# US 8,540,771 B2 · Prostheses for spine discs having fusion capability

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- Number: US 8,540,771 B2
- Document ID: US8540771B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/367,621
- Filed: 2012-02-07
- Published: 2012-05-31
- Granted: 2013-09-24
- Earliest claimed: 2004-09-09
- Assignees: University of South Florida
- Applicants: Wesley M. Johnson; Thomas B. Freeman
- Inventors: Wesley M. Johnson; Thomas B. Freeman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8540771B2

## CPC

- A61F 2/441: {made of inflatable pockets or chambers filled with fluid, e.g. with hydrogel}
- A61F 2/442: {Intervertebral or spinal discs, e.g. resilient (non-disc-shaped intervertebral inflatable pockets A61F2/441; non-disc-shaped intervertebral fusion implants A61F2/4455)}
- A61F 2002/30009: {differing in fibre orientations}
- A61F 2002/30075: {swellable, e.g. when wetted}
- A61F 2002/30242: {spherical}
- A61F 2002/30586: {having two or more inflatable pockets or chambers}
- A61F 2002/30914: {Details of the mesh structure, e.g. disposition of the woven warp and weft wires}
- A61F 2002/4495: {having a fabric structure, e.g. made from wires or fibres}
- A61F 2210/0061: swellable
- A61F 2230/0071: spherical
- A61F 2250/0028: differing in fibre orientations
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)

## Abstract

The present invention provides both a device and a method. The device is a human made replacement for the soft discs in the spine. A fabric pouch encloses a central hydraulic element made up of small soft beads. Two pouches with beads are implanted into a prepared disc space to function as an intervertebral disc. The method is conversion of the device into a fusion element.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for the conversion of a spine disc prosthesis device to a fusion device comprising the steps of:
accessing a patient's intervertebral disc space occupied by a disc prosthesis, the disc prosthesis comprising a plurality of dehydrateable hydraulic beads encompassed within a fabric constraining envelope, the disc prosthesis replacing both an annulus fibrosus and a nucleus pulposus of an intervertebral spinal disc;
removing at least some of the dehydrateable hydraulic beads from the fabric constraining envelope to vacate a predetermined amount of space therein;
injecting bone forming materials inside the fabric constraining envelope of the spine disc prosthesis; and
maintaining the patient's spine in a stabilized position.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein substantially all of the dehydrateable hydraulic beads are removed.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the bone forming material is selected from the group consisting of bone morphogenic proteins, demineralized bone matrix, aspirated autologous bone marrow, natural calcium phosphates, and synthetic calcium phosphates.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the bone forming material is selected from the group consisting of osteoinductive elements, osteoconductive elements, structural elements, and stem cell elements.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of injecting a substance inside the fabric constraining envelope to provide structural stability, the substance reducing relative motion between the disc prosthesis device and the bone forming materials.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of removing the dehydrateable hydraulic beads is performed by using endoscopic means selected from the group consisting of endoscopic aspiration and endoscopic suction.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the bone forming materials are injected percutaneously.