Vented directional delivery cannula with openings of different size for use with flowable materials and method for use thereof
In one preferred aspect, a cannula is provided that has openings of different size to permit a surgeon to selectively control the distribution pattern of a flowable material through the cannula and into a patient. In another aspect, a method is provided for selectively controlling the distribution pattern of a flowable material through a cannula having openings of different size into a patient.
1 . A cannula for use in delivering a flowable material into human tissue, said cannula comprising:
a proximal end, a distal end, a length therebetween, a mid-longitudinal axis, and an interior passage extending along the mid-longitudinal axis between said proximal and distal ends, said cannula having a plurality of transverse openings between said proximal and distal ends, said transverse openings being in communication with said passage, at least two of said transverse openings being proximate said distal end and being of a different size, said cannula having an exterior surface being generally smooth along a majority of the length to facilitate linear insertion of said cannula into the tissue.
2 . The cannula of claim 1 , wherein said transverse openings increase in size in a direction from said proximal end to said distal end.
3 . The cannula of claim 1 , wherein said transverse openings decrease in size in a direction from said proximal end to said distal end.
4 . The cannula of claim 1 , wherein at lease one of said transverse openings is located proximal to said distal end of said cannula.
5 . The cannula of claim 1 , wherein at least two of said transverse openings are circumferentially offset from one another.
6 . The cannula of claim 1 , wherein at least two of said transverse openings are arranged into axially spaced groups.
7 . The cannula of claim 1 , wherein said transverse openings include a plurality of axially aligned openings.
8 . The cannula of claim 1 , wherein said transverse openings are located only on one side of the mid-longitudinal axis along at least portion of the length of said cannula.
9 . The cannula of claim 1 , wherein said distal end is closed.
10 . The cannula of claim 1 , wherein said distal end is open.
11 . The cannula of claim 1 , wherein said distal end includes an opening having a maximum dimension transverse to the mid-longitudinal axis smaller than the maximum dimension of said passage transverse to the mid-longitudinal axis.
12 . The cannula of claim 1 , wherein said transverse openings have the same shape.
13 . The cannula of claim 1 , wherein said transverse openings have a shape including at least one of a circle, a ellipse, a square, a rectangle, a triangle, a slot, a slit, and a teardrop.
14 . The cannula of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said cannula is curved along the mid-longitudinal axis.
15 . The cannula of claim 1 , wherein said cannula is made of a rigid material suitable for surgical use.
16 . The cannula of claim 1 , wherein said cannula is made of a material suitable for surgical use and being at least in part flexible.
17 . The cannula of claim 1 , wherein said passage has a maximum cross sectional dimension transverse to the mid-longitudinal axis and at least one of said transverse openings having a maximum dimension less than the maximum cross sectional dimension of said passage.
18 . The cannula of claim 1 , wherein said tissue is bone.
19 . The cannula of claim 1 , wherein said tissue is a vertebra.
20 . The cannula of claim 1 , wherein said tissue is at least one of cartilage or other connective tissue.
21 . The cannula of claim 1 , in combination with at least one of bone cement, bone void filler material, and a carrier with an adjunctive agent.
22 . A method for delivering a flowable material into human tissue, said method comprising the steps of:
providing a cannula comprising a proximal end, a distal end, a mid-longitudinal axis, and an interior passage extending along the mid-longitudinal axis between the proximal and distal ends, the cannula having a plurality of transverse openings between the proximal and distal ends, the transverse openings being in communication with the passage, the transverse openings including at least one small opening and at least one larger opening larger than the small opening, the cannula having an exterior surface being generally smooth along a majority of the mid-longitudinal axis;
inserting the cannula into the tissue with the transverse openings directed toward a location in the tissue where flowable material is desired to be delivered;
delivering the flowable material through the passage of the cannula and out of the at least one larger transverse openings into the tissue; and
then delivering the flowable material through the passage of the cannula and out of the at least one small transverse openings into the tissue.
23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein a greater amount of the flowable material is delivered to the tissue through the larger transverse openings than through the small transverse openings.
24 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the providing step includes providing the cannula with transverse openings increasing in size in a direction from the proximal end to the distal end.
25 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the providing step includes providing the cannula with transverse openings decreasing in size in a direction from the proximal end to the distal end.
26 . The method of claim 22 , further comprising the step curving at least a portion of said cannula along the mid-longitudinal axis of the cannula.
27 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the flowable material is at least one of bone cement, bone void filler material, and a carrier with an adjunctive agent.
28 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the tissue is bone.
29 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the bone tissue is a vertebral body.
30 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the tissue is at least one of cartilage or other connective tissue.