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US 9,848,890 B2Granted
Devices and methods for the preparation of intervertebral discs
AssigneeGlobus Medical, Inc.
InventorsSamuel Yoon, Sean Suh, Robert Leonard
Life of this patent
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AssigneeGlobus Medical, Inc.
InventorsSamuel Yoon, Sean Suh, Robert Leonard
Estimating the term…
A power tool for removing an intervertebral disc and preparing vertebral endplates is described. The power tool may include a cutting element, and the height of the cutting element may be adjustable. The cutting element may be a braided cable and may include one or more beads to enhance the effectiveness of the cable. The cutting element may have a minimum height requirement, which may not be satisfied in patients with a collapsed disc due to degenerative disc disorder. For these patients, also described are bone tamps for increasing the intervertebral distance and providing access to tissues distal to the tamp. One type of bone tamp features an inflatable balloon with an inner lumen. Another type of bone tamp includes an expanding distal end and an inner cannula. Also described is a manual expander scraper tool that is compatible with both types of bone tamp.
A device for the removal of an intervertebral disc or a portion thereof, the device comprising:
A system for separating two vertebrae that are in close proximity, the system comprising:
A device for the removal of bone or tissue, the device comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Drill bits, i.e. rotating tools extending from a handpiece to contact the worked material: with mobile or detachable parts
Instruments for performing osteoclasis; Drills or chisels for bones; Trepans: for producing a curved bore
For particular parts of the body: for the spine
Endoscopic cutting instruments, e.g. arthroscopes, resectoscopes: with continuously rotating, oscillating or reciprocating cutting instruments
About 5 years 5 months of term left · ends 31 Mar 2032 (estimated)
1. Field of the Disclosure
The disclosure is directed to devices and methods for the preparation of one or more intervertebral discs as part of a surgical procedure to treat, for example, damage to the discs.
2. Related Art
The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the disclosure, are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate aspects of the disclosure and together with the detailed description serve to explain the principles of the disclosure. No attempt is made to show structural details of the disclosure in more detail than may be necessary for a fundamental understanding of the disclosure and the various ways in which it may be practiced. In the drawings:
FIG. 1 shows a power tool for use in discectomies, according to an aspect of the disclosure;
FIG. 2 shows the interior components of the power tool of FIG. 1;
The aspects of the disclosure and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting aspects and examples that are described and/or illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following description. It should be noted that the features illustrated in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and features of one embodiment may be employed with other aspects as the skilled artisan would recognize, even if not explicitly stated herein. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques may be omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the aspects of the disclosure. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the disclosure may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the aspects of the disclosure. Accordingly, the examples and aspects herein should not be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosure, which is defined solely by the appended claims and applicable law. Moreover, it is noted that like reference numerals represent similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
An intervertebral disc is located between each pair of vertebrae in the spine, except between the first and second cervical vertebrae. The discs act as joints, allowing some degree of rotation between adjacent vertebrae. The discs also function as shock absorbers, cushioning the spine against jostling and impacts.
Each disc is made of two main components. An outer layer of fibrocartilage, called the annulus fibrosus, that surrounds the inner matrix, the nucleus pulposus. The fibers of the annulus fibrosus contain the nucleus pulposus and distribute pressure across the disc. The nucleus pulposus has a jelly-like consistency and acts as the main shock absorber in the disc.