Patent Grant
9526486
NOT APPLICABLE
NOT APPLICABLE
1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to medical devices and methods, and more specifically to methods and devices used to distract joints including, but not limited to the hip, shoulder, ankle, and wrist joint. Joint distraction enables introduction of therapeutic or diagnostic instruments into the joint space so that various medical procedures may be performed on the joint.
Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure used in the examination and treatment of joint disease or damage. While arthroscopic treatment of the knee and shoulder joints is common today, fewer arthroscopic procedures are performed in other joints such as the hip, ankle and wrist joint due to challenges associated with accessing the joint space.
In the case of the hip joint, it is the deepest and largest joint in the body. The hip joint is formed between the head of the femur and the acetabulum and is a very difficult joint to separate. This is due in large part to a blanket of ligaments and tendons that cover the joint, forming a tight sealed capsule. Additionally the acetabular labrum, a fibrocartilaginous lip, surrounds the head of the femur, deepening the joint pocket and increasing the surface area of contact. The labrum divides the hip joint into two compartments within the joint capsule: central and peripheral. The central compartment is within the confines of the labrum and contains the majority of the articular cartilage and the ligamentum teres, a ligament attached to a depression in the acetabulum (the acetabular notch or fossa) and a depression on the femoral head (the fovea of the head). The peripheral compartment is the space outside the labrum and within the capsule.
In order to provide access to a joint space for a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure, the joint often must be distracted. Distraction is the term used to define a combination of traction and distention used to separate the joint, which in the case of a hip joint, allows the surgeon to access the central compartment. This is typically accomplished by positioning a patient on a distraction table and applying forces of 50-70 pounds to the patient's foot while the pelvis is constrained by a post positioned against the perineum. The traction is maintained as long as access to the central compartment is needed.
This external method of joint distraction is not without challenges and can result in complications. The most common complications are the transient neuropraxias of the sciatic, lateral femoral cutaneous and pudendal nerves. Additionally, pressure applied to the foot and perineum during distraction can result in pressure necrosis of the skin and underlying tissue, as well as vaginal and anal tears. Problems with lacerations to the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve can also occur, which leaves permanent numbness to the anterior thigh. Additionally, once traction is applied to the joint, it is difficult to further manipulate the joint to alter joint position or provide increased access to the joint space since distraction tables often have rigid arms or fixtures that must be locked into position. Further, because traction tables rely on the application of tensile force to the foot, the knee cannot be bent while traction is maintained. While some traction tables permit some degree of flexion, abduction, or adduction while traction is applied, because the knee must be straight, the degree of such manipulation is substantially limited. Flexion in particular is limited to less than 20° due to the potential risk of sciatic nerve damage.
Moreover, when traction is applied to a joint, tension in adjacent tissue often increases, further increasing difficulty of accessing the joint space. In the case of the hip joint, application of traction results in increased tension in the ligaments and tendons of the capsule which further inhibits introduction and manipulation of arthroscopic instruments in the joint space. It would therefore be desirable to provide devices and method that overcome some or all of these challenges.
Arthroscopy in the ankle and wrist also require distraction for access into certain joint areas. However, unlike the hip, the distraction forces aren't high, ranging from 10-30 lbs. Nevertheless, distraction of the ankle and wrist share similar challenges to treatment as the hip joint.
Balloon catheter technology has been widely adopted in cardiovascular applications and is now also being used in other areas including orthopedic applications such as kyphoplasty and otolaryngology applications like sinuplasty. The use of balloons for internal distraction of a joint has been proposed. For example, Aydin et al. has reported the use of a kyphoplasty balloon to distract an ankle joint while Sartoeretti has disclosed the use of angioplasty balloons for ankle distraction. U.S. Pat. No. 6,017,305 to Bonutti discloses the use of an inflatable bladder to retract bones and U.S. Pat. No. 6,616,673 to Stone discloses a method of separating a hip joint with a device having several expandable spheroid regions. While some of these devices and methods appear to be promising, they are not without challenges. For example, using existing balloons which are often small sized may require excessive pressures to achieve the necessary distraction force and in the case of the hip joint, existing balloons may not distract the joint surfaces enough (e.g. at least about 10 to 12 mm) to allow access for other surgical instruments. Other devices may be inflatable to an appropriate size but they may also occupy too much of the joint space limiting access for instruments. Further because these devices may engage a wide area of the joint, they may also limit joint manipulation. Moreover, some the disclosed devices also still require external distraction in order to initially place the device into the joint due to their large unexpanded profile.
In view of these challenges, it would be desirable to provide improved devices and methods for distracting joints such as the hip, ankle, shoulder and wrist joint, as well as other joints. Such methods and devices preferably would be cost effective, easy to manufacture and simple to use. Furthermore, such methods preferably have lower complication rates than existing distraction methods and devices and also provide easy and wide access to the joint space without requiring external fraction. In addition to distracting the joint, such methods and devices preferably allow easy introduction of other diagnostic or therapeutic instruments into the joint space. Moreover, the methods and devices preferably also allow the joint to be manipulated while in the distracted position in order to allow increased access to the joint or access to other regions of the joint space. Some or all of these objectives will be met by the devices and methods disclosed herein.
2. Description of the Background Art
Scientific publications of interest in connection with the present invention include Burman, M. S., Arthroscopy or the direct visualization of joints: an experimental cadaver study. 1931. Clin Orthop Relat Res, 2001(390): p. 5-9; Tan, V., et al., Contribution of acetabular labrum to articulating surface area and femoral head coverage in adult hip joints: an anatomic study in cadavera. Am J Orthop, 2001. 30(11): p. 809-12; Dienst, M., et al., Hip arthroscopy without traction: In vivo anatomy of the peripheral hip joint cavity. Arthroscopy, 2001. 17(9): p. 924-31; Shetty, V. D. and R. N. Villar, Hip arthroscopy: current concepts and review of literature. Br J Sports Med, 2007. 41(2): p. 64-8; discussion 68; Sartoretti, C., et al., Angioplasty Balloon Catheters Used for Distraction of the Ankle Joint. Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery, 1996. 12(1), February: p. 82-86; and Aydin, A., et al., A New Noninvasive Controlled Intra-articular Ankle Distraction Technique on a Cadaver Model. Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery, 2006. 22(8), August: p. 905.e-905.e3;
Patents of interest in connection with the present invention include EP 507645 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,226,462; 6,616,673; 6,017,305; 5,290,220; and 4,467,479. Patent publications of interest include U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 2009/0112214; and 2006/0293685 and PCT Publication Nos. WO 2007/080454; and WO 00/23009.
The present invention generally relates to medical methods and devices, and more specifically to methods and devices used to distract joints including, but not limited to the hip, ankle, shoulder, knee and wrist joints. Joint distraction enables introduction of therapeutic or diagnostic instruments into the joint space so that other medical procedures may be performed on the joint.
In a first aspect of the present invention, a method of treating a patient's joint having opposing joint surfaces comprises providing an elongate member having a proximal end, a distal end and an expandable member near the distal end. The expandable member is positioned in the joint between the joint surfaces and expanding the expandable member separates the joint surfaces away from one another into a distracted position. While the joint surfaces remain in the distracted position, the joint is manipulated into a manipulated configuration in which the joint is in both flexion and distraction. A diagnostic or therapeutic procedure is performed on the joint while maintaining the joint in the manipulated configuration. In some embodiments, the expandable member may be positioned in the joint without applying external traction thereto.
Positioning may comprise advancing the expandable member over a guidewire or through a cannula into the joint which may be a hip joint. The hip joint has an acetabular fossa, and the step of positioning may comprise advancing the expandable member through a cannula extending into the joint capsule. The expandable member may remain in the fossa as it is expanded. The hip joint also has an acetabulum and a femoral head coupled together with a ligamentum teres, and the expandable member may be positioned posterior to the ligamentum teres. In some embodiments, a retention mechanism may be deployed from the cannula in order to anchor the cannula into the joint.
Expanding the expandable member may comprise inflating a balloon. The balloon may be inflated to a pressure not exceeding about 100 psi and the balloon may exert at least about 25 pounds of force against the joint surfaces. The expandable member may engage each joint surface within a contact area no more than about 800 square millimeters. Each joint surface has a total area, and the expandable member may engage each joint surface within a contact area no larger than about 50% of the total area and more preferably less than about 30% of the total area when the expandable member is expanded. The balloon has an outer surface with a radius of curvature when expanded and the radius of curvature may be about 8-18 mm. When the joint is a hip joint having a total joint surface area of the acetabulum outside the fossa, the balloon may contact one of the joint surfaces along a contact area, and preferably no more than about 50%, and more preferably less than about 30% of the total joint surface area is contacted by the balloon or expandable member when expanded. Expanding the expandable member may separate the joint surfaces at least about 10 mm away from one another. Also, expanding the expandable member may fluidly isolate a portion of the joint from the remainder of the joint. Balloon position may be adjusted within the joint in order to change the joint separation.
Manipulating the joint may further comprise one or more of flexion, extension, lateral rotation, medial rotation, abduction and adduction of the joint. The joint may be placed in up to about 20 degrees of flexion, up to about 30 to 80 degrees of abduction, and/or up to about 10 to 30 degrees of adduction. When the joint comprises a hip joint, a capsule surrounds the joint and manipulating the hip joint reduces tension in the joint capsule which makes it easier for a device to be inserted through the capsule and under the labrum. One or more instruments may be positioned through the relaxed portion of the joint capsule while the tension is reduced in order to perform a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure. Manipulation of the joint may be performed while the expandable member is expanded.
Performing the diagnostic or therapeutic procedure may comprise arthroscopically viewing the joint. The diagnostic or therapeutic procedure may also comprise one or more of labral repair or debridement, lavage, osteotomy, microfracture or chondral repair of the joint surfaces or tissue adjacent thereto. Tissue adjacent the joint may also be distended by infusion of fluid into the tissue, such as the hip joint capsule.
The joint may be a hip joint and the step of manipulating the joint may further comprise bending a knee ipsilateral to the hip joint. The hip joint may be maintained in the manipulated and distracted configuration with a brace that is releasably coupled with the patient's leg that is ipsilateral to the hip joint. After the expandable member has been expanded, the method may further comprise contracting the expandable member and actively reducing profile of the contracted expandable member. A stylet may be positioned in a lumen in the elongate member during the advancing step. Also a portion of the elongate member may be actively deflected into a curved configuration. Expanding the expandable member may comprise inflating a balloon with an inflation medium that is stored in a reservoir of an inflation device. A switch on the inflation device may be actuated so as to deliver a predetermined volume of inflation medium from the reservoir to the balloon thereby expanding the expandable member which may be a balloon. In some embodiments the expandable member may be detachably coupled with the elongate member such that the elongate member may be detached from the expandable member while seated in the joint or fossa of the joint in an expanded configuration. Sometimes, a spacer may be inserted into the joint after expansion of the balloon or expandable member, or after the joint has been separated.
In another aspect of the present invention, a hip joint comprises an acetabulum, an acetabular fossa and a femoral head and a method of treating a patient's hip joint comprises providing an elongate member having a proximal end, a distal end and an expandable member near the distal end. The expandable member is advanced into the hip joint between the femoral head and the acetabulum and positioned into the acetabular fossa. The expandable member is expanded thereby separating the femoral head from the acetabulum while the expandable member remains in the acetabular fossa. A diagnostic or therapeutic procedure is then performed on the hip joint while the expandable member is expanded within the acetablular fossa.
The expandable member may have an axial length that is no more than about 1.3 times the diameter of the expandable member when expanded. A distal portion of the elongate member may be substantially more flexible than a proximal portion of the elongate member. The elongate member may comprise a distal tip that extends a distance no more than about 10 mm from a distal end of the expandable member.
The distal end may extend distally of the expandable member and the distal end may be slidably advanced through and beyond the acetabular fossa without traumatic engagement with tissue therein. The acetabulum has a curvature and a distal portion of the elongate member may have a curvature in an unbiased condition selected to follow the curvature of the acetabulum as the distal portion is advanced. Advancing may be performed without applying external traction.
Positioning the expandable member may comprise advancing the expandable member over a guidewire or through a cannula extending into the joint capsule. The acetabulum and the femoral head are coupled together by a ligamentum teres, and the expandable member may be positioned posterior to the ligamentum teres.
Expanding the expandable member may comprise inflating a balloon. The balloon may be inflated to a pressure not exceeding about 100 psi. The balloon may exert at least about 25 pounds of force against the femoral head and the acetabulum when inflated. The expandable member may engage the femoral head and the acetabulum within a contact area that is no more than about 800 square millimeters. The hip joint comprises a total joint surface area of the acetabulum outside the fossa and the balloon contacts the joint surface along a contact area no more than about 50%, and more preferably less than about 30% than total joint surface area when the balloon is expanded. Expanding the expandable member separates the femoral head and the acetabulum at least about 10 mm away from one another. Expanding the expandable member may also fluidly isolate a portion of the hip joint from the remainder of the hip joint.
Performing the diagnostic or therapeutic procedure may comprise arthroscopically viewing the hip joint. Viewing the joint may include viewing the acetabulum or the femoral head posterior to the expanded expandable member. Diagnostic or therapeutic procedures may comprise one or more of labral repair, debridement, flushing, smoothing, microfracture, or chondral repair of the femoral head, the acetabulum or adjacent tissue. The method may also include distending a capsule surrounding the hip joint before advancing the expandable member. Distension may be accomplished by infusing fluid into the capsule.
The hip joint may be manipulated while the femoral head and the acetabulum remain separated from one another so that the hip joint is in a manipulated and a distracted configuration. The hip joint may be in flexion while in the manipulated and distracted configuration. The therapeutic or diagnostic procedure may be performed while the hip is in the manipulated and distracted configuration.
In still another aspect of the present invention a hip joint has an acetabulum and an acetabular fossa and an apparatus for distracting a hip joint comprises an elongate flexible member having a proximal end and a distal end and an expandable member coupled with the elongate member near the distal end. The expandable member is expandable from a collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration and the expandable member has a transverse dimension of at least about 10 mm in the expanded configuration and also has an expanded shape and expanded size selected so that the expandable member seats in the acetabular fossa.
The expandable member may be configured to apply a radial force of at least 50 pounds when expanded to a pressure of no more than 100 psi. The expandable member may be configured to engage a portion of the the total surface of the acetabulum outside of the fossa only within a contact surface, and the contact surface is no more than about 50%, and preferably less than about 30% of the total surface when the expandable member is in the expanded configuration. The joint surface is the total surface area of the acetabulum outside the fossa. The expanded size and the expanded shape may be selected so that the expandable member is biased into the fossa when expanded. The expandable member may have an outer surface with a radius of curvature of at least about 8 mm in the expanded configuration. The expandable member may have an axial length in the expanded configuration that is no more than about 1.5 times the width of the acetabular fossa. The expandable member may also have an axial length that is no more than about 0.8 to about 1.3 times the diameter of the expanded expandable member when expanded. The contact surface of the expandable member may be at least about 200 square millimeters and less than about 800 square millimeters. The flexible member may comprise at least one lumen extending between the proximal and distal ends.
The expandable member may comprise a balloon. Some of the possible shapes of the expandable member include generally, dome shaped, spherical, a flat inferior side with a semi-spherical superior side, or a central bulbous region with an annular region surrounding the bulbous region. The expandable member may comprise at least two expandable regions, with each region being expandable independently of the other. Other expandable member configurations include having a distal taper different than the proximal taper. The distal taper may be steeper than the proximal taper. The proximal taper may be in the range of about 10 to about 45 degrees and the distal taper may be in the range of about 30 to about 90 degrees. Sometimes the proximal and distal tapers are opposite and thus the distal taper may be in the range of about 10 to about 45 degrees and the proximal taper may be in the range of about 30 to about 90 degrees. The expandable member may comprise an invaginated end fixedly attached with the elongate member.
The expandable member may have a toroidal region and the elongate member may be coupled with a lateral portion of the toroidal region such that a longitudinal axis of the elongate member is substantially perpendicular to a central axis of the toroid. The toroidal region may have an open central region and the elongate member may comprise one or more apertures near the distal end opening into the central region to allow egress of fluid or tools therefrom into the center of the toroid. The expandable member may comprise surface features that are adapted to facilitate retention of the expandable member in the acetabular fossa. Some of these surface features may include projections, bumps, ridges, and sticky regions. The expandable member may also comprise a lubricious coating adapted to facilitate withdrawal of the expandable member through a sheath. The expandable member may further comprise a puncture resistant layer of material.
The apparatus may further comprise means for collapsing the balloon. The means for collapsing the balloon may comprise a shaft rotationally engaged with the expandable member such that the shaft is adapted to rotate and collapse the expandable member. The means for collapsing the balloon may also comprise a linearly actuatable shaft coupled with the expandable member such that the shaft is adapted to stretch the expandable member into a flattened configuration. The expandable member may be expanded with a fluid having a refractive index, and the expandable member may be composed of a material having a refractive index substantially the same as the refractive index of the fluid. The expandable member may also comprise a coating adapted to enhance translucency or reduce reflection of light. The apparatus may further comprise a fiber optic filament disposed in the elongate member for transmitting light from a light source.
The elongate member may comprise a distal tip adapted to be passed into and through the hip joint without causing trauma to the joint or tissue adjacent thereto. The distal tip may have a curvature with a radius no larger than a curvature of the acetabulum so that the distal tip is biased away from the acetabular surfaces as the elongate member is passed into and through the hip joint. The distal tip may extend no more than about 10 mm from a distal end of the expandable member. The distal tip may comprise various shapes including substantially straight, conical, curved, J-shaped, and pigtail shaped. The distal tip may also comprise a tapered region. The tapered region may be on two opposing sides so as to be more flexible about one transverse axis than about a second transverse axis. The distal tip may be resilient and biased to return to a predefined unbiased shape.
The elongate member may comprise a curved region in a distal portion of the elongate member and the curved region may have a radius within ±20% of the radius of the acetabulum. The apparatus may further comprise a stylet removably disposed in a lumen of the elongate member and that is adapted to straighten the elongate member during advancement of the elongate member into the hip joint. The stylet may be removably disposed in a lumen of the elongate member in order to increase columnar strength of the elongate member. The stylet may be disposed in a lumen of the elongate member and it may have a curved portion that is adapted to form a corresponding curve in the elongate member. The stylet may comprise a plurality of parallel slots transverse to the longitudinal axis of the stylet in order to allow bending of the stylet. The parallel slots may be disposed only on a first side of the stylet such that the stylet bends more easily in a first direction than in a second direction. The stylet may also have a cross-sectional width that is greater than its cross-sectional height so that the stylet bends more easily in a first direction than in a second direction. The elongate member may also comprise a distal nosecone and a stylet disposed in a lumen of the elongate member. The nosecone often is conical, but one of skill in the art will appreciate that other configurations are possible and may be non-conical. The stylet may be keyed to the nosecone such that rotation of the stylet rotates the nosecone. Rotation of the stylet may rotate a distal end of the expandable member relative to a proximal end of the expandable member.
The elongate member may comprise a guidewire lumen. The elongate member may comprise a distal guidewire port and a proximal guidewire port, each may be sized to allow passage of a guidewire slidably therethrough and the proximal guidewire port may be disposed proximal to the expandable member and closer to the distal end of the elongate member than the proximal end. The apparatus may also comprise a guidewire at least partially disposed in the elongate member and a stopping element may be coupled with the guidewire. The stopping element may be adapted to constrain advancement of the guidewire into the elongate member.
The elongate member may comprise a cross-sectional geometry selected to allow bending around one transverse axis of the elongate member more easily than around other transverse axes. This geometry may include an oval, racetrack, and rectangular shape. The elongate member may have a width along a first transverse axis substantially greater than a height of the elongate member taken along a second transverse axis orthogonal to the first axis. The elongate member may comprise one or more lumens, and the elongate member may be biased to collapse to a flattened configuration when the one or more lumens are evacuated.
The apparatus may further comprise a pullwire disposed in a lumen of the elongate member and operably coupled with a distal portion of the elongate member such that actuation of the pullwire forms a curve in the distal portion of the elongate member. The elongate member may comprise a distal tip extending distally of the expandable member and the curve is formed only in the distal tip. The apparatus may also have an actuator mechanism near the proximal end of the elongate member that is operably coupled with the pullwire. The apparatus may have a shield positionable over at least a portion of the expandable member and the shield may be able to prevent puncture of the expandable member.
In another aspect of the present invention, a medical apparatus comprises an inflatable member positionable in a body cavity and having an interior. An elongate flexible shaft has a proximal end, a distal end, an inflation lumen extending therebetween, and a cross-sectional height. The distal end of the shaft is coupled with the inflatable member and the inflation lumen is in fluid communication with the interior of the inflatable member. The shaft comprises a collapsed profile and an expanded profile and the cross-sectional height in the collapsed profile is substantially less than the cross-sectional height in the expanded profile. Also, the shaft is biased to remain in the collapsed profile.
The cross-sectional height in the expanded profile may be at least about twice the cross-sectional height in the collapsed profile. A stylet may be slidably and removably disposed in a stylet lumen of the shaft. The shaft may have a first column strength when the stylet is removed from the stylet lumen and a second column strength when the stylet is disposed in the stylet lumen. The second column strength may be substantially greater than the first column strength. Passage of an inflation fluid through the inflation lumen to the interior of the inflatable member may expand the shaft from the collapsed profile to the expanded profile. The shaft comprises a cross-sectional width, and in the collapsed profile the cross-sectional width may be substantially greater than the cross-sectional width in the expanded profile. The cross-sectional width may be greater than the cross-sectional height in both the expanded and collapsed profiles. The shaft also comprises a longitudinal axis and an axis transverse thereto, and the shaft may be configured to bend about the transverse axis more easily than at least one other transverse axis.
The inflatable member has an inflated shape and inflated size selected so that when inflated within a hip joint, the inflatable member may seat in an acetabular fossa of the hip joint. When inflated to a pressure less than about 100 psi, the inflatable member may be adapted to apply a pressure of at least 50 pounds. The inflatable member has a contact surface for engaging the surface of the acetabulum outside the fossa, and no more than 50%, and more preferably less than about 30% of the acetabular surface outside the fossa is contacted when the when the inflatable member is inflated.
In still another aspect of the present invention, a medical apparatus comprises an inflatable member positionable in a body cavity and having an interior. An elongate flexible shaft has a proximal end, a distal end and an inflation lumen extending therebetween. The distal end of the shaft is coupled with the inflatable member and the inflation lumen is in fluid communication with the interior of the inflatable member. The shaft has a longitudinal axis and a first axis transverse thereto and the shaft bends substantially more easily about the first transverse axis than about at least one other transverse axis.
The shaft has a cross-sectional height and a cross-sectional width. The cross-sectional height may be substantially less than the cross-sectional width. The cross-sectional shape may include rectangular, oval, and racetrack shapes. The inflatable member has an inflated shape and an inflated size selected so that when inflated within a hip joint, the inflatable member may seat in an acetabular fossa of the hip joint. When inflated to a pressure less than about 100 psi, the inflatable member may be adapted to apply a pressure of at least 50 pounds. The inflatable member has a contact surface for engaging the acetabulum of the hip joint and no more than 50%, and preferably less than 30% of the total surface of the acetabulum outside the fossa is contacted by the inflatable member when inflated.
In another aspect of the present invention, a system for distracting a joint surrounded by a joint capsule comprises an inflatable member having an interior and an elongate flexible shaft coupled with the inflatable member. The shaft has an inflation lumen in fluid communication with the interior of the inflatable member and an inflation unit is coupled with the shaft. The inflation unit comprises an inflation fluid reservoir fluidly coupled with the inflation lumen, a displacement mechanism for delivering fluid from the reservoir into the inflation lumen, and a controller. The controller has a switch and actuation of the switch causes movement of the displacement mechanism thereby delivering a predetermined volume of inflation fluid to the interior.
The inflatable member has an inflated volume that may be selected to distract the joint by a desired distance and the predetermined volume may be equal to the inflated volume. Actuation of the switch causes movement of the displacement mechanism thereby evacuating inflation fluid from the interior. The displacement mechanism may comprise a motor and a power supply electrically coupled therewith. The switch may comprise an electronic switch. The predetermined volume may be at least 16 mL and the inflation unit may be adapted to deliver the predetermined volume at pressures up to 200 psi. The inflation fluid may comprise saline, contrast media or combinations thereof. The predetermined volume may be selected to incrementally or fully inflate the inflatable member in a single step. The system may also include a distraction sensor that is adapted to indicate the amount of joint distraction. The system may have a guidewire and the elongate flexible shaft is advanceable over the guidewire to the joint.
Sometimes the joint comprises a hip joint having an acetabular fossa and the inflatable member has an inflated shape and an inflated size selected so that when inflated, the inflatable member may seat in an acetabular fossa of the hip joint. When inflated to a pressure less than about 100 psi, the inflatable member is adapted to apply a pressure of at least 50 pounds. The inflatable member has a contact surface for engaging the acetabulum of the hip joint and no more than about 50%, and preferably less than about 30% of the total acetabular surface outside the fossa is contacted by the inflatable member when inflated.
In another aspect of the present invention, a system for distracting a joint comprises an inflatable member having an interior and an elongate flexible shaft coupled with the inflatable member. The shaft has a guidewire lumen and an inflation lumen in fluid communication with the interior of the inflatable member. The system also includes an arthroscopic instrument adapted to diagnose or repair the joint.
The instrument may include one of a retractor, a cutter, a debrider, a suture anchor, and a grasper. The system may also include a guidewire that is at least partially disposed in the elongate shaft and a stopping element may be coupled with the guidewire. The stopping element constrains advancement of the guidewire into the guidewire lumen. The system may include a shield device positionable at least partially over the inflatable member. The shield may be adapted to prevent puncture of the inflatable member.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a system for distracting a joint surrounded by a joint capsule comprises an elongated cannula having a central channel therethrough with a distal end positionable in the joint capsule and a retention mechanism for holding the cannula in the joint capsule. The system also includes a distraction device. The distraction device has an elongated shaft and an expandable balloon near the distal end of the shaft. The balloon is positionable through the central channel. The distraction device is configured to be inserted through the central channel and into the joint to hydraulically distract the joint.
The retention mechanism may be attached to the cannula. The retention mechanism may be coupled to a second shaft positionable through the central channel. The retention mechanism may comprise a radially expandable portion of the cannula or a plurality of resilient filaments that are biased to flare radially outward when unconstrained by the cannula. The retention mechanism may be configured to engage an inner or outer surface of the joint capsule. The retention mechanism may have an inner portion that is positionable within the joint capsule and an outer portion that is positionable outside the joint capsule. The cannula may comprise two halves that may be separated from one another.
These and other embodiments are described in further detail in the following description related to the appended drawing figures.
The methods and devices disclosed in this specification will be discussed mainly in terms of exemplary embodiments involving the hip joint. One of skill in the art will of course appreciate that these methods and devices may be used on other joints including but not limited to the shoulder, ankle or wrist joint, and that disclosure of hip joint distraction is not intended to be limiting.
In order to overcome the challenges of current distraction techniques, the present invention provides methods and apparatus for internal distraction of a joint that do not require external traction to be applied. In preferred embodiments the invention provides a hydraulic distraction device, e.g. a balloon, that may be placed into the interior of the joint between the opposing bones and inflated with a fluid to distract the joint.
Percutaneous access to the hip joint begins with a needle such as a 17 gauge needle (not illustrated) advanced through the skin and past the capsule C into the joint space 406. This may be observed under fluoroscopy or other imaging systems. The capsule is then optionally distended by injecting saline into the space. Once the needle is in place, a guidewire GW or switching wire is advanced through the needle into the joint space. The needle is then withdrawn, leaving the guidewire GW in place. The guidewire GW serves as a rail over which other instruments may be delivered to the joint space. In
In preferred embodiments, the balloon is advanced into the joint and expanded so that when expanded, it seats in the acetabular fossa AF. The acetabular fossa is a concave region in the acetabulum and provides a natural concavity into which the balloon may be seated to stabilize the balloon and inhibit its movement as it expands and as the joint is manipulated.
Preferably, the area of the balloon that contacts the joint surfaces will be minimized in order to allow maximum visibility of, and access to the joint tissues. At the same time, because the distraction force provided by the balloon is the product of the balloon contact area and the balloon pressure, sufficient contact area must be provided in order to avoid excessively large balloon pressures.
In a preferred embodiment, the balloon contacts the acetabulum over a total contact area no more than about 800 mm2, and preferably the contact area is no more than about 50%, and more preferably less than about 30% of the surface area of the acetabulum outside the fossa when the balloon is inflated. On the other hand, the balloon contact area will not be so small that extremely high pressures are required to distract the joint, thereby requiring balloons with extremely high burst pressures. In preferred embodiments the balloon is capable of generating sufficient force to distract the joint, preferably generating at least 30 pounds of force and more preferably at least 50 pounds of force, and most preferably at least 75 pounds of force with pressure not exceeding about 20 atmospheres (300 psi), more preferably not exceeding about 7 atmospheres (100 psi), and most preferably not exceeding about 5 atmospheres (75 psi). Thus, in preferred embodiments, the total contact area of the balloon on each of the opposing joint surfaces will be about 0.3 to 1.2 square inches (200 to 800 mm2). Additional balloon embodiments are disclosed below. Because of these desired operating conditions, most commercially available balloon catheters would not be suited for distracting a joint. In particular, cardiovascular balloons would generally not be able to distract the joint as far as desired at sufficiently low pressures. Moreover, often, many of the commercially available balloons are very long and therefore would not fit properly in the joint space, would not seat securely in the fossa, or they would obstruct the work field or they could be ejected from the joint during inflation.
After the joint has been distracted, a spacer 4202 as illustrated in
Referring back to
The introducer 4010 is then advanced along the contour of the femoral neck under the labrum L until the vacuum seal between the labrum L and femoral head FH is broken. The tip of the introducer 4010 may be flat in order to help it pass under the labrum. Slight manual traction or manipulation to the hip joint may be applied in order to help the introducer pass under the labrum. Fluid from the introducer may also be injected to help crossing the labrum. The saline 4004 injected into the joint space may also include a surfactant to help ease entry of the fluid into the central compartment in order to break the vacuum seal. Once the seal of the labrum L and femoral head FH is broken, the introducer 4010 is advanced until its tip is within the central compartment of the joint as seen in
For example,
The distraction balloon may have various shapes and/or features to make it susceptible to seating and being retained in the fossa. For example, in
Balloon 606 is mounted to a catheter shaft 608 having a short distal tip 614. The balloon may be made of various materials, preferably inelastic, so that the balloon is non-compliant or semi-compliant and inflated to a generally fixed volume. Possible materials include Nylon, PET, polyurethane, or more compliant materials such as silicone or latex. Balloon wall thickness will preferably range from 0.0013″ to 0.0020″. The distal tip 614 may be a soft durometer polymer to prevent damage to the joint tissue. Other possible tip configurations which may be used with this embodiment or with any of the balloon embodiments disclosed herein are disclosed in further detail below. Shaft 608 may have a single inflation lumen or more preferably shaft 608 has at least two parallel lumens, one for balloon inflation 612 and a second lumen 610 for a guidewire, fluid infusion or passage of other instruments. The shaft may also have concentric lumens. A cross-section of shaft 608 taken along the line A-A in
In a similar embodiment, instead of a cylindrically shaped body, the balloon is spherically shaped or near spherical.
Some balloon embodiments not only distract the joint, but also isolate portions of the joint to create a dry field which facilitates visualization or repair of tissue. For example,
An alternative embodiment of a distraction balloon may have a dome shape in order to create an isolated hollow space surrounded by the dome when the balloon is inflated.
In still another embodiment of a balloon distraction device,
One of skill in the art will recognize that any of the balloon embodiments may include radiopaque markers on the balloon or the shaft to help with visualization during a distraction procedure. It will also be appreciated that other balloon shapes may be used for joint distraction and therefore the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein.
In addition to using balloon geometry to help the balloon seat in the fossa space, balloon surface coatings and features may also be employed. For example, surface features such as bumps, projections, or ridges may be added to one facet or multiple facets including opposing upper and lower facets or on all surfaces of the balloon. For example, in
It may also be important for a physician to be able to see through the balloon and be able to view regions of the joint behind the balloon, typically using an arthroscope. The balloon therefore will preferably be inflated with an inflation fluid which is translucent. Furthermore, the balloon may be constructed of materials which have a refractive index approximately the same as that of the inflation fluid and/or that of the fluid in the joint space. The balloon may also be coated with a material that reduces reflection and enhances translucency. The shaft of the balloon catheter may also include a fiber optic or other light source at its distal end to allow lighting of the joint space. The light source may be within the interior of the balloon, or may be external to the balloon, either proximal or distal to the balloon.
Balloon profile is also important during delivery and during removal from the joint. Because the joint space is particularly tight before distraction, it is desirable to provide a balloon with the lowest delivery profile possible. The balloon may be shaped and have pleats, folds, or other features to help it collapse to a minimal profile upon deflation to facilitate introduction and withdrawal. In addition to carefully folding the balloon over the shaft and delivering the balloon sheathed, other mechanisms may be employed to help maintain a low profile. The proximal and distal ends of the balloon may be coated with a lubricious low-friction coating to facilitate retraction of the balloon into a cannula, sheath or other access device. Other mechanisms actively collapse the balloon. For example, in
A deflated balloon may also be constrained by rolling it into a low profile configuration and constraining it with a sheath. The sheath may be refracted after the balloon has been delivered to a target site and the balloon may be expanded.
Catheter tip configurations are also an important feature of the balloon catheter. The tip should be configured so that it can be passed into and through the joint without getting hung up or damaging joint tissue and bone structures. In particular, the tip should be adapted to pass through the joint without the tendency to go into the fossa where it may engage the fossa walls or ligamentum teres and become obstructed from further advancement. The tip should also be adapted to allow the entire balloon to enter the joint and to be seated in the fossa without undesirable engagement with the posterior articular joint surfaces. The tip will preferably be flexible, usually more flexible than the rest of the catheter shaft. Also, the tip is preferably resilient so that when it has a pre-defined shape, the tip will return to this unbiased shape. Thus the tip preferably extends no more than 10 mm, and more preferably no more than about 5 mm, beyond the distal end of the balloon when the tip is straightened.
In addition to various cross-sectional geometries, the catheter shaft itself may have features which will facilitate its introduction into the joint space. In particular, the hip joint is challenging due to its curvature and depth and surrounding tissue, including ligaments, and tendons that must be penetrated. In one exemplary embodiment, the shaft may have a precurved shape to facilitate such introduction.
The shaft will usually have a lumen for inflation of the balloon. Additionally, the shaft may have a guidewire lumen so that the shaft may be advanced over a guidewire into the joint. The guidewire lumen may extend the full length of the catheter shaft or an exit port may be provided between the balloon and the proximal end of the catheter, usually in the distal half of the catheter, to allow easier placement of the catheter over the wire. For example,
A stopping element may also be coupled with the guidewire in order to prevent over-extension of the guidewire beyond the distal tip of the shaft to a point where the guidewire could damage joint tissues distal to the shaft and balloon. In
The shaft may also have a lumen to receive a stylet for supporting the shaft and enhancing its column strength. The lumen could be a shared lumen, e.g. shared with the guidewire lumen or the inflation lumen, or the catheter may have a separate stylet lumen. The lumens may be coaxial with one another or parallel. For example,
The shaft may also be configured to collapse to a flat configuration when the lumens are evacuated, minimizing its profile and the space that it occupies in the joint. This allows the shaft to be flattened when the balloon is deflated so as to minimize any distraction of the joint or interference with joint movement, allowing the physician to leave the balloon in place and manipulate the joint. For example, in
Some catheter embodiments may include steerable features to help direct the catheter as it is being introduced into the joint space. In
Because the balloon can encounter sharp or rough areas in the joint space and the surgical repair procedure performed on the joint often involves sharp instruments, balloon puncture is a consideration. Therefore, any of the balloons described herein may be multilayered or may be made from a puncture resistant material or they may include coatings which resist puncture. Fibers, a mesh or layers of Kevlar, Vectran or other materials of high toughness may be embedded in or adhered to the wall of the balloon. The balloon may have a multilayered wall to allow higher burst pressures and increase puncture resistance. For example, in
In addition to enhancing balloon puncture resistance, a balloon shield may be used to help protect the balloon from puncture. The shield may be positioned adjacent to or around the balloon and it may be coupled to the balloon catheter shaft or the balloon itself, or it may be part of a separate device independently positionable in the joint. The shield preferably is collapsible by folding or winding, similar to that performed for the balloon, so that the shield may fit in an arthroscopic port or small incision and may be resilient so as to expand once inserted into the port. The shield may also be adapted to connect or adhere to the balloon or catheter shaft to help retain its position.
In some embodiments, the balloon may be detachable from the catheter shaft. For example, in
In addition to the distraction balloon, a system may include a specialized inflation device such as the exemplary embodiment in
Optionally, the inflation device 3212 will include a mechanism which pulls a vacuum on the balloon catheter prior to inflation to remove any air from the catheter. This can be activated by the user with a push of a button or other single handed means. Performing this step ensures that the subsequent inflation will minimize any compressible air present within the catheter and balloon. The “de-airing” mechanism will introduce a bolus of inflation fluid into the balloon to force any air out of the balloon and inflation lumen. The device may be tilted with the balloon downward to allow air to escape proximally through the inflation lumen. A vent may be provided on the inflation device in communication with the inflation lumen to allow the air to escape. The vent may comprise a three-way stopcock on the inflation lumen which may be moved to a position that allows escaping air to exit the inflation lumen. The vent may optionally include a one-way valve to prevent air from re-entering the system.
The inflation device 3202 may also include a gauge 3216 or other type of indicator that indicates balloon pressure and/or amount of distraction. In such embodiments the balloon catheter may include a pressure sensor and/or distraction sensor 3220 on or within the balloon which is electronically coupled to the indicator on the inflation device. The distraction sensor may be an optical sensor such an IR sensor to sense the distance between the joint surfaces and/or the distance to the balloon wall from the shaft. Alternatively the amount of distraction may be simply calculated based on balloon pressure and a pressure/distraction curve created from empirical testing.
Other systems may include an internal distraction device in combination with other specialized instruments for performing therapeutic or diagnostic procedures while the joint has been distracted. For example,
The invention further provides a system comprising an internal distraction catheter and a specialized cannula adapted for introduction of the catheter into the joint capsule. The cannula may include a retention device as illustrated in
Another embodiment of a system having an internal distraction catheter and a specialized cannula adapted for introduction of the catheter into the joint capsule is illustrated in
Still other embodiments of cannulas which may be used with the distraction tools disclosed herein include the split cannula seen in
While the above is a complete description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, various alternatives, modifications, and equivalents may be used. The various features of the embodiments disclosed herein may be combined or substituted with one another. Therefore, the above description should not be taken as limiting in scope of the invention which is defined by the appended claims.
This patent application is a continuation of pending prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/483,446, filed Jun. 12, 2009 by David Boudreault et al. for METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR JOINT DISTRACTION, which in turn claims benefit of:(i) prior U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/061,457, filed Jun. 13, 2008 by Vivek Shenoy et al. for DEVICES AND METHODS TO DISTRACT AND TREAT JOINTS; and(ii) prior U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/164,604, filed Mar. 30, 2009 by Vivek Shenoy et al. for METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR JOINT DISTRACTION. The above-identified patent applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
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| Parent | 12483446 | Jun 2009 | US |
| Child | 14715720 | US |
