Method for restoring vertebral body height
AssigneeSpine Wave, Inc.
InventorsWesley D. Johnson, Tyler Lipschultz, Larry Wales, Robert Kieval
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for distracting, in a given direction, and supporting the opposite endplates of a vertebral body includes consecutively inserting a plurality of wafers between the endplates to create a column of wafers. The column of wafers is oriented between the endplates so as to expand in the given direction as the wafers are consecutively added to the column to restore the vertebral body height.
Claims30
A method of restoring height to a damaged or diseased vertebral body in a spine, said vertebral body comprising spaced opposing superior and inferior endplates and cancellous bone therewithin, comprising the steps of:
- placing an access channel into said cancellous bone between said opposing endplates;
- introducing through said access channel a non-inflatable expandable structure into said cancellous bone between said opposing endplates;
- then
- expanding said expandable structure in substantially only the direction of the axis of the spine to distract and support said endplates restoring height to said vertebral body;
- and then,
- introducing bone filler through said access channel into said cancellous bone at a location exteriorly of, adjacent to and in contact with said expanded structure such that said bone filler interdigitates with said cancellous bone and cooperates with said expanded structure to stabilize said vertebral body.
A method of restoring height to a damaged or diseased vertebral body in a spine, said vertebral body comprising spaced opposing superior and inferior endplates and cancellous bone therewithin, comprising the steps of:
- providing access into said cancellous bone between said opposing endplates;
- introducing an expandable structure into said cancellous bone between said opposing endplates, wherein said expandable structure comprises a plurality of substantially similarly configured elements, said expandable structure being formed in vivo by consecutive individual insertion of each of said elements into said cancellous bone and in contact with each other;
- expanding said expandable structure in the direction of the axis of the spine to distract and support said endplates restoring height to said vertebral body;
- and then,
- introducing bone filler into said cancellous bone at a location exteriorly of, adjacent to and in contact with said expanded structure such that said bone filler interdigitates with said cancellous bone and cooperates with said expanded structure to stabilize said vertebral body.
A method of restoring height to a damaged or diseased vertebral body in a spine, said vertebral body comprising spaced opposing superior and inferior endplates and cancellous bone therewithin, comprising the steps of:
- placing an access channel into said cancellous bone between said opposing endplates;
- introducing through said access channel a non-inflatable expandable structure having an upper contact face and a lower contact face into said cancellous bone between said opposing endplates, the structure having openings to receive a bone filler and to facilitate movement of such bone filler therethrough;
- then
- expanding said expandable structure with said upper face and said lower face moving substantially only in the direction of the axis of the spine to distract and support said endplates restoring height to said vertebral body;
- and then,
- introducing bone filler through said access channel into and through said openings of said expanded structure to stabilize said vertebral body.
The method of claim of 9, wherein said step of introducing said bone filler is practiced by a bone delivery device separate from and additional to said inserter and including a delivery channel configured to pass through said access channel passageway in communication with said cancellous bone upon release of said inserter from said structure and removal from said access channel.
The method of claim of 9, wherein said step of introducing said bone filler is practiced with said inserter.
A method of restoring height to a damaged or diseased vertebral body in a spine, said vertebral body comprising spaced opposing superior and inferior endplates and cancellous bone therewithin, comprising the steps of:
- providing access into said cancellous bone between said opposing endplates;
- introducing a non-inflatable expandable structure into said cancellous bone between said opposing endplates, wherein said expandable structure comprises a plurality of substantially similarly configured elements, said expandable structure being formed in vivo by consecutive individual insertion of each of said elements into said cancellous bone and in contact with each other, the structure having openings to receive a bone filler and to facilitate movement of such bone filler therethrough;
- expanding said expandable structure in the direction of the axis of the spine to distract and support said endplates restoring height to said vertebral body;
- and then,
- introducing bone filler into and through said openings of said expanded structure to stabilize said vertebral body.
A method of restoring height to a damaged or diseased vertebral body in a spine, said vertebral body comprising spaced opposing superior and inferior endplates and cancellous bone therewithin, comprising the steps of:
- providing access into said cancellous bone between said opposing endplates;
- providing a delivery member having a delivery passage, said delivery member movably supporting a plunger communicating with said delivery passage;
- disposing a plurality of elements adjacent one another in a linear array in said passage;
- placing said delivery member in communication with said access to said cancellous bone:
- moving said plunger along the delivery passage to apply a force to said elements to move said elements into said cancellous bone in contact with each other to distract and support said endplates thereby restoring height to said vertebral body;
- and
- introducing bone filler into said vertebral body in contact with said elements to stabilize said vertebral body.
A method of restoring height to a damaged or diseased vertebral body in a spine, said vertebral body comprising spaced opposing superior and inferior endplates and cancellous bone therewithin, comprising the steps of:
- providing access into said cancellous bone between said opposing endplates;
- introducing through said access a non-inflatable expandable structure into said cancellous bone between said opposing endplates;
- then
- expanding said expandable structure in the direction of the axis of the spine to distract and support said endplates restoring height to said vertebral body;
- and then,
- introducing an injection channel having at least one opening into said access and advancing said injection channel within said vertebral body until said at least one opening approximates the expanded structure;
- injecting a bone filler through the injection channel directly into the interior of the vertebral body adjacent the distraction component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.