Intervertebral disc nucleus replacement prosthesis
AssigneeZimmer Spine, Inc.
InventorZachary M. Hoffman
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Abstract
A nucleus replacement prosthesis for a nucleus of an intervertebral disc. The nucleus replacement prosthesis includes an elastic porous construct having a plurality of interconnected pores. The porous construct may be formed of a non-hydrogel material. The porous construct is compressible by the application of an applied compressive force from an enlarged state to a smaller compressed state. The porous construct is predisposed to assume the enlarged state in the absence of the applied compressive force without hydration of the porous construct. A substance may be located in the interconnected pores of the porous construct.
Claims27
A nucleus replacement prosthesis for a nucleus of an intervertebral disc, the nucleus replacement prosthesis comprising:
- an elastic porous construct formed from a non-hydrogel material, the porous construct having a plurality of interconnected pores, the elastic porous construct being compressible by the application of an applied compressive force from an enlarged state to a smaller compressed state;
- wherein the elastic porous construct is predisposed to assume the enlarged state in the absence of the applied compressive force.
A nucleus replacement prosthesis for a nucleus of an intervertebral disc, the nucleus replacement prosthesis comprising:
- an elastic porous construct having a plurality of interconnected pores, the elastic porous construct being compressible by the application of an applied compressive force from an enlarged state to a smaller compressed state;
- wherein the elastic porous construct is predisposed to assume the enlarged state in the absence of the applied compressive force without hydration;
- and
- a substance located in the interconnected pores of the elastic porous construct.
A method of replacing a nucleus of an intervertebral disc, the method comprising:
- removing at least a portion of the nucleus to create a nuclear void within an annulus fibrosus of the intervertebral disc;
- inserting a porous construct in a compressed state into the nuclear void;
- expanding the porous construct within the nuclear void to an expanded state;
- injecting a substance into the expanded porous construct such that the substance fills a plurality of interconnected pores of the porous construct.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.