US 7,611,537 B2Granted

System, device, and method for percutaneous interbody device and nucleus removal system

AssigneeWarsaw Orthopedic, Inc.

InventorsThomas Carls, Fred J. Molz, IV, Matthew M. Morrison, Jonathan Dewey, Kent M. Anderson, Eric C. Lange, Aurelien Bruneau

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Abstract

One embodiment of the present application includes: performing a medical procedure on a segment of a patient's spine. This segment includes two vertebrae each in contact with a spinal disk positioned in an intervertebral disk space. A passage is formed that follows a pathway through the vertebrae and the intervertebral disk space. This passage extends from an extradiscal opening through one of the vertebrae along a path that turns to change direction. The tubular device is inserted in the passage and extends through the intervertebral disk space. A fluid material is introduced into the tubular device to at least partially fill it to provide a spinal prosthetic structure. Other embodiments and inventive aspects include other prosthetic device arrangements, implantation methods, systems, and techniques.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A method, comprising:

performing a medical procedure on a spinal segment including a first vertebra in contact with a spinal disk and a second vertebra in contact with the spinal disk, the spinal disk being positioned in an intervertebral disk space;
forming a passage including a first passage portion extending in an anterior-posterior direction toward an anterior portion of the first vertebra from an extradiscal opening through a posterior boundary of the first vertebra, a second passage portion extending from the first passage portion and passing through the intervertebral disk space and into the second vertebra, and a third passage portion extending from the second passage portion in the anterior-posterior direction toward a posterior boundary of the second vertebra;
inserting a flexible tubular device into the passage and positioning a first end portion of the tubular device in the first passage portion in the anterior-posterior direction, positioning a central portion of the tubular device in the second passage portion and extending through the intervertebral disk space, and positioning a second end portion of the tubular device in the third passage portion in the anterior-posterior direction;
and
while the tubular device is positioned in the passage, at least partially filling the tubular device with a fluid material and expanding the first and second end portions within the first and third passage portions, respectively, to conform with the vertebral structure bordering said first and third passage portions and expanding the central portion of the tubular device within the second passage portion and ballooning the central portion to provide a bulge in the intervertebral disk space with the first and second end portions extending in the anterior-posterior direction and the central portion extending through the intervertebral disk space to provide a spinal prosthetic structure having a C-shaped configuration.

2 more elements

A method, comprising:

performing a medical procedure on a spinal segment including a first vertebra in contact with a spinal disk and a second vertebra in contact with the spinal disk, the spinal disk being positioned in an intervertebral disk space;
forming a passage including a first passage portion extending in an anterior-posterior direction toward an anterior portion of the first vertebra from an extradiscal opening through a posterior boundary of the first vertebra, a second passage portion extending from the first passage portion and passing through the intervertebral disk space and into the second vertebra, and a third passage portion extending from the second passage portion in the anterior-posterior direction toward a posterior boundary of the second vertebra;
inserting a flexible tubular device into the passage and positioning a first end portion of the tubular device in the first passage portion in the anterior-posterior direction, positioning a central portion of the tubular device in the second passage portion and extending through the intervertebral disk space, and positioning a second end portion of the tubular device in the third passage portion in the anterior-posterior direction;
while the tubular device is positioned in the passage, at least partially filling the tubular device with a fluid material to expand the first and second end portions and the central portion of the tubular device within the portions of the passage with the first and second end portions extending in the anterior-posterior direction and the central portion extending through the intervertebral disk space to provide a first spinal prosthetic structure having a C-shaped configuration;
and
forming a different passage extending into the first vertebra and the second vertebra and passing through the disk space, and providing a second spinal prosthetic structure through the different passage with an orientation that crosses a path of the first spinal prosthetic structure within the disk space.

3 more elements

A method, comprising:

forming a passage through two vertebrae and a spinal disk positioned in an intervertebral disk space, a first one of the vertebrae including a first endplate in contact with the spinal disk and a second one of the vertebrae including a second endplate in contact with the spinal disk, the passage including a first passage portion extending from a first extradiscal aperture in the first one of the vertebrae in an anterior-posterior direction, a second passage portion extending from the first passage portion and passing through the intervertebral disk space, and a third passage portion extending from the second passage portion and into the second one of the vertebrae, wherein the first extradiscal aperture extends through a posterior boundary of the first one of the vertebrae;
inserting a flexible tubular device into the passage and positioning a first end portion of the tubular device in the first passage portion in the anterior-posterior direction, positioning a central portion of the tubular device in the second passage portion and through the first endplate, the intervertebral disk space, and the second endplate, and positioning a second end portion of the tubular device in the third passage portion and into the second one of the vertebrae, wherein the first end portion of the tubular device extends from the first extradiscal aperture toward an anterior portion of the first one of the vertebrae;
and
while the tubular device is positioned in the passage, at least partially filling the tubular device with a fluid material and expanding the first and second end portions within the first and third passage portions, respectively, to conform with the vertebral structure bordering said first and third passage portions and expanding the central portion of the tubular device within the second passage portion and ballooning the central portion to provide a bulge in the intervertebral disk space to provide a spinal prosthetic structure with the first end portion extending in the anterior-posterior direction and the central portion extending through the intervertebral disk space.

1 more element

A method, comprising:

forming a passage through two vertebrae and a spinal disk positioned in an intervertebral disk space, a first one of the vertebrae including a first endplate in contact with the spinal disk and a second one of the vertebrae including a second endplate in contact with the spinal disk, the passage including a first passage portion extending from a first extradiscal aperture in the first one of the vertebrae in an anterior-posterior direction, a second passage portion extending from the first passage portion and passing through the intervertebral disk space, and a third passage portion extending from the second passage portion and into the second one of the vertebrae, wherein the third passage portion in the second one of the vertebrae extends in the anterior-posterior direction;
inserting a flexible tubular device into the passage and positioning a first end portion of the tubular device in the first passage portion in the anterior-posterior direction, positioning a central portion of the tubular device in the second passage portion and through the first endplate, the intervertebral disk space, and the second endplate;
and
while the tubular device is positioned in the passage, at least partially filling the tubular device with a fluid material and expanding the first and second end portions within the first and third passage portions, respectively, to conform with the vertebral structure bordering said first and third passage portions and expanding the central portion of the tubular device within the second passage portion and ballooning the central portion to provide a bulge in the intervertebral disk space to provide a spinal prosthetic structure with the first end portion extending in the anterior-posterior direction and the central portion extending through the intervertebral disk space, and wherein the second end portion of the tubular device is positioned in the third passage portion in the anterior-posterior direction, with the first and second end portions extending in the anterior-posterior direction and the central portion extending through the intervertebral disk space to provide the spinal prosthetic structure with a C-shaped configuration.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.