Instruments and methods for stabilization of bony structures

• US 20070198015A1
• Filed: 01/23/2007
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jeff Justis, Kevin Foley, Michael C. Sherman
• Original Assignee: Jeff Justis, Kevin Foley, Michael C. Sherman
• Inventors: Foley, Kevin, Sherman, Michael, Justis, Jeff
• Granted Patent: US 7,867,259 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/86.00A
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1671 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7038 to a different extent in different directions, e.g. within one plane only
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7086 Rod reducers, i.e. devices providing a mechanical advantage to allow a user to force a rod into or onto an anchor head other than by means of a rod-to-bone anchor locking element; rod removers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7089 wherein insertion is along an arcuate path
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/88 Osteosynthesis instruments; Methods or means for implanting or extracting internal or external fixation devices A61B17/7074 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8872 Instruments for putting said fixation devices against or away from the bone A61B17/7074, A61B17/808 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8897 Guide wires or guide pins
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/90 Guides therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/681 Alignment, compression, or distraction mechanisms

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods and instruments for placing a brace or connecting element into an animal subject for engagement with anchors secured in the animal subject. The installation instrument includes anchor extensions coupled to the anchors. The instrument is movable with respect to the anchors to position the connecting element in a position more proximate the anchors.

Claims

1-15. -15. (canceled)

16. A minimally invasive surgical method, comprising:

accessing at least one of a disc space and an intertransverse space between adjacent vertebrae from a first location on a patient;

inserting from the first location at least one device into the at least one disc space and intertransverse space;

engaging from the first location first and second anchors to corresponding ones of the adjacent vertebrae; and

positioning a connecting element proximate the first and second anchors from a second location on a patient remote from the first location.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein engaging first and second anchors includes percutaneously inserting the first and second anchors through the first location.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein positioning the connecting element includes positioning the connecting element percutaneously from the second location.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising removing disc material from the disc space before inserting the at least one device.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one device is an interbody fusion device inserted into the disc space through a retractor sleeve percutaneously inserted at the first location.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

removing the retractor sleeve before engaging the first and second anchors.

22-49. -49. (canceled)

50. A minimally invasive surgical method, comprising:

accessing at least one of a disc space and an intertransverse space between adjacent vertebrae from a first location on a patient;

engaging from the first location first and second anchors to corresponding ones of the adjacent vertebrae, wherein the first and second anchors include anchor extensions extending proximally therefrom through the first location;

inserting from the first location at least one device into the at least one disc space and intertransverse space; and

engaging a connecting element to the first and second anchors.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein engaging first and second anchors includes percutaneously inserting the first and second anchors through the first location.

52. The method of claim 50, wherein engaging the connecting element includes positioning the connecting element percutaneously from a second location to the first and second anchors.

53. The method of claim 50, further comprising removing disc material from the disc space before inserting the at least one device.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the at least one device is an interbody fusion device inserted into the disc space.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein the interbody fusion device is inserted through a retractor sleeve percutaneously inserted at the first location.

56. The method of claim 55, further comprising:

removing the retractor sleeve before engaging the first and second anchors.

57. The method of claim 50, wherein the connecting element is referenced to the first and second anchor extensions and percutaneously positioned to the first and second anchors before engaging the connecting element to the first and second anchors.

58. The method of claim 50, further comprising controlling an orientation of passageways of the first and second anchors with the first and second anchor extensions to align the passageways to receive the connecting element before engaging the connecting element.

59. The method of claim 50, further comprising manipulating the first and second anchor extensions to distract the adjacent vertebrae before engaging the connecting element to the first and second anchors.

60. A minimally invasive surgical method, comprising:

accessing at least one of a disc space and an intertransverse space between adjacent vertebrae from a first location on a patient;

engaging from the first location first and second anchors to corresponding ones of the adjacent vertebrae, wherein the first and second anchors include anchor extensions extending proximally therefrom through the first location;

manipulating the first and second anchor extensions to distract the adjacent vertebrae before engaging the connecting element to the first and second anchors; and

inserting from the first location at least one device into the at least one disc space and intertransverse space.

61. The method of claim 60, further comprising:

positioning a connecting element between the first and second anchors; and

engaging the connecting element to the first and second anchors.

62. The method of claim 61, further comprising aligning passageways of the first and second anchors with the first and second anchor extensions to receiving the connecting element before engaging the connecting to the first and second anchors.

63. The method of claim 61, further comprising:

removing disc material from the disc space before inserting the at least one device, wherein the at least one device is an interbody fusion device inserted into the disc space.