Bony tissue resector

• US 6,280,447 B1
• Filed: 12/21/1999
• Issued: 08/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Trinity Orthopedics, LLC
• Original Assignee: Nuvasive Incorporated
• Inventors: Marino, James F., Ahlgren, Dan K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Philogene, Pedro
• Application Number:
  US09/469,727
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 606/80, 606/88, 606/78, 606/79, 606/84, 606/85, 606/180, 606/170, 606/172, 606/167, 606/159
• US Class Current: 606/88
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/025 Joint distractors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0256 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30724 Spacers for centering an implant in a bone cavity, e.g. in a cement-receiving cavity
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4455 for the fusion of spinal bodies, e.g. intervertebral fusion of adjacent spinal bodies, e.g. fusion cages intervertebral discs A61F2/442
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30062 (bio)absorbable, biodegradable, bioerodable, (bio)resorbable, resorptive
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30112 Rounded shapes, e.g. with rounded corners
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30153 rectangular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30158 trapezoidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3028 polyhedral different from parallelepipedal and pyramidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30331 made by longitudinally pushing a protrusion into a complementarily-shaped recess, e.g. held by friction fit
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30364 Rotation about the common longitudinal axis
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30392 Rotation
• 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 2002/30774 internally-threaded
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30777 Oblong apertures
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30884 Fins or wings, e.g. longitudinal wings for preventing rotation within the bone cavity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30892 parallel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30904 serrated profile, i.e. saw-toothed
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30975 : made of two halves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/448 : comprising multiple adjacent spinal implants within the same intervertebral space or within the same vertebra, e.g. comprising two adjacent spinal implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4635 : using minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0004 : bioabsorbable
• 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 2230/0004 : Rounded shapes, e.g. with rounded corners
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0019 : rectangular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0026 : trapezoidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0063 : Three-dimensional shapes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00179 : Ceramics or ceramic-like structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00365 : Proteins; Polypeptides; Degradation products thereof

Abstract

The present invention provides a system for resecting bony tissue such as the facet joint processes using a cannulated resector held by a guidance platform. Rotation of the support holding the cannula causes the resecting surface of a rotating burr to move into contact with the facet joint.

Claims

1. A bony tissue resecting system, comprising:

a cannula having a side aperture near its distal end; and

a rotatable resecting element received within the cannula the rotatable resecting element having a hollowed out distal end.

2. The bony tissue resecting system of claim 1, wherein, the rotatable resecting element can be distally advanced within the cannula.

3. The bony tissue resecting system of claim 1, further comprising:

a cannula positioning system adapted to move the cannula from a first position to a second position, wherein the cannula points in the same direction at each of the first and second positions.

4. The bony tissue resecting system of claim 1, further comprising:

a cannula positioning system adapted to move the cannula from a first position to a second position, wherein the orientation of the cannula in the first position is parallel to the orientation of the cannula in the second position.

5. The bony tissue resecting system of claim 4, wherein the cannula positioning system comprises:

a support which is rotatable about a central axis, wherein the support holds the cannula in an orientation such that the central longitudinally extending axis of the cannula is parallel to the central axis of the support.

6. The bony tissue resecting system of claim 1, wherein, the cannula has an enclosed tapered end.

7. A method of resecting a portion of a bony tissue joint, comprising:

positioning a cannula adjacent a bony tissue joint such that a portion of the bony tissue joint is received within a side aperture in the cannula, wherein the side aperture is disposed near the distal end of the cannula; and

distally advancing a rotatable resecting element through the cannula such that the rotatable resecting element resects the portion of the bony tissue joint received within the side aperture of the cannula, wherein the rotatable resecting element has a hollowed out distal end, and wherein the portion of the bony tissue resected is received within the hollowed out distal end.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein, the cannula is positioned adjacent the bony tissue joint by rotating a cannula support about a central axis, wherein the cannula support holds the cannula such that the central longitudinally extending axis of the cannula is parallel to the central axis of the cannula support.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein, the rotatable resecting element is advanced distally such that tissue resected from the bony tissue joint is received within a hollowed out distal end of the rotatable resecting element.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein, the rotatable resecting element is advanced distally such that tissue resected from the bony tissue joint is received between a closed distal end of the cannula and the distal end of the rotatable resecting element.

11. A bony tissue resecting system, comprising:

a cannula having a side aperture near its distal end;

a rotatable resecting element received within the cannula; and

a cannula positioning system adapted to move the cannula from a first position to a second position, wherein the orientation of the cannula in the first position is parallel to the orientation of the cannula in the second position, and wherein the cannula positioning system comprises;

a support which is rotatable about a central axis, wherein the support holds the cannula in an orientation such that the central longitudinally extending axis of the cannula is parallel to the central axis of the support.

12. A method of resecting a portion of a bony tissue joint, comprising:

positioning a cannula adjacent a bony tissue joint such that a portion of the bony tissue joint is received within a side aperture in the cannula, wherein the side aperture is disposed near the distal end of the cannula; and

distally advancing a rotatable resecting element through the cannula such that the rotatable resecting element resects the portion of the bony tissue joint received within the side aperture of the cannula, wherein the cannula is positioned adjacent the bony tissue joint by rotating a cannula support about a central axis, wherein the cannula support holds the cannula such that the central longitudinally extending axis of the cannula is parallel to the central axis of the cannula support.