Method of treating intervertebral discs by inserting a diffuser directly into the annulus
US6562028B2 · kind B2 · utility
20Cited by
6References
18Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 11, 2001 |
| Grant date | May 13, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 11, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B2018/2261
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method of controllably heating the annulus of an intervertebral disc is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of forming an access channel through the annulus of an intervertebral disc while avoiding the nucleus of the intervertebral disc, inserting a light-emitting diffuser into the annulus, and activating the light-emitting diffuser to emit diffuse light while maintaining the light-emitting diffuser within the access channel to raise the temperature of the annulus to a value sufficient to cause a change in the characteristics of the annulus.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.