Dynamized interspinal implant

• US 9,668,785 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2016
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Depuy Synthes Products Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Depuy Synthes Products Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Serhan, Hassan, DiNello, Alexander Michel, Christianson, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Philogene, Pedro
• Assistant Examiner(s): Comstock, David C
• Application Number:
  US15/219,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20160331415A1
• Time in Patent Office: 315 Days
• Field of Search: 606246-249, 606279, 623 1711- 1716
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7062 Devices acting on, attached to, or simulating the effect of, vertebral processes, vertebral facets or ribs rib fixation devices A61B17/8076; Tools for such devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7065 Devices with changeable shape, e.g. collapsible or having retractable arms to aid implantation; Tools therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7068 Devices comprising separate rigid parts, assembled in situ, to bear on each side of spinous processes; Tools therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00075 Motion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00221 with wireless transmission of data, e.g. by infrared radiation or radiowaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00964 composite
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/567 Joint mechanisms or joint supports in addition to the natural joints and outside the joint gaps
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/681 Alignment, compression, or distraction mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4405 for apophyseal or facet joints, i.e. between adjacent spinous or transverse processes devices implanted between spinous or transverse processes A61B17/7062
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/482 Electrical means

Abstract

An interspinous process implant for insertion between adjacent spinous processes, the implant having a flexible body having i) an upper posterior portion having an upper surface adapted to bear upon an upper spinous process, ii) a lower posterior portion having a lower surface adapted to bear upon a lower spinous process, and iii) an arcuate, flexible anterior wall connecting the upper and lower portions, wherein the anterior wall has a narrowed portion.

Claims

1. A method for post-operatively actuating an implant that has been surgically implanted with at least one portion within a functional spinal unit of a patient, the implant including a sensor capable of determining a change in the physical surroundings of the implant and being capable of delivering an electric current, the implant being implanted and configured so as to be able to provide an electrical stimulus to a fluid, comprising:

post-operatively analyzing by the sensor of the physical surroundings of the implant, wherein analyzing the physical surroundings of the implant includes analyzing the patient'"'"'s motion;

post-operatively determining by the sensor of a significant change in the physical surroundings of the implant; and

post-operatively adjusting a characteristic of the functional spinal unit in response to the determined significant change in the physical surroundings of the implant, wherein adjusting a characteristic of the patient'"'"'s spinal column includes applying an electrical stimulus to the fluid.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid is ionic, and the electrical stimulus acts on ions in the fluid to adjust a characteristic of the patient'"'"'s spinal column.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid is in a shell.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid includes fluid within a compartment outside of the functional spinal unit.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the implant includes a shell having the fluid therein, the implant being in contact with the functional spinal unit, wherein adjusting a characteristic of the functional spinal unit includes applying the electrical stimulus to fluid in the shell in order to adjust a stiffness of the implant.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising reporting data analyzed by the sensor to an ex vivo source.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the reporting is performed by a reporter contained within the implant.

8. A method for adjusting an implant, the method comprising:

post-operatively detecting, by a sensor, a change in physical surroundings of an implant surgically implanted with at least one portion posterior to a patient'"'"'s spinal cord, the change in the physical surroundings including a change of the patient'"'"'s spine associated with pain; and

outputting, by the sensor, a representation of the change, the representation indicating that a post-operative adjustment to the implant is warranted to alleviate the patient'"'"'s pain or including information that may be used to determine that a post-operative adjustment is warranted.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein detecting the change in the physical surroundings of the implant includes detecting a spinal extension.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein detecting the change in the physical surroundings of the implant includes detecting a spinal rotation.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein detecting the change includes detecting an occurrence of a change.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein detecting the change includes detecting motion of the patient'"'"'s spine.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the sensor is contained within the implant.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the outputting is performed by a reporter via a communications link to an ex vivo device.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising, by the sensor, post-operatively adjusting a characteristic of the implant responsive to the representation to alleviate the patient'"'"'s pain.

16. The method of claim 15, further including receiving a representation of an adjustment indicator via a communications link from an ex vivo device.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein post-operatively adjusting a characteristic of the implant includes applying a stimulus selected from a group including pH, light, and electric current.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein post-operatively detecting includes sensing any one of orientation, attitude, acceleration, velocity, position, or a combination thereof.