US2008215058A1PendingUtilityA1

Spine distraction implant and method

73
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Jan 2, 1997Filed: May 31, 2007Published: Sep 4, 2008
Est. expiryJan 2, 2017(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:James F. ZuchermanKen Y. HsuT. Wade FallinCharles J. WinslowHenry A. KlyceJohn J. Flynn
A61K 31/37A61B 17/7068A61B 17/7047A61B 17/7071A61B 17/7065A61B 17/66
73
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Claims

Abstract

A spine distraction implant alleviates pain associated with spinal stenosis and facet arthropathy by expanding the volume in the spine canal and/or neural foramen. The implant provides a spinal extension stop while allowing freedom of spinal flexion.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A method, comprising:
 defining a minimally-invasive access path via a first tool; and   moving an implant along the minimally-invasive access path via a second tool until at least a portion of the implant is positioned between two adjacent spinous processes.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 distracting the two adjacent spinous processes via a third tool before the moving the implant along the minimally-invasive access path.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a distal end portion of the implant has a tapered shape, the positioning including distracting the two adjacent spinous processes when the distal end portion of the implant moves between the two adjacent spinous processes. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 distracting the two adjacent spinous processes via the first tool before the moving.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first tool defines an opening, the moving including moving the implant through the opening of the first tool. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a distal end portion of the first tool includes an opening, the defining including disposing the distal end portion of the first tool in a space between the two adjacent spinous processes, the moving including moving the implant through the opening of the first tool. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a centerline of the first tool substantially corresponds to a centerline of the second tool after the moving. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first tool includes a stylet. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first tool includes a guide wire. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a proximal end portion of the implant is removably coupled to a distal end portion of the second tool during the moving. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the minimally-invasive access path is a curved path at least a portion of which is between an incision in skin and a space between the two adjacent spinous processes. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the minimally-invasive access path is a curved path at least a portion of which is between an incision in skin and a space between the two adjacent spinous processes, the incision being at a location on a surface of a patient's body offset from a midline of the patient's body. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the minimally-invasive access path is a curved path, the first tool has a curved shape and the second tool has a curved shape. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the moving includes moving the implant along the minimally-invasive access path such that a first portion of the implant is positioned between the two adjacent spinous processes from a first side of the two adjacent spinous processes and a second portion of the implant is positioned adjacent a second side of the two adjacent spinous processes, the second side of the adjacent spinous processes being opposite the first side of the two adjacent spinous process. 
     
     
         15 . A method, comprising:
 distracting adjacent spinous processes via a first tool having an elongate portion proximate a distal end of the first tool; and   inserting, after the distracting, at least a portion of an implant into a space between adjacent spinous processes via a second tool having an elongate portion proximate a distal end of the second tool,   a shape of the elongate portion of the first tool substantially corresponding to a shape of the elongate portion of the second tool.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein a radius of the distal end portion of the first tool substantially corresponds to a radius of a distal end portion of the second tool. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein a distal end portion of the implant has a tapered shape, the inserting including further distracting the adjacent spinous processes when the distal end portion of the implant moves between the adjacent spinous processes. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first tool defines an opening, the inserting including moving the implant through the opening of the first tool. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein a proximal end portion of the implant is removably coupled to a distal end portion of the second tool during the inserting. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising defining a curved access path via the first tool, at least a portion of the curved access path is between an incision in skin and the space between the adjacent spinous processes. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising defining a curved access path via the first tool, at least a portion of the curved access path is between an incision in skin and the space between the adjacent spinous processes, the incision being at a location on a surface of a patient's body offset from a midline of the patient's body. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the shape of the elongate portion of the first tool is curved, the shape of the elongate portion of the second tool is curved. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the inserting includes inserting the implant such that a first portion of the implant is positioned between the adjacent spinous processes from a first side of the adjacent spinous processes and a second portion of the implant is positioned adjacent a second side of the adjacent spinous processes, the second side of the adjacent spinous processes being opposite the first side of the adjacent spinous process. 
     
     
         24 . A method, comprising:
 defining a path between an opening in skin and a space between adjacent spinous processes;   moving at least a portion of an implant along the path and into the space between the adjacent spinous processes from a first side of the adjacent spinous processes; and   advancing the implant such that a first portion of the implant is disposed within the space between the adjacent spinous processes and such that a distal end portion of the implant is positioned adjacent a second side of the adjacent spinous processes, the second side of the adjacent spinous processes being opposite the first side of the adjacent spinous process.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the path is a curved path, the moving including moving the portion of the implant along the curved path. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein:
 the defining is performed via a first tool; and   the moving is performed via a second tool.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the defining is performed via a first tool, the moving is performed via a second tool, the method further comprising:
 distracting the adjacent spinous processes via a third tool before the moving.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein a distal end portion of the implant has a tapered shape, the advancing including distracting the adjacent spinous processes when the distal end portion of the implant moves between the adjacent spinous processes. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the defining is performed via a first tool defining an opening, the moving including moving the implant through the opening of the first tool via a second tool. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the defining is performed via a first tool having an opening at a distal end portion, the defining including disposing the distal end portion of the first tool in the space between the adjacent spinous processes, the moving including moving the implant via a second tool through the opening of the first tool. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein a proximal end portion of the implant is removably coupled to a distal end portion of an insertion tool during the moving. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the path is a curved path, the incision is at a location on a surface of a patient's body offset from a midline of the patient's body. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the path is a curved path, the first tool has a curved shape and the second tool has a curved shape. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the implant is a first implant member, the method further comprising:
 coupling, after the advancing, a second implant member to the distal end portion of the first implant member using a fastener such that the second implant member is adjacent the second side of the adjacent spinous processes; and   moving the second implant member relative to the first implant member by adjusting the fastener.

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