Devices, systems and methods for using and monitoring spinal implants

Abstract

Spinal device/implants are provided, comprising a spinal device/implant and a sensor.

1 . An implantable spinal medical device selected from the group consisting of,
 a. an implantable medical device comprising a pedicle screw and a sensor;   b. an implantable medical device comprising a spinal wire and a sensor;   c. an implantable medical device comprising a spinal rod and a sensor;   d. an implantable medical device comprising a spinal cage and a sensor:   e. an implantable medical device comprising an artificial disc and a sensor;   f. an implantable medical device comprising a pedicle screw, a spinal rod and a sensor;   g. an implantable medical device comprising a pedicle screw, a spinal plate and a sensor;   h. an implantable medical device comprising a polymer and a sensor; and   i. an implantable medical device comprising a kyphoplasty balloon and a sensor.   
     
     
         2 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The medical device according to  claim 1  wherein said sensor is located within said implant. 
     
     
         13 . The medical device according to  claim 1  wherein said sensor is located on said implant. 
     
     
         14 . The medical device according to  claim 1  wherein said device is sterile. 
     
     
         15 . The medical device according to  claim 1  wherein said sensor is selected from the group consisting of a contact sensor, a pressure sensor, an accelerometer sensor, a temperature sensor, a mechanical stress sensor, a position sensor, a chemical microsensor and a tissue metabolic sensor. 
     
     
         16 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The medical device according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 an electronic processor positioned upon and/or inside the spinal device/implant or medical device that is electrically coupled to sensors. 
 
     
     
         23 . The medical device according to  claim 22  wherein the electric coupling is a wireless coupling. 
     
     
         24 . The medical device according to  claim 22  further including:
 a memory coupled to the electronic processor and positioned upon and/or inside the spinal device/implant or medical device. 
 
     
     
         25 . The medical device according to  claim 1  wherein said sensor is a plurality of sensors which are positioned on or within said medical device at a density of greater than 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or 20 sensors per square centimeter. 
     
     
         26 . The medical device according to  claim 1  wherein said sensor is a plurality of sensors which are positioned on or within said medical device at a density of greater than 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or 20 sensors per cubic centimeter. 
     
     
         27 . A method comprising:
 obtaining data from sensors positioned at a plurality of locations between on and/or within the medical device according to  claim 1  of a patient;   storing the data in a memory device located on or within the medical device; and   transferring the data from the memory to a location outside the medical device.   
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A method for detecting and/or recording an event in a subject with the medical device according to  claim 1 , comprising the step of interrogating at a desired point in time the activity of one or more sensors within the medical device, and recording said activity. 
     
     
         30 - 32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . A method for imaging a medical device in a spine, comprising the steps of
 (a) detecting the location of one or more sensors in the medical device of  claim 1  which has been implanted into the spine of a subject; and   (b) visually displaying the location of said one or more sensors, such that an image of the medical device, or a portion thereof, in the spine is created.   
     
     
         34 - 36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . A method for inserting the spinal device/implant according to  claim 1 , comprising the steps of
 (a) inserting an implantable medical device according to  claim 1  into a subject; and   (b) imaging the placement of said medical device according to a method comprising the steps of detecting the location of one or more sensors in the spinal device/implant; and   visually displaying the location of said one or more sensors, such that an image of the spinal device/implant, or a portion thereof, in the spine is created.   
     
     
         38 . A method for examining the spinal device/implant according to  claim 1  which has been previously inserted into a patient, comprising the step of imaging the spinal device/implant according to a method comprising the steps of detecting the location of one or more sensors in the spinal device/implant; and visually displaying the location of said one or more sensors, such that an image of the spinal device/implant, or a portion thereof, in the spine is created. 
     
     
         39 . A method of monitoring a spinal device/implant within a subject, comprising:
 (a) transmitting a wireless electrical signal from a location outside the body to a location inside the subject's body;   (b) receiving the signal at a sensor positioned on a spinal device/implant according to  claim 1  located inside the body;   (c) powering the sensor using the received signal;   (d) sensing data at the sensor; and   (e) outputting the sensed data from the sensor to a receiving unit located outside of the body.   
     
     
         40 - 43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium whose stored contents configure a computing system to perform a method, the method comprising:
 (a) identifying a subject, the identified subject having at least one wireless spinal device/implant according to  claim 1 , each wireless spinal device/implant having one or more wireless sensors;   (b) directing a wireless interrogation unit to collect sensor data from at least one of the respective one or more wireless sensors; and   (c) receiving the collected sensor data.   
     
     
         45 - 59 . (canceled) 
     
     
         60 . A method for determining an infection associated with a spinal device/implant, comprising the steps of a) providing to a subject an implantable medical device according to  claim 1  comprising at least one temperature sensor and/or metabolic sensor, and b) detecting a change in said temperature sensor and/or metabolic sensor, and thus determining the presence of an infection. 
     
     
         61 - 63 . (canceled) 
     
     
         64 . A method for determining degradation of an implanted medical device, comprising the steps of a) providing to a subject an implantable medical device according to  claim 1 ; and b) detecting a change in a sensor, and thus determining degradation of the implanted medical device.