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US20020189622A1
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US
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Spinal disc annulus reconstruction method and spinal disc annulus stent
Assignee: KRT INVESTORS Inc
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Filing: 2002-04-29
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2022-04-29
Abstract
Abstract A spinal disc annulus repair stent for repair and reconstruction of the spinal disc wall (annulus) after surgical invasion or pathologic rupture, which may incorporate suture closure or other means of stent insertion and fixation, designed to reduce the failure rate of conventional surgical procedures on the spinal discs. In an illustrative embodiment, the design of the spinal disc annulus stent advantageously allows ingrowth of normal cells of healing in an enhanced fashion strengthening the normal reparative process.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph Cauthen
- 👤 Matthew Burns
- 👤 Thomas Hektner
- 👤 Paul Burmeister
- 👤 Lawrence Wales
- 👤 Daniel Adams
- 👤 Rodney Houfburg
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 04:07
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/30; A61F2/44; A61F2/441; A61F2/442; A61F2/46; A61F2/4603; A61F2/4611; 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; Y10S623/00; Y10S623/902
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
142 words
1 . A method of intervertebral disc reconstruction for treating a disc having an aperture in the wall of the annulus fibrosis, wherein the aperture provides a path for the migration of nucleus pulposus from the subannular space, the method comprising the steps of: providing an expandable device having a first configuration dimensioned to pass through the aperture and a second expanded configuration having at least one dimension at least as large as the aperture and having at least one dimension larger than a corresponding dimension in said first configuration; inserting the device through the aperture into the subannular space when the device is in the first collapsed configuration; and causing or allowing the device to expand in the subannular space into the second expanded configuration to bridge the aperture, thereby occluding the aperture and preventing the migration of nucleus pulposus therethrough.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
142 words
1 . A method of intervertebral disc reconstruction for treating a disc having an aperture in the wall of the annulus fibrosis, wherein the aperture provides a path for the migration of nucleus pulposus from the subannular space, the method comprising the steps of: providing an expandable device having a first configuration dimensioned to pass through the aperture and a second expanded configuration having at least one dimension at least as large as the aperture and having at least one dimension larger than a corresponding dimension in said first configuration; inserting the device through the aperture into the subannular space when the device is in the first collapsed configuration; and causing or allowing the device to expand in the subannular space into the second expanded configuration to bridge the aperture, thereby occluding the aperture and preventing the migration of nucleus pulposus therethrough.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the device is comprised of a shape memory material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the shape memory material is nitinol.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the device is at least in part bioabsorbable.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of treating the annulus tissue surrounding the aperture to reduce the relative motion thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising the step of reapproximating the aperture.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises at least one fixation element for attaching the device to the annulus.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the device further comprises at least one element for reapproximating the aperture.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the aperture is pathologic.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the aperture is formed at least in part by a surgical incision.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
11 . A method of intervertebral disc reconstruction for treating a disc having an aperture in the wall of the annulus fibrosis, wherein the method of claim 1 is performed following discectomy.
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