Thermopolymer composition and related methods
AssigneeNuVasive, Inc.
InventorsAnthony Ross, Peter Guagliano
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Abstract
A thermopolymer composition is disclosed suitable for use in filling voids within a human body, including but not limited to orthopedic joints (i.e. the discs of the spine and joints of the extremities), spaces between bone fractures or separations, and/or voids created within muscle and/or viscera for the purpose of tissue augmentation. The thermopolymer composition of the present invention may be heated and injected into the body in flowable form and thereafter cooled to body temperature to become a flexible, yet relatively solid material.
Claims23
A method of performing a medical procedure, comprising the steps of:
- selecting a thermopolymer matrix from a group consisting of gutta percha, balata and polyisoprene, or any mixture thereof;
- selecting a dispersion compound comprising at least one of titanium and gold;
- combining the thermopolymer matrix and the dispersion compound to form a thermopolymer composition;
- sterilizing said thermopolymer composition;
- and
- performing at least one of disc nucleus replacement, vertebroplasty, reconstructive facial surgery, breast augmentation and urinary incontinence treatment by heating said sterilized thermopolymer composition to a flowable form and injecting said flowable thermopolymer composition into a respective region of a living body.
A method of performing a medical procedure, comprising the steps of:
- providing a thermopolymer composition, said thermopolymer composition comprising a combination of:
- a thermopolymer matrix selected from a group consisting of gutta percha, balata and polyisoprene, or any mixture thereof;
- and
- a dispersion compound comprising at least one of titanium and gold;
- sterilizing said thermopolymer composition;
- and
- performing at least one of disc nucleus replacement, vertebroplasty, reconstructive facial surgery, breast augmentation and urinary incontinence treatment by heating said sterilized thermopolymer composition to a flowable form and injecting said flowable thermopolymer composition into a respective region of a living body.
A method of performing a medical procedure, comprising the steps of:
- combining gutta percha with gold to form a thermopolymer composition;
- sterilizing said thermopolymer composition;
- and
- performing at least one of disc nucleus replacement, vertebroplasty, reconstructive facial surgery, breast augmentation and urinary incontinence treatment by heating said sterilized thermopolymer composition to a flowable form and injecting said flowable thermopolymer composition into a respective region of a living body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.