Spinal stabilization surgical method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A surgical method for implanting at least two spinal fusion implants into a disc space of disc material separating a first and second vertebrae, said disc space and first and second vertebrae divisible into first and second sides separated by a sagittal plane, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) inserting a rigid distraction spacer into said disc space at a desired first implant location on said first side with said first distraction spacer sized for external surfaces of said first distraction spacer to act against first and second end plates of said first and second vertebrae, respectively, to urge said first and second vertebrae apart upon said insertion, said spacer inserted for said spacer to be recessed within said space so as not to substantially protrude beyond said space;
(b) placing a guide at said second side while maintaining distraction at said first implant location with said distraction spacer and with said guide adapted to direct tools axially through an axis parallel to and equidistant between opposing end plates of said first and second vertebrae;
(c) forming a second implant bore at a desired second implant location by removing bone material from said first and second vertebrae and by removing disc material at said second implant location with said second implant bore sized to receive said second implant, said forming of said second bore utilizing at least a first boring tool guided by said guide;
(d) implanting said second implant into said second implant bore;
(e) removing first distraction spacer and applying a guide to said first side;
(f) forming a first implant bore at said desired first location by removing bone material from said first and second vertebrae and by removing disc material at said first implant location with said first bore sized to receive said first implant, said forming of said first bore utilizing at least a first boring tool guided by said guide at said first side; and
(g) implanting said first implant into said first implant bore.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Spinal fusion implants are inserted into a disc space of disc material separating first and second vertebrae by forming bores between the vertebrae. A distraction spacer is temporarily put in place on one side of the vertebrae while a bore is being formed on an opposite side of the vertebrae.
1189 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A surgical method for implanting at least two spinal fusion implants into a disc space of disc material separating a first and second vertebrae, said disc space and first and second vertebrae divisible into first and second sides separated by a sagittal plane, said method comprising the steps of:
-
(a) inserting a rigid distraction spacer into said disc space at a desired first implant location on said first side with said first distraction spacer sized for external surfaces of said first distraction spacer to act against first and second end plates of said first and second vertebrae, respectively, to urge said first and second vertebrae apart upon said insertion, said spacer inserted for said spacer to be recessed within said space so as not to substantially protrude beyond said space; (b) placing a guide at said second side while maintaining distraction at said first implant location with said distraction spacer and with said guide adapted to direct tools axially through an axis parallel to and equidistant between opposing end plates of said first and second vertebrae; (c) forming a second implant bore at a desired second implant location by removing bone material from said first and second vertebrae and by removing disc material at said second implant location with said second implant bore sized to receive said second implant, said forming of said second bore utilizing at least a first boring tool guided by said guide; (d) implanting said second implant into said second implant bore; (e) removing first distraction spacer and applying a guide to said first side; (f) forming a first implant bore at said desired first location by removing bone material from said first and second vertebrae and by removing disc material at said first implant location with said first bore sized to receive said first implant, said forming of said first bore utilizing at least a first boring tool guided by said guide at said first side; and (g) implanting said first implant into said first implant bore. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A surgical method for implanting at least two spinal fusion implants into a disc space of disc material separating a first and second vertebrae, said disc space and first and second vertebrae divisible into first and second sides divided by a sagittal plane;
- said method comprising the steps of;
(a) placing a distraction spacer between said vertebrae at one of said sides with said distraction spacer having a fixed size for external surfaces of said distraction spacer acting against first and second end plates of said first and second vertebrae, respectively, to distract said vertebrae as said distraction spacer is inserted into said disc space; (b) forming a first implant receiving bore in the other of said sides while retaining said distraction plug in place at said one of said sides, said forming including using a guide pin having external surfaces spaced apart substantially equal to a spacing of said external surfaces of said distraction spacer to place a guide at said other of said sides to guide a boring tool along an axis parallel to and equally spaced from end plates of said vertebrae, said forming further including inserting said guide pin into said disc space with said external surfaces of said guide pin guided by said end plates for said guide pin to be centrally positioned between said vertebrae and with an axis of said guide pin substantially parallel to said end plates. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
- said method comprising the steps of;
-
18. A method for implanting a spinal fusion implant into a disc space of disc material separating opposing end plates of a first and second vertebrae, said method comprising the steps of:
-
(a) securing a guide pin to a drill tube guide of predetermined dimensions with said guide pin sized approximate to a desired distraction of said vertebrae and inserting said guide pin into said disc space with external surfaces of said guide pin guided by said end plates for said guide pin to be centrally positioned between said vertebrae and with an axis of said guide pin substantially parallel to said end plates; (b) placing a guide tube over said drill tube guide and securing said guide tube to said first and second vertebrae; (c) removing said guide pin and said drill tube guide through said guide tube while retaining said guide tube secured to said first and second vertebrae; (d) boring an implant bore between said first and second vertebrae by inserting a boring tool into said guide tube, said boring including providing a boring tool with a guide pin, sized substantially equally to said guide pin secured to said drill tube guide, secured to said boring tool for movement therewith and at least partially boring said bore with said guide pin guiding said boring tool between said vertebrae.
-
-
19. A surgical method for implanting a spinal fusion implant into a disc space of disc material separating opposing end plates of a first and a second vertebrae, said method comprising the steps of:
at least partially forming a bore for receiving said implant by inserting a boring tool into said disc space and rotating said tool to at least partially bore into each of said first and second vertebrae, said forming including providing a guide on a distal end of said boring tool with said guide having diametrically opposite external surfaces spaced apart a distance equal to a desired distraction of said vertebrae, said guide secured to said boring tool for movement therewith, said forming further including inserting said guide between said end plates with said end plates guiding said external surfaces to retain said guide centrally positioned between said end plates and with an axis of said guide generally parallel to said end plates, said forming still further including advancing said boring tool into said disc spacing with said guide maintaining an axis of said boring tool generally coaxial with-said axis of said guide.
-
20. A surgical method for implanting a spinal fusion implant into a disc space for disc material separating opposing end plates of a first and second vertebrae, said method comprising the steps of:
-
providing a guide tool having external dimensions sized to be received within a guide tube and having a guide pin on a distal end of said guide tool with said guide pin having external surfaces spaced apart approximate to said desired distraction; inserting said guide pin into said disc space with said end plates guiding said external surfaces for said end plates to retain an axis of said guide pin and said guide tool generally parallel to and centrally received between said vertebrae and with said vertebrae distracted at least after insertion of said tool; providing said guide tube with teeth on a distal end thereof and placing said guide tube over said guide tool with said teeth opposing said vertebrae and with said guide tool maintaining an axis of said guide tube generally parallel to and centrally received between said vertebrae; urging said guide tube distal end against said vertebrae for said teeth to penetrate into said vertebrae; placing a protective sleeve over an exterior of said guide tube before urging said guide tube distal end against said vertebrae with said sleeve sized to move slidably on said guide tube in a direction generally parallel to said axis of said guide tube and with said sleeve having a blunt distal end extending beyond and cover said teeth; said urging including said blunt distal end against said vertebrae and urging said teeth into said vertebrae whereby said blunt distal end covers said teeth and abuts said vertebrae until said teeth penetrate into said vertebrae; and removing said guide pin and said guide tool through said guide tube.
-
Specification