Disk flow and methods therefor

• US 5,163,939 A
• Filed: 03/20/1992
• Issued: 11/17/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Frederick Winston
• Original Assignee: Frederick Winston
• Inventors: Winston, Frederick
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US07/855,513
• Time in Patent Office: 242 Days
• Field of Search: 606/79, 606/60, 606/61, 606/205-207, 606/99, 606/86, 606/90, 606/84, 623/17
• US Class Current: 606/79
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0218 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0281, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/30 Surgical pincettes without pivotal connectionsfor holding suture needles or materials A61B17/0483; wound clamps A61B17/08 ; hand-held gripping tools without pivotal connections in general B25B9/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320016 Endoscopic cutting instruments, e.g. arthroscopes, resectoscopes A61B10/0233, A61B17/29, A61B17/3207 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00261 Discectomy
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/442 Intervertebral or spinal discs, e.g. resilient non-disc-shaped intervertebral inflatable pockets A61F2/441; non-disc-shaped intervertebral fusion implants A61F2/4455

Abstract

A medical instrument for engaging a fragment of disk tissue located anterior to the spinal cord and between two vertebrae which comprises an elongated handle member having first and second ends, and a slender curved member extending from the second end of the handle, with the slender curved member terminating in a blunt tip, which blunt tip is employed for engaging the disk tissue fragment. Preferably, the slender curved member has a radius of curvature of about 0.24", a thickness dimension of about 0.1", and is oriented with respect to the handle member at an angle of about 82.5°. It is further preferable that the blunt tip have a concavedly cylindrical surface with a radius of curvature of about 0.75", a width dimension in a plane parallel to its radius of curvature of about 0.38", and extend from the slender curved member by about 0.62 inches.

Claims

1. In an operative site including a spinal cord, a plurality of vertebrae surrounding said spinal cord along a length thereof, and disk tissue located between said vertebrae, a method of grasping a fragment of disk tissue located anterior to said spinal cord between two of said vertebrae comprising the steps of:

exposing said operative site,

inserting a first end of a first instrument between said two vertebrae on one side of said spinal cord,

inserting a first end of a second instrument between said two vertebrae on another side of said spinal cord,

engaging said disk tissue fragment with said first end of said first instrument,

biasing said disk tissue fragment with said first end of said first instrument towards said first end of said second instrument, and

grasping said disk tissue fragment with said first end of said second instrument.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a space between said two vertebrae is enlarged with a reverse curette by curetting said two vertebrae.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said second instrument is a forceps.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said first instrument comprises:

an elongated handle member having first and second ends, and

a slender curved member extending from said second end of said handle, said slender curved member terminating in a blunt tip for engaging said disk tissue fragment.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said handle member tapers gradually to said slender curved member.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said slender curved member has a radius of curvature of about 0.24 inches.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said slender curved member has a thickness dimension of about 0.1 inches.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said slender curved member is oriented at an angle of about 82.5 degrees with respect to said handle member.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said blunt tip has a disk tissue fragment engaging concavedly cylindrical surface, said surface having a radius of curvature of about 0.75 inches.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said blunt tip has a width dimension in a plane parallel to said radius of curvature of said cylindrical surface of about 0.38 inches.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein a forward edge of said blunt tip extends from said slender curved member by about 0.62 inches.