Patent ID: 8777951

Claim:
A self-contained tissue prosthesis delivery device, comprising: an elongate-tubular introducer element, the element including: a tissue separating portion at a distal end, thereof to facilitate the formation of a tissue prosthesis to replace the nucleus of an intervertebral disc without cutting the collagen fibres of an annulus fibrous forming part of the intervertebral disc; a tissue removal portion partially disposed at a proximal end thereof and a distal end thereof, said tissue removal portion including a nucleotomy wire mounted in Longitudinal alignment with the elongate tubular introducer element, said wire being extendible radially outwardly in a bowed configuration from a longitudinally extending opening forming part of said tubular introducer element; a closure member defined by an axially rotatable sleeve member for closing said opening as the introducer element is inserted and introduced within the nucleus of the intervertebral disc and for opening the opening when said tissue removal portion of the introducer element is positioned within the nucleus of the intervertebral disc; an expansible prosthesis envelope received in a collapsed configuration within the tubular introducer element to be deployed laterally of the introducer element through the opening as it is expanded while being charged with a filler material; a coupling member disposed at a distal end of said tubular member for coupling a closed fluid path between the expansible prosthesis envelope and a source of compressible fluid during the nucleotomy and a source of non-compressible fluid during the formation of the tissue prosthesis; wherein said coupling member includes a generally cylindrically shaped boss member having a centrally disposed threaded aperture in fluid communication with the closed fluid path; and a control member includes a threaded shank dimensioned to be threadably received within said threaded aperture of said coupling member for causing the nucleotomy wire to be in a retracted configuration when said control member is in an extended position relative to said boss and for causing the nucleotomy wire to be deployed in a bowed configuration when said control member is moved into an abutting position relative to said boss.