Methods and instrumentation for the surgical correction of human thoracic and lumbar spinal disease from the lateral aspect of the spine
First Claim
1. A method of inserting an intraspinal implant from the lateral aspect of the human spine, comprising the steps of:
- (a) making a penetration from the lateral aspect of a spinal disc intermediate two adjacent vertebrae;
(b) removing at least a portion of said spinal disc; and
(c) inserting through said penetration at least one implant between said adjacent vertebrae.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved method and instrumentation for performing spinal surgery, including discectomy, interbody fusion and rigid internal fixation of the spine, from the lateral aspect of the spine is disclosed. The surgical procedure can be performed through a very small incision. The instrumentation of the present invention, all of which is inserted from a lateral position into the spine in the preferred embodiment, comprises a guide pin, a distractor, an extended outer sleeve, an inner sleeve an adjustable drill and an implant driver. The distractor of the present invention is driven into the disc for spacing apart and realigning the adjacent vertebrae. It further functions as an alignment rod for inserting the extended outer sleeve which is a hollow tubular member capable of maintaining said spacing and alignment of two adjacent vertebrae and defines a protected space through which subsequent instruments which may include, but are not limited to, a drill and a diameter reducing inner sleeve may be passed, as well as a spinal implant. The remainder of the surgical procedure consisting of the removal of spinal material across the disc, fusion, and rigid internal stabilization via the implant may all be performed via the closed space within the extended outer sleeve.
331 Citations
94 Claims
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1. A method of inserting an intraspinal implant from the lateral aspect of the human spine, comprising the steps of:
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(a) making a penetration from the lateral aspect of a spinal disc intermediate two adjacent vertebrae;
(b) removing at least a portion of said spinal disc; and
(c) inserting through said penetration at least one implant between said adjacent vertebrae. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 91, 92, 93, 94)
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26. The method of claim i in which a chisel is used to remove a portion of at least one of said adjacent vertebrae.
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58. A method of inserting an intraspinal implant from the lateral aspect of the spine, comprising the steps of:
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(a) making a penetration from the lateral aspect of a spinal disc intermediate two adjacent vertebrae;
(b) firmly engaging the lateral aspect of the spine with a hollow tubular member;
(c) removing at least a portion of said spinal disc through said hollow tubular member; and
(d) inserting through said hollow tubular member at least one implant between said adjacent vertebrae.
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59. A method of insertion an intraspinal implant from the lateral aspect of the spine, comprising the steps of:
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driving toward the lateral aspect of a spinal disc intermediate two adjacent vertebrae an extended outer sleeve having engaging means for engaging the spine along its lateral aspect;
removing through at least a portion of said extended outer sleeve at least a portion of said spinal disc; and
inserting into the lateral aspect of the spine at least one implant, said implant occupying at least in part the space created by the removal of said portion of spinal disc.
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60. A method for inserting a spinal implant across two adjacent vertebrae in the spine from the lateral aspect of the spine using a distracting means to space apart said adjacent vertebrae;
- approach, comprising the steps of;
inserting from the lateral aspect of the spine an extended outer sleeve having engagement means for engaging the spine;
engaging said extended outer sleeve to the spine;
removing said distractor means;
removing at least a portion of a spinal disc intermediate said adjacent vertebrae;
inserting an implant through at least a portion of said extended outer sleeve into the disc space; and
removing the extended outer sleeve. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 68, 69, 70, 71)
- approach, comprising the steps of;
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67. A distractor instrument for distracting the disc space between two adjacent vertebrae in the spine from the lateral aspect of the spine, comprising a penetrating portion for insertion in the disc space between two adjacent vertebrae, said penetrating portion having a length that is less than the transverse width of the vertebrae and greater than the anterior to posterior dimension of the vertebrae.
- 72. A surgical instrument comprising a hollow tubular member and an engagement means for engaging the lateral aspect of the spine.
- 82. An extended outer sleeve for use in inserting a spinal implant into a hole formed across a disc space and into two adjacent vertebrae from the lateral aspect of the spine, comprising a hollow tubular member having at one end a distraction means for distracting and aligning the two adjacent vertebrae.
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90. A depth limiting device for a surgical instrument having a shaft and a grooved portion on said shaft, said surgical instrument being operated through a guide means having a passage way for receiving said shaft, comprising:
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an adjustable collar for limiting the depth of said surgical instrument engaging said shaft, said collar having a diameter larger than the diameter of said shaft and larger than said passageway; and
a pair of diametrically opposed flange members pivotably mounted to said collar capable of engaging said grooved area, said flanged members being spring biased to engage said grooved portion when biased, and disengage said grooved portion when unbiased.
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Specification