Multi-chamber expandable interspinous process spacer
AssigneeWarsaw Orthopedic, Inc.
InventorsHai H. Trieu, Kent M. Anderson, Eric C. Lange
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Abstract
An expandable interspinous process spacer is disclosed that includes at least two chambers, one disposed within the other. Each of the at least two chambers can receive an injectable biocompatible material, which advantageously may have different material properties such as hardness. Further, the expandable interspinous process spacer can be changed from a deflated configuration to an inflated configuration. In the inflated configuration, the expandable interspinous process spacer can engage and support a superior spinous process and an inferior spinous process.
Claims13
An expandable interspinous process spacer comprising:
- an outer chamber formed of an expandable material;
- an inner expandable chamber disposed within and generally surrounded by the outer chamber;
- the outer chamber changeable from a relatively smaller deflated configuration to a relatively larger inflated configuration via injection of a first biocompatible material;
- the inner chamber changeable from a relatively smaller deflated configuration to a relatively larger inflated configuration via injection of a second biocompatible material;
- the inner chamber changeable from the deflated configuration to the inflated configuration independently of the outer chamber.
An interspinous process spacer comprising:
- an outer chamber formed of an expandable material;
- a first biocompatible material disposed in the outer chamber;
- wherein injection of the first biocompatible material causes expansion of the outer chamber from a first relatively smaller deflated configuration to a second relatively larger inflated configuration;
- an inner expandable chamber disposed within and generally surrounded by the outer chamber;
- a second biocompatible material disposed in the inner chamber;
- wherein injection of the second biocompatible material causes expansion of the inner chamber from a first relatively smaller deflated configuration to a second relatively larger inflated configuration;
- wherein the inner chamber is changeable from the deflated configuration to the inflated configuration independently of the outer chamber;
- wherein the first biocompatible material and the second biocompatible material have at least one different material property such that the first biocompatible material has greater hardness than the second biocompatible material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.