Flexible elongated chain implant and method of supporting body tissue with same

1. A system suitable for insertion between two vertebral bodies to treat disease or abnormal pathology conditions in spinal applications, the system comprising:

(a) a monolithic chain of biocompatible material suitable for insertion into a disc space between two adjacent vertebral bodies in a patient's spinal column, wherein the spinal disc space has a transverse plane, the chain comprising:

a plurality of adjacent bodies having a height configured to reside within the disc space between two adjacent vertebral bodies and a length configured to reside in the disc space between two adjacent vertebral bodies when the chain is curved in an orientation substantially along the transverse plane of the spinal disc space;

wherein the plurality of adjacent bodies are interconnected by flexible joints such that the adjacent bodies are configured to angulate with respect to each other during insertion into the spinal disc space to allow the chain to reside within the spinal disc space, the bodies being configured to angulate only along the transverse plane of the spinal disc and into a curved orientation during insertion; and

(b) a guide having a curved tip adapted to guide the adjacent bodies in a desired direction,

wherein a portion of the adjacent bodies disposed in the curved orientation contacts the guide along the curved tip; and

wherein the system is adapted to distract the disc space.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the adjacent bodies are interconnected by a strut.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the struts allow the adjacent bodies to angulate with respect to each other.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the struts have a height that is different from the height of the bodies.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the chain has an overall length of from 10 mm to 150 mm.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a cannula sized to deliver the chain to the disc space along the transverse plane of the spinal disc space.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the cannula is sized to provide minimally invasive access to the spinal disc space.

8. The system of claim 7 where in the cannula guides the chain and distracts the disc space.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the chain is made of a metal.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the metal is titanium.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the chain further comprises axial side holes that can be filled with substance or agents.

12. The system of claim 1 further comprising an instrument to create a cavity in the disc space.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the instrument is a balloon catheter.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the bodies are rigid and are formed of metal.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the chain is coated with a bone growth enhancing agent.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the bodies include cavities filled with at least one of cement, bone filler, adhesive, and graft material.

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the bodies are substantially inflexible so as to support the vertebral bodies during fusion.

18. An apparatus for augmentation of body tissue comprising:

a flexible elongated member having a longitudinal length substantially larger than its height or its width, the flexible elongated member being formed as an integral monolithic elongated member, wherein the member comprises:

a plurality of bodies, the bodies having a first cross-sectional size; and

a plurality of links interconnecting the bodies, the bodies and links connected end-to-end to form the elongated member, the links having a second cross-sectional size, the first cross-sectional size being larger than the second cross-sectional size; the elongated member being formed of bone, wherein the links are demineralized through their entire thickness and the bodies are partially demineralized across the entire outer surface thereof.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the elongated member is bendable such that adjacent bodies can touch without breaking or cracking the elongated member.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising a coating applied to at least a portion of the elongated member.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the coating comprises at least one of the group selected from a therapeutic agent a bone cement an antibiotic, and a bone growth stimulating substance.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the coating comprises a bone cement having an active state and inactive state, the bone cement being user controlled to change from the inactive state to the active state, the active state permitting the cement to attach to another surface in the body tissue.

23. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the outer surface of the bodies is configured to promote bone in-growth.

24. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the elongated member has a length between 40 mm and 150 mm, a maximum height between 2 mm and 8 mm, and a maximum width of between 3 mm and 8 mm.

25. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the bodies have a shape selected from the group of polyhedral, spherical, cylindrical, elliptical, and rectangular and the links have a shape selected from the group of cylindrical, hexagonal and square.

26. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the links have been hydrated.

27. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the bodies increase in size along the member from a first body having a width Y 1 to a last body having a width Y 2 that is larger than Y 1 .

28. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein at least one of the bodies comprises a cavity.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the cavity comprises a material selected from the group consisting of bone cement, a filler material, an adhesive, and a therapeutic agent.

30. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of bodies are substantially non-flexible.

31. A system suitable for insertion between two vertebral bodies to treat disease or abnormal pathology conditions in spinal applications, the system comprising:

(a) a monolithic chain of biocompatible material suitable for insertion into a disc space between two adjacent vertebral bodies in a patient's spinal column, wherein the spinal disc space has a transverse plane, the chain comprising:

a plurality of adjacent bodies having a height configured to reside within the disc space between two adjacent vertebral bodies and a length configured to reside in the disc space between two adjacent vertebral bodies when the chain is curved in an orientation substantially along the transverse plane of the spinal disc space;

wherein the plurality of adjacent bodies are interconnected by flexible joints such that the adjacent bodies are configured to angulate with respect to each other during insertion into the spinal disc space to allow the chain to reside within the spinal disc space, the bodies being configured to angulate along the transverse plane of the spinal disc and into a curved orientation during insertion such that the chain takes on an arcuate shape in which a distal terminal end of the chain is adjacent to a proximal end portion of the chain; and

(b) a guide having a curved tip adapted to guide the adjacent bodies in a desired direction,

wherein a portion of the adjacent bodies disposed in the curved orientation contacts the guide along the curved tip; and

wherein the system is adapted to distract the disc space.