Patent · US Expired

Expandable fabric implant for stabilizing the spinal motion segment

US5549679A · kind A · utility

1,136Cited by
23References
4Claims
0Family size

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMar 1, 1995
Grant dateAug 27, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 1, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S606/907
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method for stabilizing a spinal motion segment by boring and excising an opening in a disc nucleus, inserting a fabric bag having a pore size between about 0.25 and 5.0 mm, packing the bag with a graft medium until the bag is a rigid self-retaining shape, then closing the bag. The nucleus is excised by inserting an expandable cutting tool in order to cut an area greater than the access opening. A further spinal stabilization includes positioning a flexible bag containing graft medium against the exterior of the lamina bone of the adjacent vertebra. The exterior lamina bone is prepared by roughening to present a bleeding surface to hasten bone growth.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.