Implantable nuclear prosthesis, kits, and related methods

A method of replacing a nucleus pulposus of an intervertebral disc with a spinal implant device, the method comprising:

• dilating an annulus fibrosus to gain access to an intervertebral disc;
• performing a nuclectomy to create an enucleated intervertebral disc cavity;
• using a first imaging balloon to assess completeness of the nuclectomy, to interrogate the enucleated intervertebral disc cavity for defects and/or contraindications, or both;
• using a second imaging balloon to determine a size for a spinal implant for the enucleated intervertebral disc cavity, the second imaging balloon different from the first imaging balloon;
• inserting, into the enucleated intervertebral disc cavity, a dual-chambered spinal implant device having an inner chamber that is at least partially surrounded by an outer chamber;
• inflating the inner chamber with a fluidic medium, the inner chamber defined by an inner fillable enclosure;
• inflating the outer chamber with a curable medium and monitoring pressure on the inner chamber during inflation;
• allowing the curable medium to cure;
• removing the fluidic medium from the inner chamber;
• and
• leaving the inner fillable enclosure vented so that fluids may enter and exit the inner fillable enclosure.

A method of confirming implantation of a spinal implant device, the method comprising:

• inserting an imaging balloon into an enucleated intervertebral disc cavity that has been previously assessed for completeness, contraindications, or both by an imaging technique;
• inflating the imaging balloon with a radiopaque fluid to a threshold pressure;
• imaging one or more views of the inflated imaging balloon to determine a size for a spinal implant for the enucleated intervertebral disc cavity;
• removing the imaging balloon, inserting, into the enucleated intervertebral disc cavity, a dual-chambered spinal implant device having an inner chamber that is at least partially surrounded by an outer chamber based on a determination of the size of the spinal implant;
• inflating the inner chamber of the dual-chambered spinal implant device with a fluidic medium, the inner chamber defined by an inner fillable enclosure;
• inflating the outer chamber of the dual-chambered spinal implant device with a curable medium and monitoring pressure on the inner chamber during inflation;
• stopping inflation of the outer chamber of the dual-chambered spinal implant device when the monitored pressure reaches a threshold pressure;
• allowing the curable medium to cure;
• removing the fluidic medium from the inner chamber;
• leaving the inner fillable enclosure vented so that fluids may enter and exit the inner fillable enclosure;
• imaging one or more views of the spinal implant device corresponding to the one or more views imaged of the inflated imaging balloon;
• and
• comparing the one or more views of the spinal implant device with the one or more views of the inflated imaging balloon to assess the spinal implant device.