Cervical distraction/implant delivery device

Abstract

Systems for distracting a facet joint and positioning a permanent implant in the joint are disclosed. The implants serve to retain a distracted position of the facet joint which is achieved with positioning of the leading end of a distraction tool in the facet joint and then distracting or enlarging the joint a desired amount. The permanent implant could be part of the distraction mechanism which can be separated from the delivery tool once the joint has been distracted or an auxiliary implant may be positioned before the distraction mechanism is removed from the distracted joint. The permanent implants can be solid, mechanical devices that may have fixation means thereon to hold them in place or injected fluids such as hydrogels or fluids confined within balloons.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A system for treating a spinal facet joint, the system comprising:
 a spinal facet implant configured for minimally invasive insertion into the spinal facet joint; and   a delivery assembly comprising:
 a body configured for minimally invasively accessing the spinal facet joint and including a distal region, a proximal region opposite the distal region and a channel extending between the distal and proximal regions, the distal region including a first member and a second member offset from the first member transverse to a longitudinal axis of the channel, each of the first and second members distally terminating in a beveled termination and collectively defining a distal tip of the body; and 
 a cylindrical body distally displaceable within the channel and along the longitudinal axis, 
   wherein:   the first member slidably displaces along the longitudinal axis relative to the second member,   the displacement of the first member separates the first member from the second member thereby distracting the spinal facet joint, and   the system is configured such that, when the spinal facet implant is located in the channel and the distal tip is located in the spinal facet joint, distal displacement of the cylindrical body along the longitudinal axis causes the spinal facet implant to distally displace between the beveled terminations for implantation of the spinal facet implant into the spinal facet joint.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the cylindrical body is slidably coupled to the body. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the beveled terminations are moveable relative to each other. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the beveled terminations are biased towards each other. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the body further includes an elastic band extending around first and second members and biasing the beveled terminations towards each other. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the beveled terminations are configured to displace away from each other to distract the spinal facet joint when the beveled terminations are located in the spinal facet joint. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the spinal facet implant comprises allograft. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the spinal facet implant comprises steel. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the spinal facet implant comprises polymer, carbon or silicone. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the spinal facet implant is configured to fuse the spinal facet joint. 
     
     
         31 . A method of treating a spinal facet joint, the method comprising:
 inserting into the spinal facet joint via a minimally invasive posterior approach a pair of beveled terminations of a respective pair of first and second members of a distal region of a body of a delivery assembly, the members being offset from each other transverse to a longitudinal axis of a channel of the body, the channel extending between the distal region and a proximal region of the body, and the pair of beveled terminations defining a distal tip of the body;   slidably displacing the first member along the longitudinal axis relative to the second member, such that the displacement of the first member separates the first member from the second member to distract the spinal facet joint; and   distally displacing a cylindrical body within the channel to cause a distal end of the cylindrical body to distally displace a spinal facet implant located between the pair of members, the distal displacing of the cylindrical body taking place while the beveled terminations are located within the spinal facet joint.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the cylindrical body is slidably coupled to the body. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the pair of beveled terminations are inserted into the spinal facet joint with a first beveled termination of the pair of the beveled terminations oriented superior in the spinal facet joint and a second beveled termination of the pair of the beveled terminations oriented inferior in the spinal facet joint. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising distracting the facet joint by causing the beveled terminations to displace away from each other while located within the spinal facet joint. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the beveled terminations are biased towards each other. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the body further includes an elastic band extending around the members and biasing the beveled terminations towards each other. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the spinal facet implant comprises allograft. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the spinal facet implant comprises steel. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the spinal facet implant comprises polymer, carbon or silicone. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the spinal facet implant is configured to fuse the spinal facet joint.