Method of securing vertebrae

• US 6,530,926 B1
• Filed: 08/01/2000
• Issued: 03/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Zimmer Spine, Inc. (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Endius Incorporated (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Davison, Thomas W.
• Primary Examiner(s): REIP, DAVID OWEN
• Application Number:
  US09/630,077
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 606/60, 606/61, 606/69, 606/70, 606/71, 606/72, 606/73, 606/90, 606/96, 606/99, 606/104, 606/190, 606/191, 606/198, 600/201, 600/203, 600/204, 600/206, 600/210, 600/235, 128/898, 604/264
• US Class Current: 606/279
• 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 17/1735 for rasps or chisels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1757 for the spine
• 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 17/3421 Cannulas
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3439 with means for changing the inner diameter of the cannula, e.g. expandable A61B17/3423, A61B17/3431 take precedence; catheters A61M25/0662
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7007 Parts of the longitudinal elements, e.g. their ends, being specially adapted to fit around the screw or hook heads
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/701 Longitudinal elements with a non-circular, e.g. rectangular, cross-section A61B17/7005, A61B17/7007 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7035 Screws or hooks, wherein a rod-clamping part and a bone-anchoring part can pivot relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7037 wherein pivoting is blocked when the rod is clamped
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7041 with single longitudinal rod offset laterally from single row of screws or hooks A61B17/7044 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00238 Type of minimally invasive operation A61B2017/00805 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0046 with a releasable handle; with handle and operating part separable for prosthetic joint-implanting tools A61F2/4603

Abstract

A method of fixing vertebrae of a patient together at a surgical site includes the following steps: inserting a first cannula (10) into the body (130) of the patient; moving a first fastener (624) through the cannula (10) and securing the first fastener (624) to a first vertebrae (601); moving a second fastener (624) through the cannula (10) and securing the second fastener (624) to a second vertebrae (602); moving a first fixation element (650) through the cannula (10); and fixing the first fixation element (650) to the first and second fasteners (624).

Claims

1. A method of fixing vertebrae of a patient together at a surgical site comprising the steps of:

inserting a first cannula into the body of the patent;

moving a first fastener through the cannula and securing the first fastener to a first vertebrae;

moving a second fastener through the cannula and securing the second fastener to a second vertebrae;

moving a first fixation element through the cannula; and

fixing the first fixation element to the first and second fasteners.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 further including the step of positioning an endoscope in the first cannula to provide a view of the activity at the surgical site.

3. A method as defined in claim 2 further including the steps of:

removing a disk from between the first and second vertebrae;

cleaning the area between the first and second vertebrae;

positioning at least one fusion cage between the first and second vertebrae by moving a fusion cage through the cannula; and

positioning bone graft tissue in and around the at least one fusion cage by moving bone graft tissue through the cannula.

4. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said step of securing the first fastener to the first vertebrae includes the step of screwing the first fastener into the first vertebrae and said step of securing the second fastener to the second vertebrae includes the step of screwing the second fastener into the second vertebrae.

5. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the first fixation element is a plate and the step of fixing the first fixation element to the first and second fasteners includes the step of positioning the plate with the first and second fasteners extending through openings in the plate and moving first and second nuts through the cannula and threading the nuts onto the first and second fasteners.

6. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the first fixation element is a rod and the step of fixing the first fixation element to the first and second fasteners includes positioning the rod to extend adjacent said first and second fasteners and between said first and second vertebrae.

7. A method as defined in claim 1 further including the steps of:

removing a disk from between the first and second vertebrae;

cleaning the area between the first and second vertebrae;

positioning at least one fusion cage between the first and second vertebrae by moving a fusion cage through the cannula; and

positioning bone graft tissue in and around the at least one fusion cage by moving bone graft tissue through the cannula.

8. A method of fixing vertebrae of a patient together at a surgical site comprising the steps of:

inserting a first cannula into the body of the patient;

moving a first fastener through the cannula and securing the first fastener to a first vertebrae;

moving a second fastener through the cannula and securing the second fastener to a second vertebrae;

moving a first fixation element through the cannula;

fixing the first fixation element to the first and second fasteners;

inserting a second cannula into the body of the patient;

moving a third fastener through the second cannula and securing the third fastener to the first vertebrae;

moving a fourth fastener through the second cannula and securing the fourth fastener to the second vertebrae;

moving a second fixation element through the second cannula; and

fixing the second fixation element to the third and fourth fasteners.

9. A method as defined in claim 8 further including the steps of positioning an endoscope in the first cannula to provide a view of the activity at the surgical site and positioning an endoscope in the second cannula to provide a view of the activity at the surgical site.

10. A method as defined in claim 9 wherein the first fixation element is a plate and the step of fixing the first fixation element to the first and second fasteners includes the step of positioning the plate with the first and second fasteners extending through openings in the plate and moving first and second nuts through the cannula and threading the nuts onto the first and second fasteners.

11. A method as defined in claim 9 wherein the first fixation element is a rod and the step of fixing the first fixation element to the first and second fasteners includes positioning the rod to extend adjacent said first and second fasteners and between said first and second vertebrae.

12. A method as defined in claim 9 further including the steps of:

removing a disk from between the first and second vertebrae;

cleaning the area between the first and second vertebrae;

positioning at least one fusion cage between the first and second vertebrae by moving a fusion cage through the cannula; and

positioning bone graft tissue in and around the at least one fusion cage by moving bone graft tissue through the cannula.

13. A method as defined in claim 8 further including the steps of expanding the first cannula at its end adjacent the first and second vertebrae and expanding the second cannula at its end adjacent the first and second vertebrae.

14. A method as defined in claim 13 further including the step of shifting the first and second cannulae in the body to position the first and second cannulae to desired locations in the body.

15. A method of fixing vertebrae of patient together at a surgical site comprising the steps of:

inserting a first cannula into the body of the patient;

moving a first fastener through the cannula and securing the first fastener to a first vertebrae;

moving a second fastener through the cannula and securing the second fastener to a second vertebrae;

moving a first fixation element through the cannula;

fixing the first fixation element to the first and second fasteners; and

expanding the first cannula at its end adjacent the first and second vertebrae.

16. A method of fixing vertebrae of a patient together at a surgical site comprising the steps of:

inserting a first cannula into the body of the patient;

moving a first fastener through the cannula and securing the first fastener to a first vertebrae;

moving a second fastener through the cannula and securing the second fastener to a second vertebrae;

moving a first fixation element through the cannula;

fixing the first fixation element to the first and second fasteners; and

cutting away tissue at the surgical site using two cutting tubes.

17. A method as defined in claim 16 further comprising the step of utilizing a blood coagulation sheath for receiving the two cutting tubes.