Instrument and method for milling a path into bone

• US 20040158254A1
• Filed: 01/07/2004
• Published: 08/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Warsaw Orthopedic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: SDGI Holdings Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Eisermann, Lukas
• Application Number:
  US10/752,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20040158254A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/79
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1615 Drill bits, i.e. rotating tools extending from a handpiece to contact the worked material
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1624 Drive mechanisms therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1637 Hollow drills or saws producing a curved cut, e.g. cylindrical A61B10/025, A61B17/1695 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1642 for producing a curved bore
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1671 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1757 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1602 Mills
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/08 Muscles; Tendons; Ligaments sutures A61B17/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30767 Special external or bone-contacting surface, e.g. coating for improving bone ingrowth
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4425 made of articulated components
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/447 substantially parallelepipedal, e.g. having a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4611 of spinal prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4684 Trial or dummy prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/2835 Bone graft implants for filling a bony defect or an endoprosthesis cavity, e.g. by synthetic material or biological material
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3008 radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30131 horseshoe- or crescent- or C-shaped or U-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30133 kidney-shaped or bean-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30156 triangular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30166 H-shaped or I-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30172 T-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30373 : with additional means for preventing said translation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30387 : Dovetail connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30401 : with additional means for preventing or locking said sliding
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30507 : using a threaded locking member, e.g. a locking screw or a set screw
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30593 : hollow
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30649 : Ball-and-socket joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30686 : Devices for removing particulate debris from prosthetic joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30769 : madreporic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30785 : parallel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30836 : knurled
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30845 : with cutting edges
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30884 : Fins or wings, e.g. longitudinal wings for preventing rotation within the bone cavity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30925 : etched
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4627 : with linear motion along or rotating motion about the instrument axis or the implantation direction, e.g. telescopic, along a guiding rod, screwing inside the instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0025 : Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0033 : made by longitudinally pushing a protrusion into a complementary-shaped recess, e.g. held by friction fit
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0013 : Horseshoe-shaped, e.g. crescent-shaped, C-shaped, U-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0015 : Kidney-shaped, e.g. bean-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0023 : triangular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0028 : Shapes in the form of latin or greek characters
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0052 : T-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0098 : radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00017 : Iron- or Fe-based alloys, e.g. stainless steel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00023 : Titanium or titanium-based alloys, e.g. Ti-Ni alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00796 : Coating or prosthesis-covering structure made of a phosphorus-containing compound, e.g. hydroxy(l)apatite

Abstract

An instrument and method for cutting a path in bone are provided. The instrument includes a curved guide member defining a curved opening extending therein, and a bit member positioned within the opening of the guide member. The bit member is adapted to move within the opening of the guide member to cut a path in bone.

Claims

1. A system for simultaneously removing portions of proximate endplates of adjacent vertebral bodies, the system comprising:

a guide member defining an extended opening extending therein, the guide member being configured to fit in a disc space between the two vertebral bodies;

a bit member positioned within the opening of the guide member, the bit member including a superior cutting portion for cutting the end plate of a superior vertebral body, and an inferior cutting portion for cutting the end plate of an inferior vertebral body;

a rotatable element operatively connected to the bit member to impart rotational movement to the superior and inferior cutting portions, and operatively connected to the guide member for moving the bit member along at least a portion of the extended opening.

2. An instrument for cutting a path in bone, comprising a non-linear guide member defining a non-linear opening extending therein, and a bit member positioned within the opening of the guide member, the bit member being adapted to move within the opening of the guide member to cut a path in bone.

3. The instrument of claim 2 wherein the bit member comprises at least one bearing assembly disposed adjacent to the guide member to accommodate positioning of the bit member within the opening of the guide member.

4. The instrument of claim 2 further comprising at least one rotatable element to accommodate rotational movement of the bit member within the opening of the guide member.

5. The instrument of claim 4 wherein the rotatable element is a gear assembly.

6. The instrument of claim 2 wherein the bit member extends from a first vertebra to an adjacent second vertebra.

7. The instrument of claim 4 further comprising a power source operatively connected to the rotatable element of the bit member for imparting rotational movement to the bit member.

8. The instrument of claim 7 further comprising a conduit extending from the guide member for housing a shaft associated with the power source and the rotatable element.

9. The instrument of claim 8 wherein the conduit is operatively connected to the bit member and is adapted to impart translational movement to the bit member.

10. The instrument of claim 2 wherein the non-linear guide member provides a relatively smooth curvature and a degree of curvature of the curved guide member corresponds to a predetermined cutting path.

11. The instrument of claim 10 wherein the predetermined cutting path accommodates a transforaminal approach for cutting vertebral bone.

12. The instrument of claim 2 wherein non-linear guide member provides a relatively smooth curvature and a degree of curvature of the guide member is variable.

13. The instrument of claim 8 further comprising a handle connected to the guide member.

14. The instrument of claim 13 wherein the handle is disposed concentrically about the conduit.

15. An instrument for cutting a path in bone, comprising a curved guide member defining a curved opening extending therein, a bit member positioned within the opening of the guide member, a rotatable element operatively connected to the bit member to impart rotational movement to the bit member, a handle operatively connected to the bit member to impart translational movement to the bit member, wherein the bit member is adapted to cut a curved path into bone via rotational movement in and translational movement through the guide member.

16. The instrument of claim 15 wherein the curved path cut into bone corresponds to a transforaminal approach to the bone.

17. The instrument of claim 15 further comprising at least one bearing assembly to accommodate positioning of the bit member within the curved opening of the guide member.

18. The instrument of claim 15 wherein the degree of curvature of the guide member is variable to correspond to a predetermined cutting path.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein actuating the instrument imparts rotational movement to the bit member via a gear assembly.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein actuating the instrument imparts rotational movement to the bit member via a pneumatic system.

19. A method for cutting a curved path into bone, comprising providing an instrument having a curved guide member, the curved guide member defining a curved opening therein, positioning a bit member within the opening of the guide member, actuating the instrument to impart rotational movement to the bit member, engaging the bit member with bone, and imparting a translational force to the bit member to cut a curved path in bone.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the curved cutting path is variable.