Patent ID: 7306611

Claim:
A device for delivering small spheres of a biomaterial into a determined portion of a bone, said device comprising: a cylindrical hollow body for containing the spheres to be delivered, and having a proximal end for filling the spheres into the body, and an open distal end provided internally with snap-fastening means through which the spheres are delivered, the cylindrical hollow body having an inner diameter D 1 which is substantially constant from the distal end towards the proximal end, and which forms a closed wall between the distal end and the proximal end; a shutter-forming guide rod having a proximal end, a distal end, and a main portion that is cylindrical with an outer diameter D 2 and presenting, close to the distal end thereof, an enlarged cylindrical portion integral with the main portion and having a diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter D 1 of the cylindrical hollow body, the enlarged cylindrical portion being constructed and arranged for releasable engagement with said snap-fastening means of the hollow body to secure said rod in said hollow body, said shutter-forming guide rod being movable between a first position in which the enlarged cylindrical portion is engaged with said snap fastening means, closing thereby the distal end of the hollow body and forming within the hollow body a space for containing the small spheres of biomaterial to be delivered, and a second position in which the enlarged cylindrical portion extends beyond the open distal end of the cylindrical hollow body to open the distal end of the cylindrical hollow body to permit delivery of the spheres; and a piston comprising a proximal end, a distal end, and a cylindrical portion presenting an outer diameter D 3 and an axial bore of substantially constant diameter D 4 , the outer diameter D 3 being slightly less than the inner diameter D 1 of the body, and the diameter D 4 being slightly greater than the outer diameter D 2 of the guide rod, enabling the piston to slide in an annular space defined between the guide rod and the body, wherein upon release of the engagement of the enlarged cylindrical portion with the snap-fastening means of the hollow body, said rod is slidable within the axial bore of said piston, the guide rod being greater in length than the hollow body or the piston.