Spinal disc annulus reconstruction method and spinal disc annulus stent
OwnerJoseph C. Cauthen III, Matthew M. Burns +4inventors
InventorsJoseph C. Cauthen III, Matthew M. Burns, Lawrence W. Wales, Brian L. Dukart, Bradley J. Wessman, Rodney L. Houfburg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A spinal disc annulus repair stent for repair and reconstruction of the spinal disc wall (annulus) after surgical invasion or pathologic rupture, which may incorporate suture closure or other means of stent insertion and fixation, designed to reduce the failure rate of conventional surgical procedures on the spinal discs. In an illustrative embodiment, the design of the spinal disc annulus stent advantageously allows ingrowth of normal cells of healing in an enhanced fashion strengthening the normal reparative process.
Claims8
A device for treating an aperture in the annulus of a patient's intervertebral disc, said device comprising a cylindrical body formed of a plurality of filamentous elements, said body having a radial diameter, a first end and a second end subtending a longitudinal dimension, said device having a first configuration, and a second configuration, wherein the second configuration, in use, is characterized by a relatively larger radial diameter along at least a portion of said longitudinal dimension.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.