Patent ID: 7879099

Claim:
A method to position a pair of opposing vertebra to improve the functioning of a damaged intervertebral disc positioned between, contacting, and separating the vertebra in a spine having a longitudinal axis, the damaged disc including an annulus having an inner surface ( 73 A), 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 method comprising the steps of (a) providing a guide unit; (b) providing a non-inflatable implant comprised of at least a first substantially rigid component (i) having a fixed shape and dimension (ii) including at least one tapered end to separate tissue, an upper surface and a lower surface, and a height intermediate said upper and lower surfaces, and (iii) shaped and dimensioned to move along said guide unit, contact each of the vertebrae, separate the vertebrae along the longitudinal axis of the spine, contact the inner surface ( 73 A) to prevent the annulus from retracting to a selected width (W) when the vertebrae are separated to increase the height (H) of the disc, when said first substantially rigid component is inserted between the vertebra, separate the vertebrae along the longitudinal axis of the spine and generate forces that increase disproportionately the height (H) of the damaged disc with respect to the width (W) of the disc, the increase in the height of the disc during separation of the vertebrae by said device increasing disc volume and reducing the pressure within the annulus of the damaged disc; (c) moving said implant along said guide unit to insert said first substantially rigid component in the nucleus of the damaged disc intermediate said opposing vertebra while spreading the vertebrae apart (i) contact each of the vertebrae with a different one of said upper surface and said lower surface, (ii) contact the inner surface ( 73 A) and prevent the annulus from retracting to a selected width (W) when the vertebrae are separated, (iii) increase the height (H) of the damaged disc, and (iv) increase disc volume and reduce the pressure within the annulus of the damaged disc.