Sac for use in spinal surgery

Abstract

A method for fusing spinal bone is provided. The method comprises placing a sac between two or more adjacent sections of the spine to be fused, and filling the sac with bone tissue. The surfaces of the sac abutting the sections of the spine comprise porous material for allowing bone to grow between the spine and the sac. Surfaces of the sac not abutting the sections of the spine are nonporous to bodily fluids and thereby prevent premature deterioration of the bone tissue inside the sac. A sac for fusing spinal bone and a kit comprising the sac are also provided.

1 . A method for fusing spinal bone, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) placing a sac between two or more adjacent sections of the spine to be fused, wherein the surface of the sac abutting the sections of the spine comprises porous material for allowing bone to grow between the spine and the sac, and the surface of the sac not abutting the sections of the spine is nonporous to bodily fluids; and   (b) filling the sac with bone tissue.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the sections of the spine are vertebra. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the sections of the spine are sections of the lumbar spine, cervical spine, or both. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the bone tissue comprises bone chips, bone fragments, osteocytes, bone cement, cartilage chips, cartilage-forming material, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the sac further comprises an inorganic bone growth support. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the inorganic bone growth support is calcium phosphate. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein step (b) is performed before step (a). 
     
     
         9 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the sac has the general appearance of a pill. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the sac is formed from a synthetic material, a natural material, or both. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the sac further comprises a rigid structural element for maintaining the sac in an expanded state upon filling. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the rigid element is opaque to medical imaging equipment. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the surfaces of the sac abutting the sections of the spine are flat. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the height of the sac generally corresponds to the distance between the sections of the spine to be fused. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method is performed during an endoscopic or arthroscopic surgery procedure. 
     
     
         18 . A sac for fusing spinal bone, the sac having generally flat upper and lower surfaces and a peripheral surface between the upper and lower surfaces, the surfaces defining an interior volume intended to be filled with bone tissue,
 wherein the upper and lower surfaces of the sac are porous to bone ingrowth and the peripheral surface is nonporous to bodily fluids.   
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The sac according to  claim 18 , further comprising a rigid structural element for maintaining the sac in an expanded state upon filling. 
     
     
         21 . The sac according to  claim 20 , wherein the rigid structural element is opaque to medical imaging equipment. 
     
     
         22 . The sac according to  claim 18 , wherein the bone tissue comprises bone chips, bone fragments, osteocytes, bone cement, cartilage chips, cartilage-forming material, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The sac according to  claim 18 , wherein the sac has the overall appearance of a pill. 
     
     
         25 . The sac according to  claim 18 , wherein the upper surface of the sac, the lower surface of the sac, or both, are generally non-rectilinear, round, or oblate. 
     
     
         26 - 30 . (canceled)