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US20020007218A1
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Spinal disc annulus reconstruction method and spinal disc annulus stent
Assignee: KRT INVESTORS Inc
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Filing: 2001-09-05
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2021-09-05
Abstract
Abstract A surgical method of repair and reconstruction of the spinal disc wall (annulus) after surgical invasion or pathologic rupture, incorporating suture closure, or stent insertion and fixation, designed to reduce the failure rate of conventional surgical procedures on the spinal discs. The design of the spinal disc annulus stent allows ingrowth of normal cells of healing in an enhanced fashion strengthening the normal reparative process.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph Cauthen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 03:50
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/30; A61F2/46; A61F2/4603; A61F2/4611; A61F2/44; A61F2/441; A61F2/442; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/04; A61B17/06; A61B17/06166; A61B17/064; A61B17/0642; A61B17/56; A61B17/58; A61B17/68; A61B17/84; A61B17/86; A61B2017/00004; A61B2017/06176; A61B2017/0641; A61B2017/0647; A61B2017/0648; A61F2/0063; A61F2/30767; A61F2/30907; A61F2/4601; A61F2/28; A61F2002/2817; A61F2002/30001; A61F2002/30003; A61F2002/3006; A61F2002/30062; A61F2002/30092; A61F2002/30108; A61F2002/3011; A61F2002/30138; A61F2002/30158; A61F2002/30199; A61F2002/30299; A61F2002/30316; A61F2002/30535; A61F2002/30579; A61F2/30771; A61F2002/30772; A61F2002/30777; A61F2002/30784; A61F2002/30841; A61F2002/4435; A61F2002/444; A61F2002/4625; A61F2002/4627; A61F2210/00; A61F2210/0004; A61F2210/0014; A61F2210/0019; A61F2230/00; A61F2230/0002; A61F2230/0017; A61F2230/0026; A61F2230/0063; A61F2230/0093; A61F2310/00; A61F2310/00005; A61F2310/00011; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S606/00; Y10S606/907; Y10S623/00; Y10S623/902
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 48
Claim 1
Independent Claim
37 words
1 . An annulus stent, for repair of an intervertebral disc annulus, comprising an elongated centralized vertical extension, said centralized vertical extension comprising a left and a right lateral extension along said centralized vertical extension's horizontal axis.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
37 words
1 . An annulus stent, for repair of an intervertebral disc annulus, comprising an elongated centralized vertical extension, said centralized vertical extension comprising a left and a right lateral extension along said centralized vertical extension's horizontal axis.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
2 . The annulus stent according to claim 1 , wherein said vertical extension further comprises a slot.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
3 . The annulus stent according to claim 1 , wherein said vertical extension is perforated.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
4 . The annulus stent according to claim 1 , wherein said left and right lateral extensions comprise an inside edge, an outside edge, an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein said inside edge joins said centralized vertical extension to form a horizontal plane.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
5 . The annulus stent according to claim 4 , wherein said upper surface forms an angle of about 0 to 60 degrees below said horizontal plane.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
6 . The annulus stent according to claim 4 , wherein the length of said inside edge is less than the length of said outside edge.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
7 . The annulus stent according to claim 4 , wherein said inside edge has a greater thickness than said outside edge.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
8 . The annulus stent according to claim 4 , wherein said upper surface is barbed.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
9 . The annulus stent according to claim 4 , further comprising a recess wherein said upper surface joins said centralized vertical extension.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
10 . The annulus stent according to claim 4 , wherein said lateral extension further comprises a compressible core affixed to said lower surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
11 . The annulus stent according to claim 10 , wherein said compressible core is made of a compressible biocompatible material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
12 . The annulus stent according to claim 10 , wherein said compressible core is made of a compressible bioreabsorbable material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
13 . The annulus stent according to claim 4 , further comprising a flexible bladder affixed to said lower surface of said left and right lateral extensions.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
14 . The annulus stent according to claim 13 , wherein said flexible bladder comprises a membrane enclosing an internal cavity.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
15 . The annulus stent according to claim 14 , wherein said internal cavity is empty.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
16 . The annulus stent according to claim 14 , wherein said membrane comprises a thin flexible biocompatible material.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
17 . The annulus stent according to claim 16 , wherein said membrane further comprises a semi-permeable material.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
18 . The annulus stent according to claim 17 , wherein said internal cavity contains a biocompatible fluid.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
19 . The annulus stent according to claim 18 , wherein said biocompatible fluid is a hydrogel.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
20 . The annulus stent according to claim 16 , wherein said membrane further comprises an impermeable material.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
21 . The annulus stent according to claim 20 , wherein said internal cavity contains a biocompatible fluid.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
30 words
22 . The annulus stent according to claim 1 , wherein said centralized vertical extension is of a shape selected from the group consisting of a trapezoid, circular and curved.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
35 words
23 . The annulus stent according to claim 1 , wherein said annulus stent is made from a material selected from the group consisting of a biocompatible material, a bioactive material, and a bioreabsorbable material.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
21 words
24 . The annulus stent according to claim 23 , wherein said annulus stent is made from a biocompatible fiber mesh.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
21 words
25 . The annulus stent according to claim 23 , wherein said annulus stent is made from a bioreabsorbable fiber mesh.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
20 words
26 . The annulus stent according to claim 23 , wherein said annulus stent is made from expandable polytetra fluoroethylyene.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
23 words
27 . The annulus stent according to claim 1 , wherein said annulus stent comprises a material to facilitate regeneration of disc tissue.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
18 words
28 . The annulus stent according to claim 1 , wherein said annulus stent comprises a hygroscopic material.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
22 words
29 . An annulus patch, wherein said annulus patch is of the size and shape for repair of a intervertebral disc annulus.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
22 words
29 . An annulus patch, wherein said annulus patch is of the size and shape for repair of a intervertebral disc annulus.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
25 words
30 . The annulus patch according to claim 29 , wherein said annulus patch is human muscle fascia, an autograft, an allograft or a xenograft.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
48 words
31 . A method for repairing an intervertebral disc, wherein said intervertebral disc comprises a disc nucleus and a disc annulus, comprising the steps of; a) forming an aperture in said intervertebral disc annulus; and b) securing across said aperture to said intervertebral disc annulus an annulus patch.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
48 words
31 . A method for repairing an intervertebral disc, wherein said intervertebral disc comprises a disc nucleus and a disc annulus, comprising the steps of; a) forming an aperture in said intervertebral disc annulus; and b) securing across said aperture to said intervertebral disc annulus an annulus patch.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
29 words
32 . The method for repairing an intervertebral disc according to claim 31 , wherein said annulus patch is human muscle fascia, an autograft, an allograft, or a xenograft.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
49 words
33 . The method for repairing an intervertebral disc according to claim 31 , further comprising the step of preparing said intervertebral disc, wherein said preparation step comprises the steps; a) identifying a damaged section of said disc nucleus; and b) removing said damaged section of said disc nucleus.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
77 words
34 . A method for repairing an intervertebral disc, wherein said intervertebral disc comprises a disc nucleus and a disc annulus, comprising the steps of; a) forming an aperture in said intervertebral disc annulus; b) inserting an annulus stent into said aperture, wherein said annulus stent comprises an elongated centralized vertical extension, a left and a right lateral extension along said centralized vertical extension's horizontal axis; and c) securing said annulus stent to said intervertebral disc annulus.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
77 words
34 . A method for repairing an intervertebral disc, wherein said intervertebral disc comprises a disc nucleus and a disc annulus, comprising the steps of; a) forming an aperture in said intervertebral disc annulus; b) inserting an annulus stent into said aperture, wherein said annulus stent comprises an elongated centralized vertical extension, a left and a right lateral extension along said centralized vertical extension's horizontal axis; and c) securing said annulus stent to said intervertebral disc annulus.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
37 words
35 . The method for repairing an intervertebral disc according to claim 34 , wherein said step of forming said aperture in said disc annulus comprises the step of making a surgical incision into said disc annulus.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
89 words
36 . The method for repairing an intervertebral disc according to claim 34 , wherein said step of inserting said annulus stent into said aperture comprises the steps of; a) compressing said left and right lateral extensions together; b) inserting said annulus stent into said aperture, such that an upper surface of said left and right lateral extensions conforms to an inside surface of said disc annulus; and c) positioning said centralized vertical extension within said aperture, such that said annulus stent may be secured to said disc annulus.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
121 words
37 . The method for repairing an intervertebral disc according to claim 34 , wherein said step of inserting said annulus stent into said aperture comprises the steps of; a) compressing said left and right lateral extension together; b) rotating said annulus stent, such that said annulus stent may be laterally inserted into said intervertebral disc; c) inserting said annulus stent laterally through said aperture into said intervertebral disc; d) rotating said annulus stent within said intervertebral disc, such that an upper surface of said left and right lateral extensions conforms to an inside surface of said disc annulus; and e) positioning said centralized vertical extension within said aperture, such that said annulus stent may be secured to said disc annulus.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
58 words
38 . The method for repairing an intervertebral disc according to claim 34 , further comprising a step of preparing said intervertebral disc, wherein said preparation step comprises the steps of inserting a set surgical screws into a pair of adjacent intervertebral, wherein said surgical screws comprise an eye hole located at the top of said surgical screw.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
42 words
39 . The method for repairing an intervertebral disc according to claim 38 , wherein said step of securing said annulus stent to said intervertebral disc comprises the steps of threading a surgical suture through said eye hole on said surgical screw.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
49 words
40 . The method for repairing an intervertebral disc according to claim 34 , further comprising the step of preparing said intervertebral disc, wherein said preparation step comprises the steps; a) identifying a damaged section of said disc nucleus; and b) removing said damaged section of said disc nucleus.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
101 words
41 . The method for repairing an intervertebral disc according to claim 40 , wherein said step of inserting said annulus stent into said aperture comprises the steps of; a) compressing said left and right lateral extensions together; b) inserting said annulus stent into said aperture, such that an upper surface of said left and right lateral extensions conforms to an inside surface of said disc annulus; c) positioning said centralized vertical extension within said aperture, such that said annulus stent may be secured to disc annulus; and d) injecting a biocompatible fluid into said internal cavity, through said annulus stent.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
22 words
42 . The method for repairing an intervertebral disc according to claim 41 , wherein said biocompatible fluid comprises a hygroscopic material.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
132 words
43 . The method for repairing an intervertebral disc according to claim 40 , wherein said step inserting said annulus stent into said aperture comprises the steps of; a) compressing said left and right lateral extensions together; b) rotating said annulus stent, such that said annulus stent may be laterally inserted into said intervertebral disc; c) inserting said annulus stent laterally through said aperture into said intervertebral disc; d) rotating said annulus stent within said intervertebral disc, such that an upper surface of said left and right lateral extensions conforms to an inside surface of said disc annulus; e) positioning said centralized vertical extension within said aperture, such that said annulus stent may be secured to disc annulus; and f) inject a biocompatible fluid into said internal cavity, through said annulus stent.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
22 words
44 . The method for repairing an intervertebral disc according to claim 43 , wherein said biocompatible fluid comprises a hygroscopic material.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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