DEVICES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR USING AND MONITORING SPINAL IMPLANTS

1 . An implantable spinal medical device selected from the group consisting of,

a. an implantable medical device comprising a pedicle screw and a sensor;

b. an implantable medical device comprising a spinal wire and a sensor;

c. an implantable medical device comprising a spinal rod and a sensor;

d. an implantable medical device comprising a spinal cage and a sensor:

e. an implantable medical device comprising an artificial disc and a sensor;

f. an implantable medical device comprising a pedicle screw, a spinal rod and a sensor;

g. an implantable medical device comprising a pedicle screw, a spinal plate and a sensor;

h. an implantable medical device comprising a polymer and a sensor; and

i. an implantable medical device comprising a kyphoplasty balloon and a sensor.

2 - 11 . (canceled)

12 . The medical device according to claim 1 wherein said sensor is located within said implant.

13 . The medical device according to claim 1 wherein said sensor is located on said implant.

14 . The medical device according to claim 1 wherein said device is sterile.

15 . The medical device according to claim 1 wherein said sensor is selected from the group consisting of a contact sensor, a pressure sensor, an accelerometer sensor, a temperature sensor, a mechanical stress sensor, a position sensor, a chemical microsensor and a tissue metabolic sensor.

16 - 21 . (canceled)

22 . The medical device according to claim 1 further comprising:

an electronic processor positioned upon and/or inside the spinal device/implant or medical device that is electrically coupled to sensors.

23 . The medical device according to claim 22 wherein the electric coupling is a wireless coupling.

24 . The medical device according to claim 22 further including:

a memory coupled to the electronic processor and positioned upon and/or inside the spinal device/implant or medical device.

25 . The medical device according to claim 1 wherein said sensor is a plurality of sensors which are positioned on or within said medical device at a density of greater than 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or 20 sensors per square centimeter.

26 . The medical device according to claim 1 wherein said sensor is a plurality of sensors which are positioned on or within said medical device at a density of greater than 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or 20 sensors per cubic centimeter.

27 . A method comprising:

obtaining data from sensors positioned at a plurality of locations between on and/or within the medical device according to claim 1 of a patient;

storing the data in a memory device located on or within the medical device; and

transferring the data from the memory to a location outside the medical device.

28 . (canceled)

29 . A method for detecting and/or recording an event in a subject with the medical device according to claim 1 , comprising the step of interrogating at a desired point in time the activity of one or more sensors within the medical device, and recording said activity.

30 - 32 . (canceled)

33 . A method for imaging a medical device in a spine, comprising the steps of

(a) detecting the location of one or more sensors in the medical device of claim 1 which has been implanted into the spine of a subject; and

(b) visually displaying the location of said one or more sensors, such that an image of the medical device, or a portion thereof, in the spine is created.

34 - 36 . (canceled)

37 . A method for inserting the spinal device/implant according to claim 1 , comprising the steps of

(a) inserting an implantable medical device according to claim 1 into a subject; and

(b) imaging the placement of said medical device according to a method comprising the steps of detecting the location of one or more sensors in the spinal device/implant; and

visually displaying the location of said one or more sensors, such that an image of the spinal device/implant, or a portion thereof, in the spine is created.

38 . A method for examining the spinal device/implant according to claim 1 which has been previously inserted into a patient, comprising the step of imaging the spinal device/implant according to a method comprising the steps of detecting the location of one or more sensors in the spinal device/implant; and visually displaying the location of said one or more sensors, such that an image of the spinal device/implant, or a portion thereof, in the spine is created.

39 . A method of monitoring a spinal device/implant within a subject, comprising:

(a) transmitting a wireless electrical signal from a location outside the body to a location inside the subject's body;

(b) receiving the signal at a sensor positioned on a spinal device/implant according to claim 1 located inside the body;

(c) powering the sensor using the received signal;

(d) sensing data at the sensor; and

(e) outputting the sensed data from the sensor to a receiving unit located outside of the body.

40 - 43 . (canceled)

44 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium whose stored contents configure a computing system to perform a method, the method comprising:

(a) identifying a subject, the identified subject having at least one wireless spinal device/implant according to claim 1 , each wireless spinal device/implant having one or more wireless sensors;

(b) directing a wireless interrogation unit to collect sensor data from at least one of the respective one or more wireless sensors; and

(c) receiving the collected sensor data.

45 - 59 . (canceled)

60 . A method for determining an infection associated with a spinal device/implant, comprising the steps of a) providing to a subject an implantable medical device according to claim 1 comprising at least one temperature sensor and/or metabolic sensor, and b) detecting a change in said temperature sensor and/or metabolic sensor, and thus determining the presence of an infection.

61 - 63 . (canceled)

64 . A method for determining degradation of an implanted medical device, comprising the steps of a) providing to a subject an implantable medical device according to claim 1 ; and b) detecting a change in a sensor, and thus determining degradation of the implanted medical device.