Patent ID: 7883542

Claim:
A method of inserting an implant in a damaged intervertebral disc positioned between, contacting, and separating a pair of vertebrae in a spine having a longitudinal axis, the damaged disc including an annulus having a height (H) and a width (W) and a nucleus comprising nuclear material within the annulus, the nucleus at least partially herniated and extending outwardly through a rupture in the annulus, said disc having tissue with physical properties including an initial color, an initial contrast, an initial hardness, an initial elasticity, an initial texture, and an initial shape, said method comprising the steps of (a) providing a device shaped and dimensioned when inserted in the nucleus of the damaged disc to (i) contact each of the vertebrae, (ii) separate the vertebrae along the longitudinal axis of the spine, said device including at least one unitary rigid body having (iii) an outer surface having an area, and (iv) a plurality of tissue interlocking apertures each opening at said outer surface, diverging inwardly away from said outer surface and extending at least partially through said body, and beginning at said outer surface to diverge inwardly; (b) detecting a change in at least one of said physical properties; and, (c) inserting said device in the nucleus of the damaged disc while spreading the vertebrae apart (i) contact each of the vertebrae such that said outer surface contacts and presses against at least one of a pair comprising said disc and said vertebrae, (ii) increase the height of the damaged disc, (iii) decrease perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the spine the width of the damaged disc, and (iv) force at least a portion of at least one of a pair comprising said disc and said vertebrae into said tissue interlocking apertures, and (v) generate negative pressure within the annulus of the damaged disc sufficient to draw herniated nuclear material from the rupture back into the damaged disc.