US20040097927A1 — Intervertebral disc repair

Claim 1

Independent Claim 80 words

1 . A compression device for compressing a dysfunctional intervertebral disc, said compression device comprising: an arcuate compression member having a compression surface, said compression surface having a concave curvature within a horizontal plane extending therethrough, said concave curvature sized and configured to extend at least partway around and engage the intervertebral disc, said compression surface having a convex curvature within a vertical plane extending therethrough, and a compression means for pressing said compression surface against the dysfunctional intervertebral disc.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 80 words

1 . A compression device for compressing a dysfunctional intervertebral disc, said compression device comprising: an arcuate compression member having a compression surface, said compression surface having a concave curvature within a horizontal plane extending therethrough, said concave curvature sized and configured to extend at least partway around and engage the intervertebral disc, said compression surface having a convex curvature within a vertical plane extending therethrough, and a compression means for pressing said compression surface against the dysfunctional intervertebral disc.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 22 words

2 . The compression device of claim 1 , wherein said convex curvature is sized and configured fit between a patient's vertebrae.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 31 words

3 . The compression device of claim 1 , wherein said compression member has a top surface forming a first plateau surface and a bottom surface forming a second plateau surface.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 23 words

4 . The compression device of claim 3 , wherein at least one of said first and second plateau surfaces has an indentation.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 18 words

5 . The compression device of claim 3 , wherein said first and second plateau surfaces are nonparallel.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 19 words

6 . The compression device of claim 3 , wherein said first and second plateau surfaces are generally parallel.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 22 words

7 . The compression device of claim 1 , wherein when viewed in said vertical plane said compression surface is generally round.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 24 words

8 . The compression device of claim 1 , wherein when viewed in said vertical plane said compression surface tapers to a rounded point.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 21 words

9 . The compression device of claim 1 , wherein when viewed in said vertical plane said compression surface is nipple-shaped.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 22 words

10 . The compression device of claim 1 , wherein when viewed in said vertical plane said compression surface has multiple curvatures.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 34 words

11 . The compression device of claim 1 , further comprising a first tip and a second tip of said compression member, said first and second tips forming the ends of said concave curvature.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 42 words

12 . The compression device of claim 11 , wherein a depth of said compression member is measured between said compression surface and an outside surface of said compression member, and wherein said depth narrows down to said first and second tips.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 15 words

13 . The compression device of claim 11 , wherein said tips are curved outward.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 23 words

14 . The compression device of claim 1 , wherein an outside surface of said compression member is indented to form a depression.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 24 words

15 . The compression device of claim 14 , wherein said depression is sized and configured to contain a portion of said compression means.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 30 words

16 . The compression device of claim 15 , wherein said compression means is a threaded bolt and a head of said bolt is sized to fit within said depression.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 41 words

17 . The compression device of claim 1 , further comprising a protruding leg extending from said compression member, said protruding leg sized and configured to contact a vertebra, when said compression surface is at least partially located between two vertebrae.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 21 words

18 . The compression device of claim 17 , further comprising at least one attachment hole extending through said protruding leg.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 36 words

19 . The compression device of claim 17 , further comprising a second protruding leg extending from said compression member, wherein one of said protruding legs extends upwards and another of said protruding legs extends downward.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 27 words

20 . The compression device of claim 1 , further comprising a pair of delivery tool engagement openings extending into said compression member on opposite sides thereof.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 27 words

21 . The compression device of claim 1 , wherein said compression member is a clamp and said clamp extends around approximately three-fourths of the intervertebral disc.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 34 words

22 . The compression device of claim 21 , wherein said compression surface is adjacent one side of the disc and further comprising a second compression surface adjacent an opposite side of the disc.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 20 words

23 . The compression device of claim 22 , wherein said first and second compression surfaces have the same shape.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 19 words

24 . The compression device of claim 22 , wherein said first and second compression surfaces have different shapes.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 24 words

25 . The compression device of claim 22 , wherein said first and second compression surfaces are modular pieces attachable to the compression member

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 21 words

26 . The compression device of claim 1 , wherein said compression member extends around approximately one-fourth of the intervertebral disc.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 15 words

27 . The compression device of claim 1 , wherein said compression device is resilient.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 20 words

28 . The compression device of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said compression device is porous.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 18 words

29 . The compression device of claim 1 , wherein said compression device is formed of a polymer.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 19 words

30 . The compression device of claim 1 , wherein said compression device is formed of a nickel-titanium alloy.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 20 words

31 . The compression device of claim 1 , wherein said compression device has at least one tissue ingrowth opening.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 21 words

32 . The compression device of claim 31 , wherein bone grows into said tissue ingrowth opening to form vertebrae fusion.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 26 words

33 . The compression device of claim 1 , wherein said compression member is a resilient clamp and resiliency of said clamp provides said compression means.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 16 words

34 . The compression device of claim 1 , wherein said compression means is a bolt.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 18 words

35 . The compression device of claim 34 , wherein said bolt is formed of a resilient material.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 18 words

36 . The compression device of claim 35 , wherein said bolt is biased toward a curved configuration.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 18 words

37 . The compression device of claim 36 , wherein said curved configuration has a plurality of arcs.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 31 words

38 . The compression device of claim 36 , wherein said bolt has at least one slit and wherein said curved configuration is produced by the outward bowing of said slit.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 17 words

39 . The compression device of claim 36 , further comprising a sleeve locatable around said bolt.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 59 words

40 . The compression device of claim 39 , wherein said sleeve has a in-phase position and an out-of-phase position, wherein in said out-of-phase position, said bolt is constrained in a straightened position and wherein in said in-phase position, said bolt is release into said curved configuration with at least one curve extending through an opening in said sleeve.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 18 words

41 . The compression device of claim 39 , wherein said sleeve is formed of a degradable material.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 15 words

42 . The compression device of claim 1 , wherein said compression member is resilient.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 27 words

43 . The compression device of claim 42 , further comprising a capsule, said capsule sized and configured to contain said compression member in a delivery position.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 35 words

44 . The compression device of claim 1 , wherein said compression member is a resilient clamp and further comprising a compression member widening tool sized and configured to open and release said compression member.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 72 words

45 . The compression device of claim 44 , further comprising a first tip having a first opening therein and a second tip having a second opening therein, said first and second tips forming ends of said concave curvature, and wherein said compression member widening tool has two arms, each arm having a post extending therefrom, each of said posts sized and configured to engage one of said first and second openings.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 60 words

46 . A trocar for puncturing through a dysfunctional intervertebral disc into an end plate for creating a bleeding site, said trocar comprising: an elongated body having a sharp distal tip and a resilient curvature proximate said distal tip, a handle attached to a proximal end of said elongated body, and a generally rigid sleeve locatable around said resilient curvature.

Claim 48

Dependent Claim 60 words

46 . A trocar for puncturing through a dysfunctional intervertebral disc into an end plate for creating a bleeding site, said trocar comprising: an elongated body having a sharp distal tip and a resilient curvature proximate said distal tip, a handle attached to a proximal end of said elongated body, and a generally rigid sleeve locatable around said resilient curvature.

Claim 49

Dependent Claim 18 words

47 . The trocar of claim 46 , wherein said elongated body is formed of a nickel-titanium alloy.

Claim 50

Dependent Claim 24 words

48 . The trocar of claim 46 , further comprising a label on said handle, said label indicating the direction of said resilient curvature.

Claim 51

Dependent Claim 50 words

49 . A method of compressing a dysfunctional intervertebral disc, the method comprising the steps of: (a) opening a resilient disc clamp; (b) locating said disc clamp around a majority of the dysfunctional intervertebral disc; (c) and releasing said disc clamp, thereby allowing said disc clamp to compress the disc.

Claim 52

Dependent Claim 50 words

49 . A method of compressing a dysfunctional intervertebral disc, the method comprising the steps of: (a) opening a resilient disc clamp; (b) locating said disc clamp around a majority of the dysfunctional intervertebral disc; (c) and releasing said disc clamp, thereby allowing said disc clamp to compress the disc.

Claim 53

Dependent Claim 21 words

50 . The method of claim 49 , wherein a widening tool is used to open and release said disc clamp.

Claim 54

Dependent Claim 21 words

51 . The method of claim 49 , further comprising the step of: (d) attaching said disc clamp to a vertebra

Claim 55

Dependent Claim 21 words

52 . The method of claim 49 , further comprising the step of: (d) protecting a patient's nerves during steps (a)-(c).

Claim 56

Dependent Claim 26 words

53 . The method of claim 49 , further comprising the step of: (d) pressing a disc compression surface of said clamp between a patient's vertebrae.

Claim 57

Dependent Claim 30 words

54 . The method of claim 49 , further comprising the step of: (d) puncturing an end plate of the dysfunctional disc with a trocar to create a bleeding site.

Claim 58

Dependent Claim 36 words

55 . The method of claim 49 , further comprising the step of: (d) allowing said disc clamp to press into said dysfunctional disc until a protruding leg extending from said clamp rests against a vertebra.

Claim 59

Dependent Claim 38 words

56 . The method of claim 49 , further comprising the step of: (d) selecting a first compression surface for a first side of the disc and a second compression surface for a second side of the disc.

Claim 60

Dependent Claim 39 words

57 . The method of claim 49 , further comprising the step of: (d) selecting a first compression surface for a first side of the disc and a second different compression surface for a second side of the disc.

Claim 61

Dependent Claim 17 words

58 . The method of claim 49 , wherein the method is used to alleviate nerve impingement.

Claim 62

Dependent Claim 17 words

59 . The method of claim 49 , wherein the method is used to treat segmental instability.

Claim 63

Dependent Claim 17 words

60 . The method of claim 49 , wherein the method is used to minimize annular delamination.

Claim 64

Dependent Claim 17 words

61 . The method of claim 49 , wherein the method is used to atrophy a nerve.

Claim 65

Dependent Claim 17 words

62 . The method of claim 49 , wherein the method is used to treat spinal stenosis.

Claim 66

Dependent Claim 16 words

63 . The method of claim 49 , wherein the method is used to treat kyphosis.

Claim 67

Dependent Claim 16 words

64 . The method of claim 49 , wherein the method is used to treat scoliosis.

Claim 68

Dependent Claim 41 words

65 . A method of compressing a dysfunctional intervertebral disc, the method comprising the steps of: (a) pressing a disc compression surface of a disc compression member against the dysfunctional intervertebral disc; (b) attaching said disc compression member to a vertebra.

Claim 69

Dependent Claim 41 words

65 . A method of compressing a dysfunctional intervertebral disc, the method comprising the steps of: (a) pressing a disc compression surface of a disc compression member against the dysfunctional intervertebral disc; (b) attaching said disc compression member to a vertebra.

Claim 70

Dependent Claim 33 words

66 . The method of claim 65 , further comprising the step of: (c) resiliently pressing said disc compression surface against said disc until said disc compression surface is located between two vertebrae.

Claim 71

Dependent Claim 23 words

67 . The method of claim 65 , further comprising the step of: (c) attaching said disc compression member to a second vertebra.

Claim 72

Dependent Claim 24 words

68 . The method of claim 67 , further comprising the step of: (d) repeating steps (a)-(c) to attach a second disc compression member.

Claim 73

Dependent Claim 26 words

69 . The method of claim 65 , further comprising the step of: (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) to attach a second disc compression member.

Claim 74

Dependent Claim 29 words

70 . The method of claim 65 , further comprising the step of: (c) puncturing end plate of the dysfunctional disc with a trocar to create a bleeding site.

Claim 75

Dependent Claim 22 words

71 . The method of claim 65 , wherein said disc compression member is resiliently attached to the vertebra with a bolt.

Claim 76

Dependent Claim 18 words

72 . The method of claim 71 , wherein said bolt is located with a sleeve during delivery.

Claim 77

Dependent Claim 57 words

73 . The method of claim 72 , wherein said bolt has an in-phase position and an out-of-phase position with respect to said sleeve and further comprising the step of moving said bolt from the out-of phase position to the in-phase position wherein at least a portion of said bolt extends out an opening in said sleeve.

Claim 78

Dependent Claim 21 words

74 . The method of claim 65 , wherein said disc compression member is attached to a side of the vertebra.

Claim 79

Dependent Claim 22 words

75 . The method of claim 65 , wherein said disc compression member is attached through an end plate of the vertebra.

Intervertebral disc repair

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag