US6503269B2 — Method of treating intervertebral discs using opt…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 110 words

A method of controllably heating an annulus of an intervertebral disc, wherein said method comprises the steps of: forming an access channel through said annulus of said intervertebral disc; inserting a light source through said access channel into said intervertebral disc; activating said light source to emit diffuse light having an intensity sufficient to heat at least a first portion of said annulus to a predetermined temperature, wherein said predetermined temperature is sufficient to cause a change in at least one characteristic of tissue in said annulus; optically measuring a temperature of tissue in said disc; and modifying said intensity of said diffuse light source according to said measured temperature.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 110 words

A method of controllably heating an annulus of an intervertebral disc, wherein said method comprises the steps of: forming an access channel through said annulus of said intervertebral disc; inserting a light source through said access channel into said intervertebral disc; activating said light source to emit diffuse light having an intensity sufficient to heat at least a first portion of said annulus to a predetermined temperature, wherein said predetermined temperature is sufficient to cause a change in at least one characteristic of tissue in said annulus; optically measuring a temperature of tissue in said disc; and modifying said intensity of said diffuse light source according to said measured temperature.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 42 words

A method according to claim 1 wherein said first portion comprises a damaged zone of said annulus, and said damaged zone of said annulus is heated to said predetermined temperature while a second portion of said annulus remains below said predetermined temperature.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 23 words

A method according to claim 2 wherein said predetermined temperature is sufficient to destroy nerve endings within said first portion of said annulus.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 24 words

A method according to claim 2 wherein said annulus comprises collagen, and wherein said predetermined temperature is sufficient to cause shrinkage of said collagen.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 36 words

A method according to claim 4 wherein said intervertebral disc further comprises a nucleus, and said method further comprises the step of maintaining said nucleus at a second temperature below which vaporization of said nucleus occurs.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 20 words

A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of inserting a sharp-ended, hollow needle into said intervertebral disc.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 17 words

A method according to claim 6 wherein said light source is inserted through said sharp-ended, hollow needle.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 38 words

A method of claim 1 wherein said light source comprises an optical fiber, said optical fiber having a continuous,, unitary outer sleeve extending from a distal end of said optical fiber to a connector of said optical fiber.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 113 words

A method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of: removing said light source from said access channel; forming a second access channel through said annulus of said intervertebral disc using a needle; inserting said light source a second time into said intervertebral disc; activating said light source a second time to emit diffuse light to controllably heat a seward portion of said annulus to said predetermined temperature, wherein said predetermined temperature of said annulus is sufficient to cause a change in characteristics of said annulus; optically measuring temperature in a region of said light source; and modifying the intensity of light radiated by said light source according to said measured temperature.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 45 words

A method according to claim 9 wherein said second portion of said annulus is heated to said predetermined temperature while a third portion of said annulus remains at a temperature below that which is sufficient to cause a change in the characteristics of said annulus.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 25 words

A method according to claim 10 wherein said temperature is sufficient to destroy nerve endings within said annulus in said region of said light source.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 24 words

A method according to claim 11 wherein said annulus comprises collagen, and wherein said predetermined temperature is sufficient to cause shrinkage of said collagen.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 29 words

A method according to claim 12 wherein said intervertebral disc comprises a nucleus, and said nucleus is maintained below a second temperature at which vaporization of said nucleus occurs.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 132 words

A method of controllably heating an annulus of an intervertebral disc, wherein said method comprises the steps of: supplying an optical fiber having an optical temperature measuring component attached to said optical fiber; forming an access channel through said annulus of said intervertebral disc; inserting said optical fiber through said access channel into said intervertebral disc; activating said optical fiber to emit diffuse light having an intensity sufficient to heat at least a first portion of said annulus to a predetermined temperature, wherein said predetermined temperature of said annulus is sufficient to cause a change in at least one characteristic of tissue in said annulus; optically measuring a temperature of tissue in said disc; and modifying said intensity of said diffuse light emitted by said optical fiber according to said measured temperature.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 132 words

A method of controllably heating an annulus of an intervertebral disc, wherein said method comprises the steps of: supplying an optical fiber having an optical temperature measuring component attached to said optical fiber; forming an access channel through said annulus of said intervertebral disc; inserting said optical fiber through said access channel into said intervertebral disc; activating said optical fiber to emit diffuse light having an intensity sufficient to heat at least a first portion of said annulus to a predetermined temperature, wherein said predetermined temperature of said annulus is sufficient to cause a change in at least one characteristic of tissue in said annulus; optically measuring a temperature of tissue in said disc; and modifying said intensity of said diffuse light emitted by said optical fiber according to said measured temperature.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 48 words

A method according to claim 14 wherein said optical temperature measuring component comprises a fluorescent material, and said fluorescent material emits a second light having an intensity that decays in a temperature dependent manner when said fluorescent material is illuminated with a first light at a predetermined wavelength.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 88 words

A method according to claim 15 wherein said optically measuring said temperature comprises the steps of: emitting said first light utilizing a light generator, said first light having a first intensity that varies periodically as a function of time; sensing said second light, said second light having a second intensity that varies periodically as a function of time; and comparing said periodically varying first intensity of said first light and said periodically varying second intensity of said second light to determine a phase angle to determine said temperature.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 12 words

A method according to claim 16 wherein said fluorescent material comprises alexandrite.

Claim 20

Independent Claim 162 words

A method of controllably heating an annulus of an intervertebral disc wherein said method comprises the steps of: placing a needle through an inner diameter of a blunt-ended cannula to cause said needle to extend beyond a distal end of said blunt-ended cannula; forming an access channel through said annulus of said intervertebral disc using said needle and said blunt-ended cannula; removing said needle from said blunt-ended cannula to create an opening through said blunt-ended cannula to insert said light source; inserting a light source through said blunt-ended cannula into said intervertebral disc; activating said light source to emit diffuse light having an intensity sufficient to heat at least a first portion of said annulus to a predetermined temperature, wherein said predetermined temperature is sufficient to cause a change in at least one characteristic of tissue in said annulus; optically measuring a temperature of tissue in said disk; and modifying said intensity of said diffuse light source according to said measured temperature.

Claim 21

Independent Claim 162 words

A method of controllably heating an annulus of an intervertebral disc wherein said method comprises the steps of: placing a needle through an inner diameter of a blunt-ended cannula to cause said needle to extend beyond a distal end of said blunt-ended cannula; forming an access channel through said annulus of said intervertebral disc using said needle and said blunt-ended cannula; removing said needle from said blunt-ended cannula to create an opening through said blunt-ended cannula to insert said light source; inserting a light source through said blunt-ended cannula into said intervertebral disc; activating said light source to emit diffuse light having an intensity sufficient to heat at least a first portion of said annulus to a predetermined temperature, wherein said predetermined temperature is sufficient to cause a change in at least one characteristic of tissue in said annulus; optically measuring a temperature of tissue in said disk; and modifying said intensity of said diffuse light source according to said measured temperature.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 45 words

A method according to claim 18 wherein a damaged zone of said annulus is heated to said predetermined temperature while a second portion of said annulus remains at a temperature below that which is sufficient to cause a change in the characteristics of said annulus.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 26 words

A method according to claim 19 wherein said predetermined temperature is sufficient to destroy nerve endings within said annulus in said region of said light source.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 24 words

A method according to claim 19 wherein said annulus comprises collagen, and wherein said predetermined temperature is sufficient to cause shrinkage of said collagen.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 29 words

A method according to claim 18 wherein said intervertebral disc comprises a nucleus, and said nucleus is maintained below a second temperature at which vaporization of said nucleus occurs.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2006-01-06	2006-07-08	2007-01-07	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2010-01-06	2010-07-08	2011-01-07	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2014-01-06	2014-07-08	2015-01-07	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method of treating intervertebral discs using optical energy and optical temperature feedback

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