Devices and methods for the restoration of a spinal disc
AssigneeSpineWave, Inc.
InventorsLawrence M. Boyd, Maureen L. Upton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method is provided for maintaining a proper intervertebral disc height during the replacement or augmentation of the spinal disc. In one embodiment, a cannulated distractor is used to distract the adjacent vertebrae and maintain a proper disc space height. The cannulated distractor is fluidly connected to a source of fluent material for injection into the disc space. The distraction includes a distraction tip resident within the disc space that includes a central lumen and a number of openings communicating with the lumen to dispense the fluent material within the disc space.
Claims42
A method for injecting a fluent material into a disc space comprising the steps of:
- creating a portal in the annulus fibrosis in communication with the intradiscal space;
- impacting a cannulated distractor into the portal, the distractor configured to distract the vertebrae adjacent the intradiscal space and to establish a disc space height between the adjacent vertebrae;
- and
- introducing the fluent material into the intradiscal space through a lumen of the cannulated distractor while the distractor maintains the established disc space height.
A method for injecting a fluent material into a disc space comprising the steps of:
- creating a portal in the annulus fibrosis in communication with the intradiscal space;
- placing a cannulated distractor into the portal, the distractor configured after placement to distract the vertebrae adjacent the intradiscal space and to establish a disc space height between the adjacent vertebrae;
- and
- introducing the fluent material into the intradiscal space through a lumen of the cannulated distractor while the distractor maintains the established disc space height.
A device for injecting a fluent material into a disc space comprising:
- a distraction member having opposite surfaces configured to distract adjacent vertebrae to the disc space, the distraction member having a proximal end and a distal end portion, at least the distal end portion configured to be disposed within the disc space;
- a fluid passageway defined between said proximal end and said distal end portion, said fluid passageway defining an opening at said proximal end and at said distal end portion;
- and
- said proximal end of said distraction member being configured for fluidly connecting said distraction member to a source of the fluent material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.