Prostheses and methods for replacement of natural facet joints with artificial facet joint surfaces
View Patent ↗Cephalad and caudal vertebral facet joint prostheses and methods of use are provided. The cephalad prostheses are adapted and configured to be attached to a lamina portion of a vertebra without blocking a pedicle portion of the cephalad vertebra. In some embodiments, the prosthesis is attached with a non-invasive support member, such as a clamp. In other embodiments, a translaminar screw may be used for additional fixation.
1. A prosthesis to replace a portion of a natural facet joint on a vertebra, the prosthesis comprising:
an artificial facet joint element having at least one rotatable surface serving as a joint member adapted and configured to replace the portion of the natural facet joint; and
a fixation mechanism adapted and configured to attach the artificial facet joint element to the vertebra, the fixation mechanism comprising a non-invasive support member adapted and configured to attach to the vertebra, wherein the support member comprises first and second vertebra contact surfaces, the distance between the first and second vertebra contact surfaces being adjustable
wherein the artificial facet joint element articulates providing movement between adjacent vertebra.
2. The prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the fixation mechanism is adapted and configured to attach to a lamina portion of the vertebra.
3. The prosthesis of claim 2 wherein the fixation mechanism is further adapted and configured to attach to the lamina portion of the vertebra substantially at a spinous process location.
4. The prosthesis of claim 2 wherein the fixation mechanism is further adapted and configured to be in contact with the lamina portion of the vertebra on at least two opposing sides of the lamina portion of the vertebra.
5. The prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the fixation mechanism is adapted and configured to attach to a spinous process of the vertebra.
6. The prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the fixation mechanism is further adapted and configured to attach the artificial facet joint element to the vertebra without blocking access to a pedicle portion of the vertebra.
7. The prosthesis of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second vertebral contact surfaces being moveable with respect to the other vertebral contact surfaces.
8. The prosthesis of claim 1 further comprising an attachment mechanism attaching the artificial facet joint element to the fixation mechanism.
9. The prosthesis of claim 8 wherein the attachment mechanism traverses a midline of the vertebra.
10. The prosthesis of claim 8 wherein the attachment mechanism is adapted and configured such that the artificial facet joint element is moveable in a cephalad or caudad direction with respect to the fixation mechanism.
11. The prosthesis of claim 8 wherein the attachment element comprises a location element moveable in a cephalad or caudad direction with respect to the fixation mechanism.
12. The prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the fixation mechanism comprises a clamp.
13. A prosthesis to replace a portion of a natural facet joint on a vertebra, the prosthesis comprising:
an artificial facet joint element having at least one rotatable surface serving as a joint member adapted and configured to replace the portion of the natural facet joint;
a fixation mechanism adapted and configured to attach the artificial facet joint element to the vertebra without penetrating any bone portion of the vertebra; and an attachment mechanism attaching the artificial facet joint element to the fixation mechanism, wherein the attachment mechanism disposes the artificial facet joint element caudad from the fixation mechanism
wherein the artificial facet joint element articulates providing movement between adjacent vertebra.
14. The prosthesis of claim 13 wherein the fixation mechanism is further adapted and configured to attach to a lamina portion of the vertebra.
15. The prosthesis of claim 14 wherein the fixation mechanism is further adapted and configured to attach to the lamina portion of the vertebra substantially at a spinous process location.
16. The prosthesis of claim 14 wherein the fixation mechanism is further adapted and configured to be in contact with the lamina portion of the vertebra on at least two opposing sides of the lamina portion of the vertebra.
17. The prosthesis of claim 16 wherein the fixation mechanism is further adapted and configured to be in contact with the lamina portion of the vertebra on four surfaces of the lamina portion of the vertebra.
18. The prosthesis of claim 13 wherein the fixation mechanism is adapted and configured to attach to a spinous process of the vertebra.
19. The prosthesis of claim 13 wherein the fixation mechanism is further adapted and configured to attach the artificial facet joint element to the vertebra without blocking access to a pedicle portion of the vertebra.
20. The prosthesis of claim 13 wherein the fixation mechanism is further adapted and configured to be in contact with an attachment portion of the vertebra on at least two opposing sides of the attachment portion of the vertebra.
21. The prosthesis of claim 20 wherein the fixation mechanism is further adapted and configured to be in contact with the attachment portion of the vertebra on four surfaces of the attachment portion of the vertebra.
22. The prosthesis of claim 13 wherein the fixation mechanism comprises first and second vertebral contact components comprising: first and second vertebral contact surfaces, respectively, at least one of the first and second vertebral contact components being moveable with respect to the other vertebral contact component.
23. The prosthesis of claim 13 wherein the fixation mechanism is a first fixation mechanism and wherein the attachment mechanism is adapted and configured to penetrate a bone portion of the vertebra to form a second fixation mechanism attaching the artificial facet joint element to the vertebra.
24. The prosthesis of claim 13 wherein the attachment mechanism is adapted and configured such that the artificial facet joint element is moveable in a cephalad or caudad direction with respect to the fixation mechanism.
25. The prosthesis of claim 13 wherein the attachment mechanism comprises a location element moveable in a cephalad or caudad direction with respect to the fixation mechanism.
26. The prosthesis of claim 13 wherein the fixation mechanism comprises a clamp.
27. The prosthesis of claim 13 wherein the fixation mechanism is a first fixation mechanism, the prosthesis further comprising a second fixation mechanism adapted and configured to penetrate a bone portion of the vertebra to attach the artificial facet joint element to the vertebra.
28. A prosthesis to replace a portion of a natural facet joint on a vertebra, the prosthesis comprising:
an artificial facet joint element having at least one rotatable surface serving as a joint member adapted and configured to replace the portion of the natural facet joint; and
a first fixation mechanism adapted and configured to attach the artificial facet joint element to the vertebra without penetrating any bone portion of the vertebra, the prosthesis further comprising a second fixation mechanism adapted and configured to penetrate a bone portion of the vertebra to attach the artificial facet joint element to the vertebra
wherein the artificial facet joint element articulates providing movement between adjacent vertebra.
29. The prosthesis of claim 28 wherein the first fixation mechanism is further adapted and configured to attach to a lamina portion of the vertebra.
30. The prosthesis of claim 29 wherein the first fixation mechanism is further adapted and configured to attach to the lamina portion of the vertebra substantially at a spinous process location.
31. The prosthesis of claim 28 wherein the fixation mechanism is adapted and configured to attach to a spinous process of the vertebra.
32. The prosthesis of claim 28 wherein the first fixation mechanism comprises first and second vertebra contact surfaces, the distance between the first and second vertebra contact surfaces being adjustable.
33. The prosthesis of claim 28 wherein the first fixation mechanism comprises first and second vertebral contact components comprising first and second vertebral contact surfaces, respectively, with at least one of the first and second vertebral contact components being moveable with respect to the other vertebral contact component.
34. The prosthesis of claim 28 further comprising an attachment mechanism attaching the artificial facet joint element to the first fixation mechanism.
35. The prosthesis of claim 34 wherein the attachment mechanism is adapted and configured to traverse a midline of the vertebra.
36. A prosthesis to replace a portion of a natural facet joint on a vertebra, the prosthesis comprising:
an artificial facet joint element having at least one rotatable surface serving as a joint member adapted and configured to replace the portion of the natural facet joint; and
a fixation mechanism adapted and configured to attach the artificial facet joint element to the vertebra, the fixation mechanism comprising a non-invasive support member adapted and configured to attach to a lamina portion of the vertebra, and an attachment mechanism attaching the artificial facet joint element to the fixation mechanism, wherein the attachment mechanism is adapted and configured to traverse a midline of the vertebra; wherein the support member comprises first and second vertebral contact components comprising first and second vertebral contact surfaces, respectively, with at least one of the first and second vertebral contact components being moveable with respect to the other vertebral contact component
wherein the artificial facet joint element articulates providing movement between adjacent vertebra.
37. The prosthesis of claim 36 wherein the support member is further adapted and configured to attach to the lamina portion of the vertebra substantially at a spinous process location.
38. A prosthesis to replace a portion of a natural facet joint on a vertebra, the prosthesis comprising:
an artificial facet joint element having at least one rotatable surface serving as a joint member adapted and configured to replace the portion of the natural facet joint;
a fixation mechanism adapted and configured to attach the artificial facet joint element to the vertebra without penetrating any bone portion of the vertebra; and
an attachment mechanism attaching the artificial facet joint element to the fixation mechanism, wherein the attachment mechanism disposes the artificial facet joint element cephalad from the fixation mechanism
wherein the artificial facet joint element articulates providing movement between adjacent vertebra.
39. The prosthesis of claim 38 wherein the fixation mechanism is further adapted and configured to attach to a lamina portion of the vertebra.
40. The prosthesis of claim 39 wherein the fixation mechanism is further adapted and configured to attach to the lamina portion of the vertebra substantially at a spinous process location.
41. The prosthesis of claim 39 wherein the fixation mechanism is further adapted and configured to be in contact with the lamina portion of the vertebra on at least two opposing sides of the lamina portion of the vertebra.
42. The prosthesis of claim 38 wherein the fixation mechanism is adapted and configured to attach to a spinous process of the vertebra.
43. The prosthesis of claim 38 wherein the fixation mechanism is further adapted and configured to attach the artificial facet joint element to the vertebra without blocking access to a pedicle portion of the vertebra.
44. The prosthesis of claim 38 wherein the fixation mechanism is a first fixation mechanism and wherein the attachment mechanism is adapted and configured to penetrate a bone portion of the vertebra to form a second fixation mechanism attaching the artificial facet joint element to the vertebra.