Minimally invasive apparatus to manipulate and revitalize spinal column disc

摘要

A method and apparatus are provided to manipulate and revitalize a spinal column disc while minimizing or preventing the removal of material comprising the disc. The method allows a device to be inserted in the disc either through a pre-existing rupture or through an opening formed in the front, back, or sides of the disc. Increasing the space between the vertebra bounding the disc or removing disc material often is not necessary to insert the device in the disc. The device generates internal traction or other forces acting on the disc to alter the shape of the disc. The shape of the disc is altered to relieve pressure on nerves adjacent the disc. The shape of the disc is also altered to draw nuclear hernias back into the interior of the disc and to produce a disc shape that improves functioning of the disc.

主权项

1. A method of inserting an implant into a joint comprising the steps of;
providing an optical guide unit that is configured as an optical guide wire and including a hollow elongate shaft with proximal and distal ends and lumen optical fiber within a lumen of the hollow elongate shaft and extending from the proximal and distal ends, the optical guide unit having a proximal end of the lumen optical fiber optically couplable to a light source and a visualization device; locating the joint by:
selecting a joint,inserting a needle into the joint,inserting said distal end of the optical guide unit into the joint with the needle,removing the needle from the joint so as to retain the distal end of the optical guide unit within the joint,illuminating the joint with light emitting from the distal end of the lumen optical fiber, andvisualizing said joint that is illuminated with light from the distal end of said optical guide unit by viewing the joint through the visualization device on the proximal end; providing a perforated implant having an implant perforation; inserting said optical guide unit at least partially within said implant perforation, and; advancing said implant along said optical guide unit into the joint.