis using a steerable cannula assembly. When deployed, the articulating cannula, including an outer cannula and an inner cannula extending into a central lumen of the outer cannula and coupled to each other at their distal ends, can be manipulated to curve/bend the body of the articulating cannula. This manipulation is used to create a void within the interior body and may also be used to control delivery of a treatment element to the interior body.

Claims

1. A steerable cannula assembly comprising:

an outer cannula having a central lumen extending therethrough, the outer cannula including an articulating portion that curves in response to a force applied to a proximal end of the outer cannula;

an inner cannula having a central lumen extending therethrough, the inner cannula being sized and configured to extend into a portion of the central lumen of the outer cannula, and coupled to a distal end of the outer cannula, wherein a tube-shaped sealing barrier covers at least a portion of an outer surface of the inner cannula;

wherein the steering cannula assembly further includes an opening extending through a wall of the outer cannula and a wall of the inner cannula, the opening configured to provide access to the central lumen of the inner cannula.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the inner cannula is coupled to the outer cannula at the distal end of the outer cannula by at least one of a chemical bond, a thermal bond, and a mechanical bond.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the force applied to the proximal end of the outer cannula results in movement of the proximal end in a direction along a longitudinal axis of the outer cannula.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the articulating portion includes a plurality of grooves and a plurality of corresponding projections, wherein at least two of the plurality of projections are sized and configured to interlock when the articulating portion is in a fully curved state.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the inner cannula includes a slot extending along a longitudinal axis of the inner cannula.

6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the inner cannula includes at least two slots extending along a longitudinal axis of the inner cannula,

wherein a support member is provided between each of the slots, the support member comprising a ring-shaped portion extending in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the inner cannula and having a having a central lumen extending therethrough.

7. The assembly of claim 1, further including a handle operably coupled to the outer cannula and the inner cannula, the handle including:

a body portion fixedly engaged to a proximal end of the inner cannula;

a ratchet assembly for applying the force to the proximate end of the outer cannula and moving the proximal end in a direction along the longitudinal axis of the outer cannula; and

a lever operably coupled to the ratchet assembly.

8. The assembly of claim 7, further including a first connector coupled to a proximal end of the outer cannula, the first connector having a central lumen extending therethrough, and an outer surface sized and configured to matingly engage a ratchet assembly associated with the handle.

9. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the outer surface of the first connector includes a projection sized and configured to engage an interior surface of the handle.

10. The assembly of claim 7, further comprising a second connector coupled to a proximal end of the inner cannula, the second connector including a central lumen extending therethrough.

11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the outer surface of the second connector includes a recess and a collar sized and configured to engage a body portion of a handle.

12. A method for treating a body using an steerable cannula assembly, the method comprising:

inserting an articulating cannula into an interior body, the articulating cannula including an outer cannula and an inner cannula extending into a central lumen of the outer cannula, the outer cannula coupled to the inner cannula at their distal end, wherein a tube-shaped sealing barrier covers at least a portion of an outer surface of the inner cannula, and further wherein the steerable cannula assembly further includes an opening extending through a wall of the outer cannula and a wall of the inner cannula, the opening configured to provide access to the central lumen of the inner cannula;

selectively adjusting the articulating cannula to cause a portion of the articulating cannula to curve;

augmenting the interior body; and

withdrawing the articulating cannula from the interior body.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein selectively adjusting the articulating cannula includes:

maintaining a position of a proximal end of the inner cannula with respect to the steerable cannula assembly; and

applying a force to the outer cannula in a direction along a longitudinal axis of the outer cannula.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein selectively adjusting the articulating cannula further includes:

apply the force to the outer cannula such that a width of a plurality of grooves located on the outer cannula is decreased; and

applying the force to the outer cannula such that a plurality of corresponding projections located on the outer cannula interlock when the articulating cannula is in a fully curved position.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein selectively adjusting the articulating cannula further includes:

maintaining a position of the proximal end of the inner cannula such that a slot extending along a longitudinal axis of the inner cannula provides a flexation point for the inner cannula.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein selectively adjusting the articulating cannula further includes:

coupling a ratchet assembly to the outer cannula such that variable action of the ratchet assembly corresponds to a complimentary force applied to the outer cannula.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

providing a treatment element through the articulating cannula and into the interior body,

wherein the treatment element comprises at least one of an inflatable body and a filler material, the filler material comprising at least one of a bone cement, bone chips, demineralized bone, or an implant.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

selectively adjusting the articulating cannula to create a cavity in the interior body.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

inserting the articulating cannula through a pedicle of a vertebrae and into a body of the vertebrae.

20. The method according to claim 12, wherein the articulating cannula is introduced into the interior body via an introducer cannula, such that a distal end of the articulating cannula extends beyond a distal end of the introducer cannula and into the interior body.