Other

Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.

Ouroboros Medical, Inc.

Jerome Segal

Matthew Thomas Yurek

Neal Scott

Hansen A Yuan

Anthony Yeung

Terry L Burkoth

Kabir Gambhir

Kurt Vedder

Lih-Bin Shih

Robert Kenneth Huffman

The present invention relates to a device and method which may be used to reinforce the native annulus during spinal surgery. The device is a catheter based device which is placed into the inter-vertebral space following discectomy performed by either traditional surgical or endoscopic approaches. The distal end of the catheter is comprised of an expansile loop which may be increased in diameter by advancement of a portion of the catheter via its proximal end, such proximal end remaining external to the body. The expansile loop may be formed of a woven or braided material and may be made of a polymer such as nylon, polyurethane, polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene or any of the well known and biocompatible polymers. Alternatively the expansile portion of the catheter may be formed from a metallic braid of stainless steel, elgiloy, Nitinol, or other biocompatible metals. The expansile loop may be formed such that when the loop is diametrically contracted the loop feeds into its other end, similar to a snake eating its own tail. Stabilization of the outer portion of the loop and pulling out the inner portion will thereby increase the overall diameter of the loop while maintaining it as a closed loop or torus. The present invention comprises four embodiments and can be used to 1) facilitate disk fusing, 2) perform an artificial replacement of the nucleus, 3) perform an artificial replacement of the annulus, or 4, perform an artificial replacement of both the nucleus and annulus.

Mechanical apparatus and method for artificial disc replacement

The present invention relates to a device and method to perform 1) disk fusing, 2) an artificial replacement of the nucleus, 3) artificial replacement of the annulus, or 4), an artificial replacement of both the nucleus and annulus. The device is designed to be placed into the inter-vertebral space following discectomy. The invention includes a delivery catheter and an expandable continuous mesh that has a torus configuration with a lumen within the mesh and a center hole. The mesh can be diametrically expanded in diameter into the disc space whereby various materials can be injected into the lumen and/or the center hole.

Mechanical apparatus and method for delivering materials into the inter-vertebral body space for nucleus replacement

The present invention relates to a device and method which may be used to reinforce the native annulus during spinal surgery. The device is a catheter based device which is placed into the inter-vertebral space following discectomy performed by either traditional surgical or endoscopic approaches. The distal end of the catheter is comprised of an expansile loop which may be increased in diameter by advancement of a portion of the catheter via its proximal end, such proximal end remaining external to the body. The expansile loop may be formed such that when the loop is diametrically contracted the loop feeds into its other end, similar to a snake eating its own tail. Stabilization of the outer portion of the loop and pulling out the inner portion will thereby increase the overall diameter of the loop while maintaining it as a closed loop or torus. The expansile loop then uses an attachment means to secure it to substantially healthy tissues of the annulus, nucleus, or endplates. The present invention comprises four embodiments and can be used to 1) facilitate disk fusing, 2) perform an artificial replacement of the nucleus, 3) perform an artificial replacement of the annulus, or 4, perform an artificial replacement of both the nucleus and annulus.

The present invention relates to a device and method to 1) facilitate disk fusing, 2) perform an artificial replacement of the nucleus, 3) perform an artificial replacement of the annulus, or 4, perform an artificial replacement of both the nucleus and annulus. The device is designed to be placed into the inter-vertebral space following diskectomy. The invention includes a delivery catheter and an expandable continuous mesh loop that has a torus configuration with a lumen within the mesh loop and a center hole. The mesh loop can be diametrically increased or contracted in diameter by the control element acting on the mesh loop. The mesh loop may be formed of a woven or braided material from a polymer such as PEEK (polyetheretherketone), nylon, polyurethane, polyester polyethylene, polypropylene or any other biocompatible polymers, or formed from a metallic braid of stainless steel, elgiloy, Nitinol, or any other biocompatible metals.

An apparatus for delivering a medicament, such as a liposome or micelle-encapsulated therapeutic agent or medicament, to an obstruction within a vascular segment or a body passageway. The apparatus may include a substantially cylindrically shaped expansion member. A distance between the proximal and distal ends of the expansion member may be altered to transform the expansion member between a diametrically contracted configuration to a diametrically expanded configuration. The liposome or micelle-encapsulated therapeutic agent or medicament can be coated on the expansion member and/or incorporated into a substrate coated on the expansion member.

Mechanical apparatus and method for dilating and delivering a therapeutic agent to a site of treatment

The present invention relates to a catheter with an expandable distal end for delivering one or more medicaments. The catheter is manufactured with materials of construction that allow the transfer of electrical energy from the proximal end of the catheter to the distal expandable end. The catheter also has a means for controlling or manipulating the expandable distal end to expand and contract into various configurations. The distal end of the catheter is processed by a specific method of manufacturing whereby the expandable distal end is coated with one or more layers of a hydrogel copolymer wherein at least one layer of which coating encapsulates one or more medicaments and zero or more charged carriers to facilitate the electrophoretic and electro-osmostic mobilities of the medicaments.

Polymer coated device for electrically medicated drug delivery

A mechanical dilatation and medicament delivery device for enlarging a flow passage of a vessel by dilating and delivering a therapeutic agent or medicament to an obstruction in the vessel. The present invention comprises a substantially cylindrically shaped expansion member and includes a means engaged to the expansion member for altering the distance between the proximal end and the distal end of the expansion member thereby transforming the expansion member between a diametrically contracted configuration to diametrically expanded configuration. A therapeutic agent or medicament is coated on either the expansion member, or incorporated into a substrate coated on the expansion member. The present method comprises the steps of advancing the coated expansion member to the obstruction in a vessel and applying opposed forces on said expansion member in an axial direction to move the expansion member to an expanded configuration wherein the expansion member dilates the obstruction and the expansion member either passively or actively delivers a therapeutic agent or medicament to the obstruction.

The present method comprises the steps of advancing the coated expansion member to the obstruction in a vessel and applying opposed forces on said expansion member in an axial direction to move the expansion member to an expanded configuration wherein the expansion member dilates the obstruction and the expansion member either passively or actively delivers a therapeutic agent or medicament to the obstruction.

A mechanical dilatation and medicament delivery device for enlarging a flow passage of a vessel by dilating and delivering a liposome or micelle-encapsulated therapeutic agent or medicament to an obstruction in the vessel. The present invention comprises a substantially cylindrically shaped expansion member and includes a means engaged to the expansion member for altering the distance between the proximal end and the distal end of the expansion member thereby transforming the expansion member between a diametrically contracted configuration to diametrically expanded configuration. A liposome or micelle-encapsulated therapeutic agent or medicament is coated on either the expansion member, or incorporated into a substrate coated on the expansion member.

A mechanical dilatation and irradiation device for enlarging a flow passage of a vessel by dilating and irradiating an obstruction in the vessel. The present invention comprises a substantially cylindrically shaped expansion member and includes a means engaged to the expansion member for altering the distance between the proximal end and the distal end of the expansion member thereby transforming the expansion member between a diametrically contracted configuration to diametrically expanded configuration. A radioisotope is place either inside the expansion member, alloyed into the metal from which the expansion member is constructed, coated onto the expansion member's exterior surface or alternately, the non-radioactive metal or alloy of the expansion member can be irradiated so that it has become radioactive, i.e. it is then a radioisotope. The present method comprises the steps of advancing the radioactive expansion member or radioactive catheter to the obstruction in a vessel and applying opposed forces on said expansion member in an axial direction to move the expansion member to an expanded configuration wherein the expansion member dilates the obstruction and the catheter/expansion member assembly irradiates the obstruction.

Mechanical apparatus and method for dilating and irradiating a site of

A mechanical prosthesis deployment device for enlarging a flow passage of a vessel by delivering and deploying an expandable stent or prosthesis within an obstruction in the vessel. The prosthesis deployment device comprises a cylindrically shaped expansion member adapted to be disposed within the expandable prosthesis and includes a means engaged to the expansion member for altering the distance between the proximal end and the distal end of the expansion member thereby transforming the expansion member between a diametrically contracted configuration and a diametrically expanded configuration. The present method comprises the steps of advancing the expansion member to the obstruction in a vessel and applying opposed forces on said expansion member in an axial direction to move the expansion member to an expanded configuration wherein the expansion member exerts radial force on said prosthesis and said prosthesis is expanded and implanted into the vessel. Another method comprises the steps of advancing the expansion member to the obstruction in a vessel and applying opposed forces on said expansion member in an axial direction to move the expansion member to an expanded configuration wherein the expansion member exerts radial force on a previously deployed prosthesis and said prosthesis is further expanded and implanted into the vessel.

Mechanical apparatus and method for deployment of expandable prosthesis

A vascular dilatation device for enlarging a flow passage in an obstruction in a vessel carrying flowing blood. A flexible cylindrical dilatation member having first and second ends is placed in the flow passage in the obstruction. An intermediate portion lies between the first and second ends. The flexible cylindrical dilatation member also has an interior flow passage with a diameter and a longitudinally extending central axis extending therethrough. The diameter of the flow passage is variable with movement of the first and second ends relative to each other along the longitudinally extending central axis from a contracted to an expanded condition. A control mechanism causes relative axial movement between the first and second ends towards each other from an extended position to a contracted position. The control mechanism includes an inner flexible elongate tubular member between the first and second ends of the flexible cylindrical dilatation member. The inner flexible elongate tubular member is sufficiently rigid and causes elongation of the cylindrical dilatation member to decrease its diameter and to advance the cylindrical dilatation member through the obstruction in the vessel while preventing axial contraction of the cylindrical dilatation member.

Vascular dilatation device and method

A vascular dilatation device for enlarging a flow passage in an obstruction in a vessel carrying flowing blood. A flexible cylindrical dilatation member is provided for placement in the obstruction and has first and second ends and an intermediate portion between the first and second ends with an interior flow passage extending therethrough having a diameter and a longitudinally extending central axis. The diameter of the flow passage is variable with movement of the first and second ends relative to each other along the longitudinally extending central axis from a contracted position to an expanded condition. The flexible cylindrical dilatation member is comprised of a plurality of flexible elongate elements each of which extends helically about the longitudinally extending central axis. First and second collars respectively engage the first and second ends of the flexible cylindrical dilatation member to retain the first and second ends in contracted positions. A mechanism is provided for causing relative axial movement of the first and second ends towards each other to cause an intermediate portion of the flexible cylindrical dilatation member to expand to form a rigid cylinder and thereby enlarge the obstruction spaces between the flexible elongate elements at the first and second ends so that blood in the vessel can continue to flow through said first and second ends and through the interior flow passage.

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Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Jerome Segal