Spinal Stabilization Technologies, LLC

James Douglas Lutz

Nadi Salah Hibri

Mark A Novotny

W Loren Francis

A multi-chamber balloon for a nuclear implant has an elastomeric membrane defining inner and outer chambers integral with a valve body. The valve body includes a core portion and sealing membrane for sealing the inner and outer chambers. An assembly for manufacturing the multi-chamber balloon includes a balloon mandrel which may be dip coated in a silicone dispersion to create an elastomeric membrane for the inner and outer chambers integral with the valve body. The elastomeric membrane formed on the mandrel is partially inverted to form a coaxial elastomeric structure with the smaller inner chamber disposed within the larger outer chamber. The valve is incorporated into the inner and outer chambers to form a unitary structure.

Percutaneous implantable nuclear prosthesis

A nuclear disc implant includes an inner fillable enclosure and an outer fillable enclosure. After insertion into a enucleated disc cavity, the inner enclosure is filled with a fluid and the outer fillable enclosure is filled with a curable material. The curable material is allowed to cure and the fluid is removed from the inner enclosure to leave an inner enclosure surrounded by an cured outer enclosure. A reinforcing band may be provided around the nuclear disc implant. An inflation tool to fill the nuclear disc implant is provided.

Implantable nuclear prosthesis

This specification describes technologies relating to an intervertebral disc prosthesis used to strengthen and stabilize the spine. Implementations of the technology described herein comprise a surgical device that is implanted through a small surgical incision into a portion of a human intervertebral disc, various support tools used to insert such a surgical device, and a method by which the device is used to strengthen and stabilize the spine.

Prosthetic spinal disk nucleus

An inter-vertebral disc prosthesis intended for percutaneous deployment comprises an expandable annular enclosure and an expandable nuclear enclosure. The expandable annular enclosure incorporates a reinforcing annular band along its periphery and is filled with in-situ curable rubber. The expandable nuclear enclosure is filled with a gas. The nuclear prosthesis further incorporates a novel, integrally molded sealing valve assembly and is stretchable and collapsible into a minimal profile for ease of insertion into a specially designed delivery cannula, and is inflation-assisted expandable into an inter-vertebral disc in which complete percutaneous nuclectomy has been performed.

An exemplary nucleus removal device may be used to remove a portion of nucleus pulposus from an intervertebral disc. A nucleus removal device may include a cannula, an access tool, a maceration tool, and an evacuation tool. The access cannula is inserted into an intervertebral body laterally, creating a fissure in the annular fibrosis. The access toolis slid through the access cannula and the fissure in annular fibrosis, such that a portion of access tool extends into the nucleus pulposus. The maceration tool is extended from the access tool into the nucleus pulposus, in a direction orthogonal to the axial extension of access tool, and macerates the nucleus pulposus. To assist in maceration, a stream of liquid may also be introduced into the vertebral body through the access tool before, during, or after maceration. Macerated material and liquid is removed from the intervertebral disc by the evacuation tool.

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San Antonio, TX, United States of America

James Douglas Lutz