Systems and methods for joint stabilization

• US 9,855,145 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2016
• Issued: 01/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illuminoss Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illuminoss Medical, Inc.
• Inventors: Rabiner, Robert A., Gausepohl, Thomas, DiPoto, Gene P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sharma, Yashita
• Application Number:
  US14/988,058
• Publication Number:
  US 20160128836A1
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 623 1711- 1811, 606 61, 606 62, 606 63, 606 68, 606 70, 606 86, 606 92- 94, 606105, 606190-197, 606262, 606280-298, 604 20- 21
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7079 Tools requiring anchors to be already mounted on an implanted longitudinal or transverse element, e.g. where said element guides the anchor motion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7097 Stabilisers comprising fluid filler in an implant, e.g. balloon; devices for inserting or filling such implants disc prostheses made of inflatable chambers or pockets filled with fluid A61F2/441; replacing the nucleus pulposus A61F2002/444
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7216 for bone lengthening or compression A61B17/7258 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7275 with expanding cylindrical parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7291 for small bones, e.g. in the foot, ankle, hand or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30 Joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30583 filled with hardenable fluid, e.g. curable in-situ
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0085 hardenable in situ, e.g. epoxy resins

Abstract

Photodynamic devices for stabilizing a joint are provided. In some embodiments, a photodynamic joint spacer is provided that includes an expandable member configured for attachment to a bone having an excised region; a formable bar configured for attachment to the bone along at least a portion of the expandable member; and a light-sensitive liquid passed into the expandable member to expand the expandable member, wherein the expandable member is shaped by the formable bar to a shape resembling the excised region of the bone, and wherein the light-sensitive liquid is curable upon exposure to light energy to set the expandable member in the shape resembling the excised region to form a photodynamic joint spacer.

Claims

1. A method for stabilizing an articular joint comprising:

attaching a formable bar to a bone in proximity to an excised region;

disposing an expandable member adjacent to the formable bar;

shaping, using a placement and an angle of the formable bar, the expandable member to approximate an anatomical angle of the excised region of the bone;

expanding the expandable member with a light-sensitive liquid; and

curing the light-sensitive liquid within the expandable member to create a photodynamic joint spacer having the anatomical angle of the excised region of the bone to stabilize the joint.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the formable bar is semi-cylindrical to facilitate conformal attachment of the formable bar to an outer surface of the bone.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising inserting the expandable member into an intramedullary cavity of the bone.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising passing a light conducting fiber through an inner lumen of a delivery catheter and into the expandable member to disperse light energy within the expandable member.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising attaching the expandable member to the formable bar with one or more retaining members.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising passing the light-sensitive liquid into the expandable member to expand the expandable member from a deflated state to an inflated state.