EXPANDABLE SUPPORT DEVICE AND METHOD OF USE

• US 20070244485A1
• Filed: 03/21/2007
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stout Medical Group, L.P. (Alphatec Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Stout Medical Group, L.P. (Alphatec Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Romano, John, Greenhalgh, E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,314,349 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/86.R
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7098 wherein the implant is permeable or has openings, e.g. fenestrated screw hollow surgical screws A61B17/864
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8858 laterally or radially expansible inflatable A61B17/8855
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30767 Special external or bone-contacting surface, e.g. coating for improving bone ingrowth
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4425 made of articulated components
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4455 for the fusion of spinal bodies, e.g. intervertebral fusion of adjacent spinal bodies, e.g. fusion cages intervertebral discs A61F2/442
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/446 having a circular or elliptical cross-section substantially parallel to the axis of the spine, e.g. cylinders or frustocones
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4611 of spinal prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30092 using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30176 V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30579 with mechanically expandable devices, e.g. fixation devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30593 hollow
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30677 Means for introducing or releasing pharmaceutical products, e.g. antibiotics, into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30777 Oblong apertures
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30785 parallel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4435 Support means or repair of the natural disc wall, i.e. annulus, e.g. using plates, membranes or meshes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/444 for replacing the nucleus pulposus
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4627 with linear motion along or rotating motion about the instrument axis or the implantation direction, e.g. telescopic, along a guiding rod, screwing inside the instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0014 using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00017 Iron- or Fe-based alloys, e.g. stainless steel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00023 : Titanium or titanium-based alloys, e.g. Ti-Ni alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00029 : Cobalt-based alloys, e.g. Co-Cr alloys or Vitallium
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00131 : Tantalum or Ta-based alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00365 : Proteins; Polypeptides; Degradation products thereof

Abstract

An expandable support device for tissue repair is disclosed. The device can be used to repair hard or soft tissue, such as bone or vertebral discs. A method of repairing tissue is also disclosed. The device and method can be used to treat compression fractures. The compression fractures can be in the spine. The device can be deployed by compressing the device longitudinally resulting in radial expansion.

Claims

1. An expandable implant device comprising:

a body having a length, width and height, and a substantially hollow interior;

at least one set of first struts defining one of said height or width, said set of first struts being substantially deformable under expansion force to alter the dimension of the device, the first struts having a first, unexpanded configuration and a second expanded configuration, the device increasing in dimension in the direction of expansion of said first struts.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first struts comprise two sets of first struts defining opposite walls of the device.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is generally cylindrical

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the device has a first cross-section and a second cross-section substantially perpendicular to the first cross-section, and wherein the first cross-section is substantially rectangular, and wherein the second cross-section is substantially rectangular.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the first struts define side walls of the device.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising sides that do not include the first struts, and wherein the sides are substantially rigid.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising sides defined by first struts, and further comprising a substantially rigid top and a substantially rigid bottom.

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising a top and a bottom, wherein the top and the bottom have openings therethrough.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising a substantially rigid top and a substantially rigid bottom.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the first struts are substantially U shaped.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the first struts are substantially V shaped.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein a first portion of the first struts are oriented in a first direction and a second portion of the first struts are oriented in a second direction.

13. The device of claim 1, further comprising slidable wedges.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the wedges are slidable relative to each other to expand the device.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the wedges provide a counterforce to the struts.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein the wedges define two wedge interfaces.

17. The device of claim 13, wherein the wedges comprise interlocking directional teeth.

18. The device of claim 13, wherein the wedges comprise a tongue and groove interface.

19. The device of claim 1, further comprising a buttress.

20. The device of claim 1, further comprising a locking pin.

21. The device of claim 1, wherein the longitudinal axis of the implant has a radius of curvature.

22. The device of claim 1, wherein the wall thickness of the device is from about 0.25 mm to about 5 mm.

23. The device of claim 1, further comprising a set of second struts.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the second struts have a second strut thickness, and wherein the first struts have a first strut thickness, and wherein the second strut thickness is not substantially equivalent to the first strut thickness.

25. The device of claim 23, wherein the first struts and the second struts can provide controlled expansion of the device in more than one dimension.

26. The device of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the first struts varies along the length of the first struts to control expansion of the device to a desired configuration.

27. The device of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the wall of the device varies along the length of the first struts to control expansion of the device to a desired configuration.

28. A method of using an implantable device comprising:

providing the implantable device which includes;

a body having a length, width and height, and a substantially hollow interior,

at least one set of first struts defining one of said height or width, said first set of struts being substantially deformable under expansion force to alter the dimension of the implantable device, the first struts having a first, unexpanded configuration and a second expanded configuration, the implantable device increasing in dimension in the direction of expansion of said first struts,

mounting the implantable device onto a deployment device which grips the first and second ends of the implantable device, and

actuating the deployment device to exert a longitudinal compression force on the implantable device, thereby causing said first struts to deform and expand at least one dimension of the implantable device while increasing the volume of the open hollow interior of the implantable device.