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US 8,986,220 B2Granted
Spinal aspiration apparatus
OwnerThomas R. Lyoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A spinal aspiration apparatus 10 is described that includes a needle 11 that has a shape suitable for the location of and penetration through a pedicle pathway of a vertebra 1. The distal end portion of the spinal aspiration apparatus 10 includes a plurality of apertures that are in fluid communication with a lumen 24 of needle 11. The size and angular orientation of the apertures are constructed using the principles of fluid mechanics to create separate and distinct harvest volumes of bone marrow 4 within a body 2 of vertebra 1. A proximal end portion 14 of needle 11 includes an external interface 17 that is adapted to provide a fluid tight coupling with an external source of reduced pressure. A handle 16 is connected to proximal end portion 14 that aids in the manipulation of needle 11.
Claims20
A spinal aspiration apparatus adapted for the harvesting of bone marrow from a vertebra, the spinal aspiration apparatus comprises:
- a tubular needle that includes a distal end portion and a proximal end portion that are connected by a shaft, the proximal end portion includes an external interface, the needle defines a lumen that is in fluid communication with the external interface, the distal end portion, shaft and proximal end portion define a longitudinal axis, the distal end portion has a tubular wall that includes a first side, an opposed second side, a third side and a fourth side, the distal end portion has angular arcuate shape, the first side is directed radially inwardly towards the center of the arcuate shape of the distal end portion and the second side is directed radially outwardly from the center of the arcuate shape of the distal end portion, the distal end portion has a distally directed taper that terminates in a solid tip and is adapted to penetrate through a pedicle pathway to a vertebra;
- a plurality of apertures defined in the distal end portion, the plurality of apertures in fluid communication with the lumen, at least two apertures of the plurality of apertures defined on one of the sides of the distal end portion, the at least two apertures have an approximately equivalent flow rate, the at least two apertures on one of the sides of the distal end portion have directional orientations that include one aperture with a proximal orientation and one aperture with a distal orientation, the at least two apertures on one of the sides of the distal end portion have directional alignments that are in different planes and oblique to the longitudinal axis, the first side includes the at least two apertures with directional alignments that diverge from one another and the second side includes at least one aperture, the size of each aperture of the at least two apertures on the first side of the distal end portion is varied to define approximately equivalent flow rates, the at least two apertures on the first side are positioned approximately in alignment with the longitudinal axis, the at least one aperture is positioned approximately aligned with the longitudinal axis and on the second side and midway between the at least two apertures, the at least one aperture has a flow rate that is less than the equivalent flow rates of the at least two apertures, each aperture defines an axis and each axis diverges from the other axes of the plurality of apertures, the size and alignment of each aperture defines a harvest zone of that aperture and the plurality of apertures defines an array of harvest zones;
- a handle connected to the proximal end portion, the external interface adapted to provide a fluid tight coupling with an external source of reduced pressure.
A method of aspirating a vertebra comprising the steps of:
- providing an aspiration apparatus that includes a needle that has a distal end portion and a proximal end portion, the distal end portion has a solid tip and a tapered shape adapted for penetrating through a pedicle pathway, the proximal end portion including an external interface, the needle defines a lumen that is in fluid communication with a plurality of diverging apertures in the distal end portion and the external interface, each aperture of the plurality of apertures has diverging directional orientations in the distal end portion relative to each of the other apertures of the plurality of apertures, at least one side of the distal end portion includes at least two apertures of the plurality of apertures, the at least two apertures include one aperture with a proximal directional orientation and one aperture with a distal directional orientation, each aperture of the plurality of apertures defines a harvest zone that diverges from the harvest zones of each of the other apertures of the plurality of apertures, the external interface adapted to provide a fluid tight coupling with an external source of reduced pressure, a handle connected to the proximal end portion;
- positioning the distal end portion of the aspiration apparatus through the pedicle pathway of a vertebra and positioning the distal end portion at a predetermined location in a vertebral body;
- and
- introducing an external source of reduced pressure through the external interface, the plurality of diverging apertures in the distal end portion defining an array of diverging harvest zones and harvesting the marrow of the vertebra from the location in the vertebral body.
1 more element
A spinal aspiration apparatus adapted for the harvesting of bone marrow from a vertebra, the spinal aspiration apparatus comprises:
- a tubular needle that includes a distal end portion and a proximal end portion that are connected by a shaft, the proximal end portion includes an external interface, the external interface adapted to provide a fluid tight coupling with an external source of reduced pressure, the needle defines a lumen that is in fluid communication with the external interface, the distal end portion, shaft and proximal end portion define a longitudinal axis, the distal end portion has a tubular wall that includes a first side, an opposed second side, a third side and a fourth side, the distal end portion has angular arcuate shape, the first side is directed radially inwardly towards the center of the arcuate shape of the distal end portion and the second side is directed radially outwardly from the center of the arcuate shape of the distal end portion, the distal end portion has a distally directed taper that terminates in a solid tip and is adapted to penetrate through a pedicle pathway to a vertebra;
- and
- a plurality of apertures defined in the distal end portion, the plurality of apertures in fluid communication with the lumen, at least two apertures of the plurality of apertures defined on one of the sides of the distal end portion, the at least two apertures have an approximately equivalent flow rate, the at least two apertures on one of the sides of the distal end portion have directional orientations that include one aperture with a proximal orientation and one aperture with a distal orientation, the at least two apertures on one of the sides of the distal end portion have directional alignments that are oblique to the longitudinal axis, the first side includes the at least two apertures with directional alignments that diverge from one another and the second side includes at least one aperture, the size of each aperture of the at least two apertures on the first side of the distal end portion is varied to define approximately equivalent flow rates, each aperture defines an axis and each axis diverges from the other axes of the plurality of apertures, the size and alignment of each aperture defines a harvest zone of that aperture and the plurality of apertures defines an array of harvest zones.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.