Patent ID: 7824431
Filing Date: 2010-11-02
Classification: A61B,A61F

Abstract:
1. A method for increasing foraminal height between first and second adjacent vertebrae of a patient under conscious sedation, the adjacent vertebrae having a facet joint comprising opposing articulating surfaces of adjacent vertebrae and a joint capsule that extends beyond the margin of the articulating surfaces, the opposing articulating surfaces having a shape and a relative orientation defining a geometry of a patient anatomy, the method comprising: determining the geometry of the patient anatomy; selecting an implant from a plurality of inflatable implants, each implant comprised of an inelastic material, wherein a geometry of the selected implant corresponds to the geometry of the patient anatomy and an intended reversal of narrowing of a nerve root canal of the patient; creating an access hole through the joint capsule with an introducer needle; injecting dye through the introducer needle; fluoroscopically confirming that the introducer needle is positioned in the facet joint; inserting the selected implant through the needle and into the facet joint with a catheter, the selected implant being in a collapsed configuration and being connected to a distal end of the catheter; positioning the selected implant such that the geometry of the selected implant corresponds to the geometry of the patient anatomy; inflating the selected implant within the facet joint by advancing a bio-inert hydrogel through the catheter and into the selected implant with a catheter inflation syringe, the hydrogel including a contrast dye; monitoring the inflating via a monitor positioned on the syringe; fluoroscopically monitoring the inflating via the contrast dye in the hydrogel; obtaining intra-operative patient feedback regarding symptom improvement; iteratively adiustinq the inflating of the selected implant according to patient feedback.