Patent ID: 7727241

Claim:
A device for delivering and positioning an implant within an intervertebral disc comprising: a cannula having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said distal end comprises one or more expanders operable to actively expand an implant positioned beyond the innermost lamella of a disc anulus; wherein the implant comprises a device selected from the group consisting of one or more of the following: a barrier, mesh, or patch; and an advancer having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said advancer is at least partially slideably housed within said cannula for advancing said implant out of said cannula wherein the distal end of said advancer comprises a coupling mechanism, wherein at least a portion of said coupling mechanism is coupled to the advancer and wherein at least a portion of said coupling mechanism is coupled to the implant, wherein the implant is provided in a folded configuration; wherein the implant expands to a first partially expanded configuration upon extrusion through the cannula, wherein said implant remains in its first partially expanded configuration until it is forced open to a second frilly expanded configuration; and wherein said one or more expanders applies an active force on the implant to cause said implant to unfold from its first partially expanded configuration into said second fully expanded configuration.