Disc nucleus removal devices and methods
AssigneeDePuy Synthes Products, Inc.
InventorsShawn D. Stad, John Riley Hawkins, Michael J. O'Neil
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed herein are devices and methods for removing tissue. In one aspect, a device for removing tissue includes a hollow elongate member having an outer wall and a lumen, a selectively deployable tissue-cutting element extending from the hollow elongate member, and an actuation member extending through the lumen and coupled to the hollow elongate member at a location that is distal to the tissue-cutting element. Movement of the actuation member can cause the tissue-cutting element to move from the insertion configuration where the tissue-cutting element is not deployed to a tissue-cutting configuration where the tissue-cutting element is deployed such that it is radially extended relative to the insertion configuration.
Claims12
A method for removing tissue, comprising:
- positioning a selectively steerable tissue removal device at a site within a disc space, the tissue removal device having an elongate member with at least one selectively deployable tissue-cutting element and first and second tethers extending through the tissue removal device and eccentrically coupled at a distal end of the tissue cutting element, wherein a distal end of the tissue removal device is configured to be steered in multiple directions relative to a longitudinal axis of the tissue removal device by applying a force to at least one of the first and second tethers;
- applying a force to the first and second tethers to cause the at least one tissue-cutting element to move from a non-deployed insertion configuration to a deployed, tissue-cutting configuration in which the tissue-cutting element is radially extended relative to the insertion configuration;
- and
- manipulating the tissue removal device within the disc space to cut and remove selected disc tissue.
A method for removing tissue, comprising:
- positioning a selectively steerable tissue removal device at a site within a disc space, the tissue removal device having an elongate member with at least one selectively deployable tissue-cutting element and first and second tethers extending through the tissue removal device, wherein a distal end of the tissue removal device is configured to be steered in multiple directions relative to a longitudinal axis of the tissue removal device by applying a force to at least one of the first and second tethers;
- applying a force to the first and second tethers to cause the at least one tissue-cutting element to move from a non-deployed insertion configuration to a deployed, tissue-cutting configuration in which the tissue-cutting element is radially extended relative to the insertion configuration;
- and
- manipulating the tissue removal device within the disc space to cut and remove selected disc tissue.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.