US 9,044,577 B2Granted

Expandable spinal sheath and method of use

AssigneeOnset Medical Corporation

InventorsJoseph Bishop, Jay Lenker, Edward J. Nance, Huan T. Nguyen

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Abstract

Disclosed is an expandable percutaneous sheath, for introduction into the body while in a first, low cross-sectional area configuration, and subsequent expansion to a second, enlarged cross-sectional configuration. The sheath is maintained in the first, low cross-sectional configuration by a removable tubular restraint or by structural elements built into the wall of the expandable portion of the sheath. In one application, the sheath is utilized to introduce a formed in place orthopedic fixation rod such as for use in spinal fixation procedures, preparation of a spinal segment, or placement of a vertebral body spacer. The sheath can further comprise structural elements to permit re-collapse of the sheath under fluid pressure following completion of the procedure and prior to removal from the patient.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A percutaneous access sheath assembly comprising:

an elongate tubular structure, a distal portion of said elongate tubular structure being expandable from a first cross-sectional profile to a second cross-sectional profile;
malleable reinforcing structures embedded within the wall of the distal portion, wherein the malleable reinforcing structures maintain the configuration of the distal portion in the state where it is forced by either manufacturing processes or expansion by a dilator;
a proximal portion of said elongate tubular structure being non-expandable;
a transition zone tapering from said larger non-expandable proximal portion to said smaller cross-section distal portion;
and
a dilator comprising a balloon positionable inside said elongate tubular structure, wherein inflation of the balloon causes at least a portion of said distal portion to expand diametrically, wherein the balloon is removable from said elongate tubular structure after it has expanded the distal section and has been at least partially deflated;
wherein the first tapering point is present before said balloon is inflated but not after said balloon is inflated.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/107,184Filed 13 May 2011 · continuation
Priority: 10 Nov 2008
Published: US 2012/0041466 A116 Feb 2012
Granted: 2 Jun 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification17 codes

A61M 29/02
Dilators with or without means for introducing media, e.g. remedies: dilators made of swellable material
A61B 17/7083
Tools specially adapted for spinal fixation operations other than for bone removal or filler handling: tools for guidance or insertion of tethers,…
A61F 2/4455
For the spine, e.g. vertebrae or spinal discs: for the fusion of spinal bodies, e.g. intervertebral fusion of adjacent spinal bodies, e.g. fusion…
A61F 2/4611
For insertion or extraction of endoprosthetic joints or of accessories thereof: of spinal prostheses

Family

Application61/112,952Us provisional application · filed 10 Nov 2008
Application12/614,715Parent of this continuation · filed 9 Nov 2009
US 2012/0041466 A1Pre-grant publication · published 16 Feb 2012
US 7,951,110 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2010/0145267 A1Published application
US 9,044,577 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.