摘要:
The present invention provides an implant for use in fusing adjacent bony structures. The implant comprises at least one structural member combined with at least one flexible planar member to retain the at least one structural member to form the implant.
摘要:
An interbody fusion device in one embodiment includes a tapered body defining a hollow interior or chamber for receiving bone graft or bone substitute material. The body defines exterior threads which are interrupted over portions of the outer surface of the device. The fusion device includes truncated side walls so that on end view the body takes on a cylindrical form. In another embodiment, the tapered body is solid and formed of a porous biocompatible material having sufficient structural integrity to maintain the intradiscal space and normal curvature. The material is preferably a porous tantalum composite having fully interconnected pores to facilitate complete bone tissue ingrowth into the implant. In further embodiments, the fusion devices are provided with osteogenic material to facilitate bone ingrowth. A cap is also provided to block the opening of hollow fusion devices. The cap includes an occlusion body and an elongated anchor. In some embodiments the anchor includes a lip which is engageable to openings in the body wall. Tools are also provided for manipulating caps for interbody fusion devices. In one embodiment the tool includes a pair of prongs each having facing engagement surfaces for engaging the fusion device, and a shaft slidably disposed between the prongs. The shaft has a first end defining a cap-engaging tip for engaging a tool hole in the cap. In one embodiment the cap engaging tip defines threads. In another embodiment the prongs include a pair of releasing members on each of the facing engagement surfaces. The releasing members have a height and a width for being insertable into apertures in a body wall in the fusion device to disengage the elongate anchors from the apertures.
摘要:
Spinal spacers 20 are provided for fusion of a motion segment. The spacers include a load bearing member 21 having a wall 22 sized for engagement within a space between adjacent vertebrae to maintain the space and an effective amount of an osteogenic composition to stimulate osteoinduction. The osteogenic composition includes a substantially pure osteogenic factor in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. In one embodiment the load bearing member includes a bone graft impregnated in an osteogenic composition. In another embodiment, the osteogenic composition 30 is packed within a chamber 25 defined in the graft. Any suitable configuration of a bone graft is contemplated, including bone dowels, D-shaped spacers and cortical rings.
摘要:
Effective treatments of acute pain for extended periods of time are provided. Through the administration of an effective amount of dexamethasone at or near a target site, one can relieve pain cause by diverse sources, including but not limited to spinal disc herniation (i.e. sciatica), spondilothesis, stenosis, discongenic back pain and joint pain as well as pain that is incidental to surgery. When appropriate formulations are provided within biodegradable polymers, this relief can be continued for at least twenty-five days. In some embodiments, the relief can be for at least fifty days, at least one hundred days, at least one hundred and thirty-five days or at least one hundred and eighty days.
摘要:
Methods of expressing LIM mineralization protein in non-osseous mammalian cells, such as stem cells or intervertebral disc cells (e.g., cells of the annulus fibrosus, or cells of the nucleus pulposus) are described. The methods involve transfecting the cells with an isolated nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a LIM mineralization protein operably linked to a promoter. Transfection may be accomplished ex vivo or in vivo by direct injection of virus or naked DNA, or by a nonviral vector such as a plasmid. Expression of the LIM mineralization protein can stimulate proteoglycan and/or collagen production in cells capable of producing proteoglycyan and/or collagen. Methods for treating disc disease associated with trauma or disc degeneration are also described.
摘要:
The present invention relates to the design and composition of a depot implant for optimal delivery of growth factors to treat osteoporotic bone, in that such depot implant is constructed to be in a cylinder (rod) or sphere shape and have a natural or synthetic polymer scaffold with or without impregnated calcium phosphate particles. The density of the depot is higher than a typical BMP sponge carrier to facilitate it's implantation and slower release of the growth factor. The scaffold is such that it has adequate porosity and pore size to facilitate growth factor seeding and diffusion throughout the whole of the bone structure resulting in increased bone mineral density in the osteoporotic bone. In addition, the shape of the depot implant allows for delivery through a cannula or large bore needle.
摘要:
Described is a medically useful article comprising a three-dimensional body including one or more implantable substances, wherein the body defines one or more reservoirs for receiving amounts of a biocompatible wetting liquid. In certain embodiments the body is disruptable upon wetting with the biocompatible liquid to form a conformable implantable material such as a putty, paste or more flowable wetted implant material. Also described are methods for manufacturing such medical materials, and methods for using such medical materials to treat patients.
摘要:
A brush for hygienic purposes includes a handle with a lower and an upper portion and a head. The upper portion is sized and shaped to capture the head. Preferably the head is a removable cartridge and includes a flexible base with a plurality bristles and a pad with holes disposed over the bristles. The pad could be a foam or sponge matrix or could be a stack of sheets removable one at a time. Upper portion of the handle is curved to provide a predetermined shape to the head. Optionally, a vibrating device is incorporated in the brush so that the brush can be used as to massage the skin or scalp.
摘要:
The present invention relates to the methods and compositions for the treatment of subjects having compromised bone conditions. Specifically, the invention relates to combinatorial therapeutic strategies including small molecules and peptide mimics of LIM mineralization proteins, particularly LMP-1, to overcome the dose-related translational barriers for BMP-2 therapeutics.
摘要:
A cleaning apparatus includes a handle, a support coupled to the handle and a cleaning element mountable on the support. The support is fixed to the handle or is rotatably coupled to the handle for rotation by a drive motor mounted in the handle. The cleaning element may include bristles extending from a flexible mat fixed about the support or about a core mountable on the support. A cleaning sheet is windable about the support, the core or the cleaning element, including over and through the bristles, for dual cleaning action.