Patent ID: 9259326
Filing Date: 2016-02-16
CPC Classification: A61B,A61F

Claim Text:
1. A method for supporting and/or distracting tissue layers comprising: advancing a one-piece elongated distraction device to a location between tissue layers, the distraction device initially being in a generally straight configuration; forming the distraction device as it advances between the tissue layers from the generally straight configuration into a generally helical configuration comprising a plurality of coils around an axis intersecting the tissue layers, the helical configuration including a distal coil at one end for contacting one tissue layer and a proximal coil at the other end for contacting another tissue layer, the distraction device having sufficient axial extent between the distal and proximal coils to contact and support the tissue layers in a space-apart position and/or to distract the tissue layers, and stabilizing the distraction device between the tissue layers to limit relative movement of adjacent coils in a direction transverse to the axis.