Filing Information

Inventor(s)	Anthony C. Ross · Peter A. Guagliano ·
Assignee(s)	None listed in document.  View assignee updates
Attorney/Agent(s)	Browning Bushman P.C. ·
Primary Examiner	Jeffrey A. Smith ·
Assistant Examiner	Michael B. Priddy ·
Application Number	US9569807
Filing date	05/12/2000
Issue date	08/20/2002
Predicted expiration date	02/22/2019
U.S. Classifications	623/171.6  · 604/38  · 606/99  · 606/94  ·
International Classifications	--
Kind Code	B1
International Classifications	606 92- 94 · 623 1611 · 623 1716 · 623 8 · 623 66 · 606 61 · 606 86 · 606 99 · 604 38 · 604 9503 ·
Related U.S. Application Data	CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This is a continuation-in-part of pending application Ser. No. 09/456,375 filed Dec. 8, 1999; which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/274,217 filed Mar. 23, 1999; which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/255,372 filed Feb. 22, 1999.

Patent Family

Abstract

The method and apparatus as shown in FIGS. 8-10 in which a fluid expandable member (208) is positioned in concentric relation about a needle (202). The fluid expandable member (208) is expanded into the nucleus pulposus potential space bordered by the annulus fibrosus of an intervertebral disk. Then, thermoplastic material in a flowing state is injected by a needle (202) within the annulus fibrosus to collapse the fluid expandable member (208) and occupy the space formerly occupied by the fluid expandable member (208).

Independent Claims | See all claims (18)

1. 1. A method for treating an intervertebral disk of the spine, comprising: selecting an intervertebral disk of the spine; providing an injection device having an expandable member about an injection needle for a thermoplastic material; injecting said expandable member and said needle into the annulus fibrosus of said selected disk; expanding said expandable member into the annulus fibrosus of said selected disk; and then injecting a thermoplastic material from said needle into said annulus fibrosus of said selected disk to occupy the space defined by said expandable member.
2. 4. An injection device fortreating an intervertebral disk of the spine of a patient, comprising: a hollow needle for the injection of a thermoplastic material into the annulus fibrosus of a disk from the projecting end of the needle; an expandable member about said hollow needle for expanding into the annulus fibrosus of the disk prior to injection of the thermoplastic material in the annulus fibrosus; and a heater for heating said thermoplastic material to effect flowing thereof prior to injection into the annulus fibrosus.
3. 5. An injection system for treating an intervertebral disk of a spines comprising: an injection device including a hollow needle for injecting a thermoplastic material within the annulus fibrosus of a disk, and an expandable member about said hollow needle to form an annulus between said needle and said expandable member; a fluid pressure device to provide pressurized fluid in said annulus for expanding said expandable member into said annulus fibrosus; a heating device for heating the thermoplastic material; and a force applying device for forcing said thermoplastic material from said needle in a flowing state.
4. 9. An injection gun for injecting a thermoplastic material between a joint of a patient, comprising: a chamber for receiving said thermoplastic material in a non-flowing state; a heater adjacent said chamber for heating said thermoplastic material to a flowing state; a hollow injection needle operatively connected to said heater to receive the flowing thermoplastic material from said heater for injection between the joint of the patient; and a hydraulic force applying assembly to apply hydraulic force against said thermoplastic material to force the thermoplastic material when heated to a flowing state from said needle.