Implants and methods for treating bone
AssigneeDFine, Inc.
InventorsCsaba Truckai, John H. Shadduck
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Abstract
An orthopedic implant comprising a deformable, expandable implant body configured for treating abnormalities in bones, such as compression fractures of vertebra, necrosis of femurs and the like. An exemplary implant body comprises a small cross-section threaded element that is introduced into a bone region and thereafter is expanded into a larger cross-section, monolithic assembly to provide a bone support. In one embodiment, the implant body is at least partly fabricated of a magnesium alloy that is biodegradable to allow for later tissue ingrowth.
Claims20
An expandable implant comprising an elongated body extending along an axis, the body including a plurality of deformable helically-mated elements.
A method of treating or prophylactically preventing a fracture of a bone comprising the steps of (a) helically introducing into bone a first body including a plurality of deformable helically-mated elements, and (b) helically introducing at least one additional body that include a plurality of deformable helically-mated elements into the interior of the first body thereby deformably radially expanding the assembly to support the bone.
The method of claim 14 wherein steps (a) and (b) move cortical bone.
A method for treating an abnormality in a bone comprising (a) introducing an implant body into or proximate a bone wherein the implant body includes a biodegradable magnesium alloy, and (b) allowing the magnesium alloy to biodegrade thereby creating space for tissue ingrowth.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.