Stabilization of vertebral bodies with bone particle slurry

Abstract

A medical implant comprises a slurry of bone particles that are injected into a vertebral body under pressure. The liquid component of the slurry may be aspirated while the slurry is being injected so that the bone particles of the slurry pack into the central area of the vertebral body to provide structural support. The injected slurry may be agitated during the procedure to maximize the structural strength of the implant after the procedure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A surgical kit comprising:
 a cannula configured for accessing the interior portion of a human vertebral body;   a slurry of bone particles;   a slurry pump configured to force at least some of the slurry of bone particles down the cannula and into the interior portion of the vertebral body.   
     
     
         2 . The surgical kit of  claim 1 , wherein the cannula has an inner diameter of between 2.5 and 5 millimeters. 
     
     
         3 . The surgical kit of  claim 1 , wherein the distal end of the cannula comprises at least one slurry output opening. 
     
     
         4 . The surgical kit of  claim 3 , wherein at least one slurry output opening is positioned on the side of the cannula. 
     
     
         5 . The surgical kit of  claim 1 , comprising a catheter having a proximal end and a distal end, the catheter being configured to be inserted into the vertebral body through the cannula. 
     
     
         6 . The surgical kit of  claim 5 , wherein the catheter has an inner diameter of between 1.5 and 2.5 millimeters. 
     
     
         7 . The surgical kit of  claim 5 , wherein the distal end of the catheter comprises at least one slurry output opening. 
     
     
         8 . The surgical kit of  claim 7 , wherein at least one slurry output opening is positioned on the side of the catheter. 
     
     
         9 . The surgical kit of  claim 1 , wherein the slurry is 20-85% bone by volume. 
     
     
         10 . The surgical kit of  claim 1 , wherein the slurry consists essentially of saline solution and bone particles. 
     
     
         11 . The surgical kit of  claim 1 , wherein at least 90% of the bone particles have a characteristic size of 50 micrometers to 1000 micrometers. 
     
     
         12 . The surgical kit of  claim 1 , wherein the bone particles include at least two populations of bone particles having different mean characteristic sizes, each population comprising at least 10% by mass of the bone particles. 
     
     
         13 . The surgical kit of  claim 12 , wherein the particle size distribution is characterized by a uniformity coefficient D60/D10 of at least 2. 
     
     
         14 . The surgical kit of  claim 5 , wherein the slurry of bone particles is pre-packed in the catheter and/or the slurry pump. 
     
     
         15 . The surgical kit of  claim 1 , wherein at least 90% of the bone particles are cortical bone particles. 
     
     
         16 . The surgical kit of  claim 1 , comprising two separate cannulas, two separate slurries of bone particles, and two separate slurry pumps. 
     
     
         17 . A medical implant for use in structurally supporting vertebral bodies, the implant comprising a slurry of bone particles, wherein the slurry comprises 30% to 85% bone by mass, wherein at least 90% of the bone particles have a characteristic size of 1 micrometer to 1000 micrometers, wherein the bone particles include at least two populations of bone particles having different mean characteristic sizes, each population comprising at least 10% by mass of the bone particles, and wherein the particle size distribution has a uniformity coefficient D60/D10 of at least 2.