CLAIMS

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of fusing a sacroiliac joint defined between a sacrum and an ilium via a posterior approach, the sacroiliac joint comprising a posterior aspect, an articular plane defined by an articular boundary, and an extra-articular plane outside the articular boundary, the articular boundary defining an anterior boundary segment at an anterior portion of the articular plane, a posterior boundary segment at a posterior portion of the articular plane and comprising a superior-posterior corner and an inferior-posterior corner, and the ilium comprising a posterior superior iliac spine (PSIS) and a posterior inferior iliac spine (PIIS), the method comprising:

a) approaching the posterior aspect of the sacroiliac joint with a joint implant comprising a proximal end, a distal end opposite the proximal end, a length extending between the proximal end and the distal end, a non-threaded cylindrical body extending the length, and at least one planar member coupled to and extending outward from the non-threaded cylindrical body, the at least one planar member extending at least partially the length, the at least one planar member comprising a first planar member; and

b) implanting the joint implant into the sacroiliac joint via the posterior aspect such that the joint implant has an implanted position in the sacroiliac joint where the joint implant bridges across the sacroiliac joint and into the sacrum and the ilium with the first planar member positioned in a plane generally transverse to the articular plane.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-threaded cylindrical body comprises an axial bore and a plurality of apertures arranged along the length, the plurality of apertures extending from an exterior surface of the non-threaded cylindrical body into an inner portion thereof.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first planar member comprises a passageway extending therethrough in a direction generally transverse to the length.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the passageway extends between apertures on opposite faces of the first planar member, wherein a perimeter of the apertures on the opposite faces is substantially larger than a perimeter of each of the plurality of apertures extending into the inner portion of the non-threaded cylindrical body.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-threaded cylindrical body comprises a tapered distal tip at the distal end.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first planar member comprises a tapered distal edge.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the tapered distal edge comprises a double bevel edge.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein, in implanting the joint implant into the sacroiliac joint via the posterior aspect, the joint implant passes through an access region defined between the superior-posterior corner and the inferior-posterior corner.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising inserting biocompatible material within an opening of the joint implant.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising: c) inserting a guide wire into the sacroiliac joint; and d) advancing a cannulated probe having a distal spatulate portion over the guide wire and into the sacroiliac joint.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming an implant receiving space by removing at least one of bone and cartilage from the sacrum, the ilium, or the sacroiliac joint prior to implanting the joint implant into the sacroiliac joint.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a cross-section of the joint implant generally transverse to the length approximates a shape and size of the implant receiving space.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising: advancing an access tube up to the posterior aspect of the sacroiliac joint and engaging a drill jig with the access tube, wherein the step of forming the implant receiving space comprises: aligning the drill jig comprising a plurality of drill guide holes spaced apart in a predetermined pattern such that the drill jig is generally centered with a joint plane of the sacroiliac joint; and drilling at least two bores through at least two drill guide holes of the plurality of drill guide holes so as to form the implant receiving space for the subsequent implantation of the joint implant.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least two bores are generally coplanar with the joint plane of the sacroiliac joint.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of forming the implant receiving space comprises: aligning a drill jig comprising a plurality of drill guide holes such that at least one of the plurality of drill guide holes is generally coplanar with a joint plane of the sacroiliac joint; and drilling at least one bore into the sacroiliac joint through at least one of the plurality of drill guide holes so as to form the implant receiving space for the subsequent implantation of the joint implant.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of forming the implant receiving space comprises: aligning a drill jig comprising a plurality of drill guide holes such that at least one of the plurality of drill guide holes is generally coplanar with a joint plane of the sacroiliac joint; and drilling at least one bore within the sacroiliac joint so as to remove an amount of the cartilage from within the sacroiliac joint.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising: approaching the posterior aspect of the sacroiliac joint with a broach; and advancing a distal end of the broach via the posterior aspect such that the broach forms the implant receiving space for the subsequent implantation of the joint implant.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of forming the implant receiving space comprises: positioning a broach jig up to the sacroiliac joint, the broach jig comprising a broach guide hole configured to guide a broach into the sacroiliac joint; and advancing a distal end of a broach into the sacroiliac joint.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the implanted position comprises the joint implant being positioned in a caudal portion of the sacroiliac joint.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the caudal portion is bounded on an inferior side by an inferior boundary segment and on a superior side by a laterally extending portion of the posterior boundary segment.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein, in implanting the joint implant into the sacroiliac joint, a bottom surface of the body of the joint implant is generally parallel to an inferior sacroiliac joint border.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein when the non-threaded cylindrical body generally extends along the length of the articular plane of the sacroiliac joint, the non-threaded cylindrical body is positioned substantially within the sacroiliac joint.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the joint implant crosses the extra-articular plane.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the joint implant accesses the sacroiliac joint via the posterior boundary segment at the posterior portion of the articular plane.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one planar member further comprises a second planar member, a third planar member, and a fourth planar member, wherein the first and second planar members are generally parallel to each other, and the third and fourth planar members are generally parallel to each other.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein, in the implanted position, the first planar member extends into the sacrum, the second planar member extends into the ilium, and the third and fourth planar members are positioned within the articular plane.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein, in implanting the joint implant into the sacroiliac joint via the posterior aspect, the joint implant passes through an access region defined between the PSIS and PIIS.

28. The method of claim 1, further comprising: c) advancing a tool having a distal spatulate portion into the sacroiliac joint.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising: d) advancing an access tube over the tool and up to the posterior aspect of the sacroiliac joint.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the implanted position of the joint implant comprises the non-threaded cylindrical body positioned non-transversely to the sacroiliac joint such that it generally extends along a length of the articular plane of the sacroiliac joint.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-threaded cylindrical body has a diameter between about 0.5 centimeters (cm) and about 1 cm, and wherein the length is disposed between a first end and a second end, the length being between about 3 cm and about 6 cm.

32. A method of fusing a sacroiliac joint defined between a sacrum and an ilium via a posterior approach, the sacroiliac joint comprising a posterior aspect, an articular plane defined by an articular boundary, and an extra-articular plane outside the articular boundary, the articular boundary defining an anterior boundary segment at an anterior portion of the articular plane, a posterior boundary segment at a posterior portion of the articular plane and comprising a superior-posterior corner and an inferior-posterior corner, and the ilium comprising a posterior superior iliac spine (PSIS) and a posterior inferior iliac spine (PIIS), the method comprising:

a) approaching the posterior aspect of the sacroiliac joint with a joint implant comprising a first implant segment, a second implant segment, and a third implant segment, the second implant segment positioned in between the first and third implant segments, the first implant segment having a first distal portion that is distal to a second distal portion of the second implant segment;

33. The method of claim 32, wherein, in the implanted position, a portion of the joint implant is positioned non-transversely in the articular plane of the sacroiliac joint.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein, in implanting the joint implant into the sacroiliac joint via the posterior aspect, the joint implant passes through an access region defined between the PSIS and PIIS.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the second implant segment comprises a planar member.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the second implant segment comprises an elongated aperture that communicates between opposite faces of the planar member.

37. The method of claim 32, wherein the joint implant comprises an exterior surface comprising at least one cylindrical elongate body, and a planar member.

38. The method of claim 32, wherein the joint implant comprises an exterior surface comprising at least two cylindrical elongate bodies, and a planar member.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the at least two cylindrical elongate bodies are oriented coaxially.

40. The method of claim 32, wherein the joint implant further comprises a non-threaded exterior surface.

41. The method of claim 32, wherein the first, second, and third implant segments are separate components, and wherein implanting the joint implant into the sacroiliac joint comprises individually implanting the first, second, and third implant segments.

US10492915B2

SI-TECHNOLOGY