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Publication Number
US-9895519-B2
Publication Date
2018-02-20
Expiration Date
Abstract
Apparatus and methods are described, including apparatus for treating a cavity in a human body, the apparatus including a delivery tube. A bather device has a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration, the barrier device moving from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration upon being deployed from the delivery tube. A pushing element, slidably disposed within a lumen of the delivery tube, is configured to deploy the barrier device from the delivery tube by pushing the bather device. One or more bather-deployment elements are coupled to the barrier device and to the pushing element, the bather-deployment elements being configured to conformingly contact the barrier device with tissue surrounding the cavity. Other applications are also described.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a method for treating a cavity in a human body using a barrier device having a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration. The method deploys the barrier device from a delivery tube using a pushing element slidably disposed within a lumen of the delivery tube so the barrier device moves from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration upon being deployed. After deployment, the barrier device conformingly contacts tissue surrounding the cavity.
The barrier device is used with barrier-deployment elements coupled at respective distal ends to the barrier device and to the pushing element, so the deployed barrier device forms a conforming contact with surrounding tissue. In the described examples, the cavity includes at least one defect selected from chondral defect and osteochondral defect, or alternatively includes a defect in bone tissue, or includes a defect in periodontal tissue.
A mechanical deployment refinement includes barrier-deployment elements where a first barrier-deployment element includes a spring. The spring has a first spring-arm pivotably coupled to the pushing element at a proximal end of the first spring-arm, and a second spring-arm pivotably coupled to the pushing element at a proximal end of the second spring-arm, with the proximal end of the second spring-arm more longitudinally moveable with respect to the pushing element than the proximal end of the first spring-arm.
Claims Coverage
The document provides three independent method claims. Across them, the core claim set covers deploying and expanding a barrier device from a delivery tube using a slidably disposed pushing element, conformingly contacting surrounding tissue, and using a plurality of barrier-deployment elements coupled between the barrier device and the pushing element, with the spring-arm relative motion specified for at least one deployment element.
Barrier deployment from delivery tube with slidably disposed pushing element
Deploying the barrier device from a delivery tube using a pushing element slidably disposed within a lumen of the delivery tube, the barrier device moving from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration upon being deployed.
Conformingly contacting surrounding tissue with coupled barrier-deployment elements
Conformingly contacting the barrier device with tissue surrounding the cavity, using a plurality of barrier-deployment elements coupled at respective distal ends thereof to the barrier device and to the pushing element.
Spring with first and second spring-arms having unequal longitudinal mobility
A first barrier-deployment element includes a spring with a first spring-arm pivotably coupled to the pushing element at a proximal end of the first spring-arm and a second spring-arm pivotably coupled to the pushing element at a proximal end of the second spring-arm, where the proximal end of the second spring-arm is more longitudinally moveable with respect to the pushing element than is the proximal end of the first spring-arm.
Cavity including chondral or osteochondral defect
The cavity including at least one defect selected from the group consisting of a chondral defect and an osteochondral defect.
Cavity including defect in bone tissue
The cavity including a defect in bone tissue.
Cavity including defect in periodontal tissue
The cavity including a defect in periodontal tissue.
Claim coverage is centered on a collapsible-to-expanded barrier device deployed from a delivery tube via a slidably disposed pushing element and conformingly contacting tissue using coupled barrier-deployment elements. The deployment mechanism further specifies a spring having first and second pivotably coupled spring-arms with the second spring-arm proximal end more longitudinally moveable than the first. The claims apply this barrier deployment framework to cavities characterized by chondral/osteochondral defects, bone tissue defects, or periodontal tissue defects.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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