US 7,204,851 B2Granted

Method and apparatus for delivering an intervertebral disc implant

AssigneeSDGI Holdings, Inc.

InventorsHai H. Trieu, Jeff R. Justis, Roy Lim

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A method for implanting a prosthetic spinal disc nucleus in an intervertebral disc nucleus space generally includes: (a) making a hole in the annulus of a disc, with the hole having an undilated size that is smaller than the cross-sectional size of a folded prosthetic disc nucleus; (b) using an implant instrument to dilate the hole in the disc annulus; (c) using the implant instrument to pass a straightened prosthetic disc nucleus through the dilated hole and into the disc nucleus space; (d) withdrawing the implant instrument and allowing the hole in the disc annulus to return to a size smaller that its dilated size; and (e) causing or allowing the prosthetic disc nucleus to assume a folded configuration with a cross-sectional size that is larger than its straightened size. A device for use in the method is also disclosed.

Claims38

Dependent claims

A method of implanting material in an intervertebral disc nucleus space;

the method comprising:
(a) providing a disc nucleus implant instrument having:
(i) a passageway effective for passing a material for replacing or augmenting an intervertebral disc nucleus, said passageway having a proximal end and a distal end;
and
(ii) a dilator at the distal end of said passageway, said dilator being effective for dilating an opening in a disc annulus;
(b) providing a material suitable for replacing or augmenting an intervertebral disc nucleus in the passageway of said disc nucleus implant instrument;
(c) providing a hole in the annulus of a disc receiving the material for replacing or augmenting an intervertebral disc nucleus, said hole having an undilated size that is smaller than the cross-sectional size of the material for replacing or augmenting an intervertebral disc nucleus, and said hole having a dilated size that is larger than the cross-sectional size of the material for replacing or augmenting an intervertebral disc nucleus;
(d) introducing the dilator of said disc nucleus implant instrument into the hole in the disc annulus while said hole is not fully dilated;
(e) causing said dilator to dilate, and thus to dilate the hole in the disc annulus;
(f) passing said material for replacing or augmenting an intervertebral disc nucleus through said dilator and into said disc nucleus space while the hole in said disc annulus is dilated;
and
(g) withdrawing said disc nucleus implant instrument and allowing said hole in said disc annulus to return to a size smaller than its dilated size.

9 more elements

A method of implanting a prosthetic spinal disc nucleus in an intervertebral disc nucleus space;

the method comprising:
(a) providing a disc nucleus implant instrument having:
(i) a passageway for passing a prosthetic disc nucleus, said passageway having a proximal end and a distal end;
and
(ii) a dilator at the distal end of said passageway, said dilator being effective for dilating an opening in a disc annulus;
(b) providing a prosthetic disc nucleus having a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein said first configuration presents a first cross-sectional size and said second configuration presents a second cross-sectional size, wherein said first cross-sectional size is larger than said second cross-sectional size;
(c) providing a hole in the annulus of a disc receiving the prosthetic disc nucleus, said hole having an undilated size that is smaller than the first cross-sectional size of said prosthetic disc nucleus, and said hole having a dilated size that is larger than the second cross-sectional size of said prosthetic disc nucleus;
(d) providing said prosthetic disc nucleus in its second configuration in the passageway of said disc nucleus implant instrument;
(e) introducing the dilator of said disc nucleus implant instrument into the hole in the disc annulus while said hole is not fully dilated;
(f) causing said dilator to dilate, and thus to more fully dilate the hole in the disc annulus;
(g) passing said prosthetic disc nucleus through said dilator and into said disc nucleus space while the disc annulus is more fully dilated and the prosthetic disc nucleus is in its second configuration;
(h) withdrawing said disc nucleus implant instrument and allowing said disc annulus to return to a size smaller than its dilated size;
(i) causing or allowing said prosthetic disc nucleus to assume its first configuration.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/717,687Filed 20 Nov 2003 · continuation in part
Priority: 30 Aug 2000
Published: US 2004/0117019 A117 Jun 2004
Granted: 17 Apr 2007
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification48 codes

A61F 2/4611
For insertion or extraction of endoprosthetic joints or of accessories thereof: of spinal prostheses
A61F 2/441
For the spine, e.g. vertebrae or spinal discs: made of inflatable pockets or chambers filled with fluid, e.g. with hydrogel
A61F 2/442
For the spine, e.g. vertebrae or spinal discs: intervertebral or spinal discs, e.g. resilient
A61B 2017/0256
Joint distractors: for the spine

Family

Application09/650,525Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 30 Aug 2000
Application09/943,441Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 30 Aug 2001
Application10/459,630Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 11 Jun 2003
US 2004/0117019 A1Pre-grant publication · published 17 Jun 2004
US 6,620,196 B1Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2002/0026244 A1Published application
US 2003/0199984 A1Published application
US 7,204,851 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.