Patent ID: 9592062
Date: 2017-03-14
CPC Classifications: A61B,A61F,A61L

Claim:
1. A device for at least partially preventing intervertebral disc material from exiting a defect in an anulus fibrosus of an intervertebral disc disposed between a first vertebra and a second vertebra, the device comprising: a flexible element having a distal end, a proximal end and a connecting portion extending between the distal end and the proximal end; and an anchor for fixedly attaching the proximal end of the flexible element to the first vertebra; wherein the flexible element is sized and configured so as to be positionable within the nucleus of the intervertebral disc so that the distal end of the flexible element flexingly engages, but is not fixedly attached to, the second vertebra adjacent the intervertebral disc; and wherein the proximal end of the flexible element is engaged with the anchor and is configured to engage only the first vertebra adjacent the intervertebral disc, and the connecting portion is configured to extend from the first vertebra through the nucleus to the second vertebra so as to at least partially prevent intervertebral disc material from exiting the defect in the anulus fibrosus of the intervertebral disc.