Method and Device for Restoring Spinal Disk Functions

3. Example 1

Acute Disc Gel Augmentation

[0041]FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of the present invention in which the disc 203 is accessed through the lower adjacent vertebra 201.

[0042]FIG. 2a. illustrates the step in which the instrument has been pushed—e.g. by hand force—through the patient's skin 204 and underlying soft tissue 202 onto the bone surface of the pedicle 205. The instrument comprises a stiff and straight outer tube 207, or anchor tube, and an inner obdurator 208 beveled to build a sharp front edge 206, which allows the instrument to penetrate through the skin 204 and tissue 202.

[0043]FIG. 2b illustrates the next step. After the obdurator 208 was proximally removed, a drill rod 209 with drill 210 at its distal end was inserted in the inner lumen of straight outer guiding tube 207 to drill a straight path through the pedicle 205 into the vertebra body 201.

[0044]FIG. 2c illustrates the step in which all drilling parts have been pulled back and removed and a straight guid...

4. Example 2

Chronic Disc Gel Augmentation

[0056]One embodiment of the invention is a responsive disc augmentation system, which measures the pressure in the spinal disc and releases disc augmenting substance into the disc when the pressure drops under a critical value. The system can be set for autonomous or manual augmentation release. The pressure is typically measured when the patient is prone or supine, for instance at night.

[0057]FIG. 4 illustrates the schematic principle of the fully implantable system. The implantable can or canister 404 contains the control unit 405, radio frequency communication unit 406, pump unit 407 for the augmenting substance, augmenting substance reservoir 408 with refill subunit 409, and power unit 410. Implantable tubing connects at least one of the inner lumen of the spinal discs 401 with the pump unit 407. The discs 401 can be reached by direct puncture through the annulus fibrosus of each disc or via the endplates of the adjacent vertebrae 402. A ...

5. Example 3

Disc Augmentation Utilizing A Balloon

[0071]FIG. 6 illustrates one example of the present invention in which the device takes a path through the pedicle 602 into the corpus vertebrae 606 to reach the superior disc 605. Similar the inferior disc 604 could be reached by turning the instrument 180 degree around its axis. The device of this example comprises an elastic tube 611, a less elastic or stiff outer tube 612, a less elastic or stiff inner tube 613, a drill head 614, and a torque wire 615. The drill 614 can be of any drilling geometry, mechanism or working principle or be a swivel. Not shown in the figure is a suction mechanism drawing the bone shavings out to the proximal side of the device. Further, there can be a rinsing mechanism rinsing the tube from the bone shavings.

[0072]FIG. 6a. illustrates the step in which the instrument has been pushed by hand force through the patient's skin 607 and soft tissue 609. The outermost less elastic tube 612 comprises a thread 6...