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US 7,223,289 B2Granted
Annulus repair systems and techniques
AssigneeWarsaw Orthopedic, Inc.
InventorsHai H. Trieu, Lehmann K. Li
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods for repairing annulus defects include at least one blocking member positionable in or adjacent to the annulus defect, at least one attachment portion for securing the blocking member to adjacent tissue, and instruments for placing and engaging the blocking member in and/or adjacent to the annulus defect. The blocking member extends at least partially across the annulus defect for repair of the defect and/or retention of nucleus material, one or more implants, bio-compatible materials or device, and/or other objects positioned in the disc space.
Claims55
A system for repairing a defect in an annulus of a spinal disc, comprising:
- at least one blocking member positionable at least adjacent to the defect in the annulus;
- and
- an attachment portion extending from said at least one blocking member, wherein said attachment portion includes a first position wherein said at least one blocking member and said attachment portion are collapsed for positioning at least adjacent to the defect and along adjacent tissue and said attachment portion further includes a second position wherein said blocking member includes an implanted configuration having a length sized to extend across and block the defect and said attachment portion is rotated from said first position to an orientation in said second position that is positionable into the adjacent tissue, wherein:
- said attachment portion includes a first anchor engageable to a first vertebral body on one side of the spinal disc and a second anchor engageable to a second vertebral body on the other side of the spinal disc;
- said first anchor and said second anchor each include a body having a first end defining a receptacle for receiving an adjacent end of said blocking member;
- and
- each of said adjacent ends of said blocking member has a passage for receiving a coupling pin therethrough, said coupling pins and each of said adjacent ends of said blocking member positionable in respective ones of said receptacles of said first anchor and said second anchor.
4 more elements
A method for repairing an annulus defect of a spinal disc, comprising:
- positioning a blocking member having an attachment portion at least adjacent to the annulus defect with the attachment portion extending along an endplate of at least one of vertebrae adjacent the spinal disc;
- and
- actuating the attachment portion to rotate the attachment portion from the position along the endplate to engage the attachment portion to the at least one of the vertebrae adjacent the spinal disc with the blocking member extending across the annulus defect, wherein actuating the attachment portion includes actuating the attachment portion to a first actuated position with linear movement of an actuating instrument and actuating the attachment portion to a second actuated position with rotational movement of an actuating instrument.
A system for repairing a defect in an annulus of a spinal disc, comprising:
- at least one blocking member positionable at least adjacent to the defect in the annulus, said at least one blocking member including a width when positioned in the defect that is less than a width of the defect along the annulus;
- and
- an attachment portion extending from said at least one blocking member, wherein said attachment portion is actuatable from a first position wherein said at least one blocking member and said attachment portion are movably coupled to one another in a reduced size configuration for positioning at least adjacent to the defect to a second position wherein said blocking member is moved relative to said attachment portion to an implanted configuration with a length sized to extend across and block the defect as said attachment portion is engaged to adjacent tissue, wherein said attachment portion includes a first anchor engageable to a first vertebral body on one side of the spinal disc and a second anchor engageable to a second vertebral body on the other side of the spinal disc, said first anchor and said second anchor each include a body having a first end defining a receptacle for receiving an adjacent end of said blocking member and each of said ends of said blocking member has a passage receiving a coupling pin therethrough, said coupling pins and said ends of said blocking member are positionable in respective ones of said receptacles of said first anchor and said second anchor.
A system for repairing a defect in an annulus of a spinal disc, the defect having a width along the annulus of the spinal disc, comprising:
- a first anchor engageable to one of the vertebrae adjacent the spinal disc;
- a second anchor engageable to the other of the vertebrae adjacent the spinal disc;
- and
- a blocking member extendable between the vertebrae and coupled to said first anchor and said second anchor with pins extending through respective passages at opposite ends of said blocking member and into corresponding receptacles of said first and second anchors, said blocking member having a width that is less than a width of the defect along the annulus, wherein said first and second anchors are movable relative to said blocking member between a reduced size configuration for positioning in the defect and a second configuration wherein said first and second anchors are moved into engagement with respective ones of the vertebrae adjacent the spinal disc and said blocking member includes an implanted configuration with a length sized to extend across and block the defect when said anchors are engaged to the vertebrae.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.