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US6048346A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Systems and methods for injecting flowable materials into bones

Assignee: Orthophoenix LLC
•
Filing: 1997-08-13
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Granted: 2000-04-11
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Expires: 2017-08-13
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Abstract

Abstract A tube body includes an interior bore to carry a material flow into bone. The tube body includes a dispensing end having an opening communicating with the bore to dispense the material flow. One embodiment provides a cutting element, which extends in the opening to permit passage of the material flow and to sever the material flow in response to rotation of the tube body. Another embodiment deflects the dispensing end from the main axis of the tube body, to facilitate targeted introduction of flowable material, even when the access path does not align the tube body along the natural geometric axes of the treatment site. Another embodiment provides a connector having a rotating fitting, which releasably connects the tube body to a cement injecting tool. The rotating fitting allows the physician to rotate the injection nozzle assembly to control orientation and position in the treatment site, without rotating the associated injection tool itself.

Inventors

  • 👤 Mark A Reiley
  • 👤 Arie Scholten
  • 👤 Robert M Scribner
  • 👤 Michael L Reo

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 19:41
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/56; A61B17/58; A61B17/88; A61B17/8802; A61B17/8805; A61B17/8811; A61B17/8816; A61B17/8819; A61B17/8833; A61B17/8836; A61B90/00; A61B90/39; A61B2090/3966; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/30; A61F2/46; A61F2002/4635; A61F2002/4653

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim 80 words
An assembly for injecting flowable material into bone comprising a tube body including an interior bore to carry a material flow, the tube body including a dispensing end, an opening in the dispensing end communicating with the bore to dispense the material flow, and a cutting element extending in the opening adjacent the dispensing end to permit passage of the material flow and to sever the material flow adjacent the dispensing end in response to rotation of the tube body.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 80 words
An assembly for injecting flowable material into bone comprising a tube body including an interior bore to carry a material flow, the tube body including a dispensing end, an opening in the dispensing end communicating with the bore to dispense the material flow, and a cutting element extending in the opening adjacent the dispensing end to permit passage of the material flow and to sever the material flow adjacent the dispensing end in response to rotation of the tube body.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 77 words
An assembly for injecting flowable material into bone comprising a tube body including an interior bore to carry a material flow, the tube body including a dispensing end, an opening in the dispensing end communicating with the bore to dispense the material flow, and a cutting element comprising a single wire filament extending in the opening to permit passage of the material flow and to sever the material flow in response to rotation of the tube body.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 77 words
An assembly for injecting flowable material into bone comprising a tube body including an interior bore to carry a material flow, the tube body including a dispensing end, an opening in the dispensing end communicating with the bore to dispense the material flow, and a cutting element comprising a single wire filament extending in the opening to permit passage of the material flow and to sever the material flow in response to rotation of the tube body.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 78 words
An assembly for injecting flowable material into bone comprising a tube body including an interior bore to carry a material flow, the tube body including a dispensing end, an opening in the dispensing end communicating with the bore to dispense the material flow, and a cutting element comprising more than one wire filament extending in the opening to permit passage of the material flow and to sever the material flow in response to rotation of the tube body.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 78 words
An assembly for injecting flowable material into bone comprising a tube body including an interior bore to carry a material flow, the tube body including a dispensing end, an opening in the dispensing end communicating with the bore to dispense the material flow, and a cutting element comprising more than one wire filament extending in the opening to permit passage of the material flow and to sever the material flow in response to rotation of the tube body.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 18 words
An assembly according to claim 2 or 3 wherein the cutting element is secured to the dispensing end.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 23 words
An assembly according to claim 2 or 3 and further including a connector to releasably connect the tube body to an injecting tool.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 80 words
An assembly for injecting flowable material into bone comprising a tube body including an interior bore to carry a material flow, the tube body including a dispensing end, an opening in the dispensing end communicating with the bore to dispense the material flow, and a cutting element extending in the opening to permit passage of the material flow and to sever the material flow in response to rotation of the tube body, and a mechanism to deflect the dispensing end.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 80 words
An assembly for injecting flowable material into bone comprising a tube body including an interior bore to carry a material flow, the tube body including a dispensing end, an opening in the dispensing end communicating with the bore to dispense the material flow, and a cutting element extending in the opening to permit passage of the material flow and to sever the material flow in response to rotation of the tube body, and a mechanism to deflect the dispensing end.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 24 words
An assembly according to claim 6 wherein the mechanism comprises at least one steering wire in the tube body coupled to the dispensing end.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 87 words
An assembly for injecting flowable material into bone comprising a tube body including an interior bore to carry a material flow, the tube body including a dispensing end, an opening in the dispensing end communicating with the bore to dispense the material flow, and a cutting element extending in the opening to permit passage of the material flow and to sever the material flow in response to rotation of the tube body, and a steering mechanism for deflecting the dispensing end through a range of deflected positions.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 87 words
An assembly for injecting flowable material into bone comprising a tube body including an interior bore to carry a material flow, the tube body including a dispensing end, an opening in the dispensing end communicating with the bore to dispense the material flow, and a cutting element extending in the opening to permit passage of the material flow and to sever the material flow in response to rotation of the tube body, and a steering mechanism for deflecting the dispensing end through a range of deflected positions.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 36 words
An assembly according to claim 8 wherein the steering mechanism includes an member movable through a range of positions each of which generally marks a position of the dispensing end within the range of deflected positions.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 29 words
An assembly according to claim 2 or 3 or 9 or 8 wherein the tube body includes indicia to gauge extent of penetration of the dispensing end into bone.
Claim 16
Independent Claim 79 words
A method for injecting flowable material into bone comprising the steps of deploying a tube body into bone, the tube body including a dispensing end having an opening to dispense a material flow and a cutting element extending in the opening adjacent the dispensing end, injecting a material flow into the bone through the opening, and rotating the dispensing end to move the cutting element through the material flow and thereby sever the material flow adjacent the dispensing end.
Claim 17
Independent Claim 79 words
A method for injecting flowable material into bone comprising the steps of deploying a tube body into bone, the tube body including a dispensing end having an opening to dispense a material flow and a cutting element extending in the opening adjacent the dispensing end, injecting a material flow into the bone through the opening, and rotating the dispensing end to move the cutting element through the material flow and thereby sever the material flow adjacent the dispensing end.
Claim 18
Independent Claim 81 words
A method for injecting flowable material into bone comprising the steps of deploying a tube body into bone, the tube body including a dispensing end having an opening to dispense a material flow and a cutting element extending in the opening, injecting a material flow into the bone through the opening, rotating the dispensing end to move the cutting element through the material flow and thereby sever the material flow from the opening, and deflecting the dispensing end in the bone.
Claim 19
Independent Claim 81 words
A method for injecting flowable material into bone comprising the steps of deploying a tube body into bone, the tube body including a dispensing end having an opening to dispense a material flow and a cutting element extending in the opening, injecting a material flow into the bone through the opening, rotating the dispensing end to move the cutting element through the material flow and thereby sever the material flow from the opening, and deflecting the dispensing end in the bone.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 25 words
A method according to claim 12 and further including the step of gauging orientation of the dispensing end before, during, or after the deflecting step.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 22 words
A method according to claim 13 wherein orientation of the dispensing end is gauged without visualizing the dispensing end in the bone.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 21 words
A method according to claim 5 or 6 and further including the step of visualizing the dispensing end in the bone.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 15 words
An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the cutting element comprises a single wire filament.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 16 words
An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the cutting element comprises more than one wire filament.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 16 words
An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the cutting element is secured to the dispensing end.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 21 words
An assembly according to claim 1 and further including a connector to releasably connect the tube body to an injecting tool.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 16 words
An assembly according to claim 1 and further including a mechanism for deflecting the dispensing end.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 24 words
An assembly according to claim 20 wherein the mechanism comprises at least one steering wire in the tube body coupled to the dispensing end.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 23 words
An assembly according to claim 1 and further including a steering mechanism for deflecting the dispensing end through a range of deflected positions.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 36 words
An assembly according to claim 22 wherein the steering mechanism includes an member movable through a range of positions each of which generally marks a position of the dispensing end within the range of deflected positions.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 23 words
An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the tube body includes indicia to gauge extent of penetration of the dispensing end into bone.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 19 words
A method according to claim 11 and further including the step of deflecting the dispensing end in the bone.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 25 words
A method according to claim 25 and further including the step of gauging orientation of the dispensing end before, during, or after the deflecting step.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim 22 words
A method according to claim 26 wherein orientation of the dispensing end is gauged without visualizing the dispensing end in the bone.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim 19 words
A method according to claim 11 and further including the step of visualizing the dispensing end in the bone.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4653487A Cited
US5219897A Cited
US5468245A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2003-04-11 2003-10-11 2004-04-11 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2007-04-11 2007-10-11 2008-04-11 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2011-04-11 2011-10-11 2012-04-11 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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