Implant device

Abstract

An implant and sleeve combination for at least partial insertion into a bone and/or cartilage. The implant includes a lower portion and the sleeve includes a cavity designed to at least partially receive the lower portion of the implant.

1 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A method of at least partially inserting an implant into a bone and/or cartilage of a spine comprising:
 a) selecting an implant, said implant including a head and a lower portion connected to the head;   b) selecting a sleeve that includes a side wall, a top wall, a bottom wall and a cavity, said top wall having an opening into said cavity, said cavity designed to at least partially telescopically receive said lower portion of said implant, said side wall of said sleeve including a side slot that extends through said side and extends at least partially along a longitudinal length of said side wall, said side slot having an end terminating at i) said top wall, ii) said bottom wall, or i) and ii), said side slot designed to enable a change in cross-section of said sleeve when said sleeve receives said implant;   c) forming an opening in said bone and/or cartilage of said spine;   d) at least partially inserting said sleeve into said opening; and,   e) at least partially inserting and securing said lower portion of said implant into said cavity of said sleeve, said inserting of said implant into said sleeve causing change in said cross-section of said sleeve.   
     
     
         15 . The method as defined in  claim 14 , wherein said sleeve includes a plurality of openings in said side wall, and including the step of enabling at least one medicine, biological agent, or combinations thereof to pass through at least one of said openings in said side wall and to facilitate in the healing of the bone and/or cartilage, growth of the bone and/or cartilage, or combinations thereof at least partially about said sleeve. 
     
     
         16 . The method as defined in  claim 15 , including the step of inserting a) at least one medicine, b) at least one biological agent, or a) and b) in said cavity prior to inserting said implant in said cavity of said sleeve. 
     
     
         17 . The method as defined in  claim 14 , including the step of simultaneously inserting said sleeve and said implant in said bone and/or cartilage, said lower portion of said implant at least partially inserted in said cavity of said sleeve prior to said sleeve being inserted in said bone and/or cartilage. 
     
     
         18 . The method as defined in  claim 14 , wherein said sleeve includes at least one engagement member on an outer surface of said side wall, said engagement member designed to promote a rigid connection between said sleeve and said bone and/or cartilage. 
     
     
         19 . The method as defined in  claim 14 , wherein at least a portion of an outer surface of said sleeve is electrically conductive, and including the step of discharging a current through said electrically conductive region of said sleeve to promote bone growth and/or cartilage growth about said sleeve. 
     
     
         20 . The method as defined in  claim 14 , wherein said side slot that extends fully along said longitudinal length of said side wall. 
     
     
         21 . The method as defined in  claim 14 , wherein said step of inserting said sleeve is performed on an outpatient basis. 
     
     
         22 . The method as defined in  claim 14 , wherein an outer surface of said outer wall of said sleeve includes a thread, said thread designed to facilitate in the connection between said sleeve and said bone or cartilage. 
     
     
         23 . The method as defined in  claim 14 , wherein said sleeve includes a marker used to facilitate in at least one function selected from the group consisting of a) the positioning of said sleeve in said opening in said bone or cartilage, b) the positioning of said implant on said sleeve, c) connecting said implant to said sleeve. 
     
     
         24 . The method as defined in  claim 14 , wherein said side wall of said sleeve is at least partially coated with a coating material, said coating material including a compound that has at least one use selected from the group consisting of a) facilitating in the insertion of said sleeve in said opening of said bone or cartilage, b) facilitating in the securing of said sleeve in said opening of said bone or cartilage, c) promoting bone growth and tissue growth, d) inhibiting bone growth and tissue growth, e) inhibiting rejection of said implant, f) inhibiting rejection of said sleeve, g) inhibiting rejection of components connected to said implant, h) inhibiting rejection of components spaced from said implant, i) reducing infection, j) reducing inflammation, l) reducing pain, m) promoting healing of surrounding tissue, n) combating cancer, o) combating diseases, p) combating biological abnormalities, q) functioning as a location indicator, and r) functioning as a visual indicator. 
     
     
         25 . The method as defined in  claim 14 , wherein said sleeve has a three dimensional shape, said three dimensional shape selected from the group consisting of spherical shaped, pyramid-shaped, cube-shaped, prism-shaped, egg-shaped, parallelepiped-shaped, and conical-shaped. 
     
     
         26 . A method of connecting an implant to a bone or cartilage of a spine comprising:
 a) selecting an implant, said implant including a head and a lower portion connected to the head, said head including at least one arrangement selected from a group consisting of a) a connector to connect to a support structure used for a spine, b) a current generating device that directs current from the implant to the bone or cartilage of the spine, and c) a pump device that directs fluid from the implant to the bone or cartilage of the spine;   b) selecting a sleeve that includes a side wall, a top wall, a bottom wall and a cavity, said top wall having an opening into said cavity, said cavity designed to at least partially telescopically receive said lower portion of said implant, said side wall of said sleeve including a side slot that extends through said side and extends at least partially along a longitudinal length of said side wall, said side slot having an end terminating at i) said top wall, ii) said bottom wall, or i) and ii), said side slot designed to enable a change in cross-section of said sleeve when said sleeve receives said implant;   c) forming an opening in said bone or cartilage of said spine;   d) inserting said bottom wall and at least a portion of said side wall of said sleeve into said opening;   e) securing said sleeve to said bone and/or cartilage of said spine; and,   f) inserting at least a portion of said lower portion of said implant into said cavity of said sleeve and securing said implant to said sleeve, said inserting of said implant into said sleeve causing change in said cross-section of said sleeve.   
     
     
         27 . The method as defined in  claim 26 , including the step of pumping fluid from said implant into said cavity of said sleeve and then allowing said fluid to flow through a plurality of passageways in said sleeve so that said fluid contacts said bone or cartilage located about said sleeve, one or more of said passageways on said sleeve located in a region selected from the group consisting of said bottom wall and said side wall, said plurality of passageways fluidly connecting said cavity of said sleeve to an outer surface of said sleeve, said fluid formulated to facilitate in at least one function selected from the group consisting of healing said bone or cartilage about said sleeve and promoting growth of said bone or cartilage about said sleeve. 
     
     
         28 . The method as defined in  claim 26 , including the step of transferring current from said implant to said sleeve, said sleeve including an electrically conducting material that enables current to flow from said implant to said sleeve and then to said bone or cartilage located about said sleeve, said current designed to facilitate in at least one function selected from the group consisting of healing said bone or cartilage about said sleeve and promoting growth of said bone or cartilage about said sleeve. 
     
     
         29 . The method as defined in  claim 26 , wherein an outer surface of said outer wall of said sleeve includes a thread, said thread designed to facilitate in the connection between said sleeve and said bone or cartilage. 
     
     
         30 . The method as defined in  claim 26 , wherein at least a portion of an outer surface of said sleeve is electrically conductive, and including the step of discharging a current through said electrically conductive region of said sleeve to promote bone growth and/or cartilage growth about said sleeve. 
     
     
         31 . The method as defined in  claim 26 , including the step of inserting at least one substance into said cavity of said sleeve prior to connecting said implant to said sleeve, said substance selected from the group consisting of medicine and biological agent. 
     
     
         32 . The method as defined in  claim 26 , wherein said sleeve includes a marker used to facilitate in at least one function selected from the group consisting of a) the positioning of said sleeve in said opening in said bone or cartilage, b) the positioning of said implant on said sleeve, c) connecting said implant to said sleeve. 
     
     
         33 . The method as defined in  claim 26 , wherein said side wall of said sleeve is at least partially coated with a coating material, said coating material including a compound that has at least one use selected from the group consisting of a) facilitating in the insertion of said sleeve in said opening of said bone or cartilage, b) facilitating in the securing of said sleeve in said opening of said bone or cartilage, c) promoting bone growth and tissue growth, d) inhibiting bone growth and tissue growth, e) inhibiting rejection of said implant, t) inhibiting rejection of said sleeve, g) inhibiting rejection of components connected to said implant, h) inhibiting rejection of components spaced from said implant, i) reducing infection, j) reducing inflammation, l) reducing pain, m) promoting healing of surrounding tissue, n) combating cancer, o) combating diseases, p) combating biological abnormalities, q) functioning as a location indicator, and r) functioning as a visual indicator. 
     
     
         34 . The method as defined in  claim 26 , wherein said sleeve has a three dimensional shape, said three dimensional shape selected from the group consisting of spherical shape, pyramid-shaped, cube-shaped, prism-shaped, egg-shaped, parallelepiped-shaped, and conical-shaped.