Spinal surgery guidance platform

• US 6,530,930 B1
• Filed: 03/19/2001
• Issued: 03/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NU Vasive Incorporated
• Original Assignee: NU Vasive Incorporated
• Inventors: Christopher, Troy K., McKinley, James T., Ahlgren, Dan K., Marino, James F., Stone, Corbett W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Robert, Eduardo C.
• Application Number:
  US09/812,026
• Time in Patent Office: 722 Days
• Field of Search: 606/130, 606/1, 606/53, 606/96, 606/97, 606/98, 604/116
• US Class Current: 606/130
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1757 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3421 Cannulas
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00261 Discectomy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/11 with guides for needles or instruments, e.g. arcuate slides or ball joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers

Abstract

A method of positioning a cannula along a path in a patient'"'"'s intervertebral plane, comprising: suspending a cross member across a patient, the cross member having two cannula guides attached thereto, the cannula guides each being adjustably movable both along the length of the cross member and around a central longitudinally extending axis of the cross member; suspending radiopaque markers from the cannula guides; aligning the radiopoaque markers with the intervertebral plane as viewed in a radio-image, thereby aligning the cannula guides with the intervertebral plane; and advancing a cannula through the cannula guide.

Claims

1. A surgical guideframe, comprising:

a pair of vertical supports;

a cross member spanning between the vertical supports;

a pair of cannula guide holders slidably positionable along the cross member; and

a pair of cannula guides, each cannula guide supported by one of the cannula guide holders, wherein the cannula guides remain coplanar with one another both as the cannula guide holders are moved along the cross member and as the cannula guides are rotated about an axis extending perpendicular to the cross member, the axis passing below the cross member.

4. The surgical guideframe of claim 1, 2 or 3, further comprising:

a cannula received within one of the cannula guide holders, wherein the cannula guide is supported by one of the cannula guide holders such that the cannula is rotatable about a point at or near a distal end of the cannula.

5. The surgical guideframe of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the cross member is positionable in a cephal-caudal direction.

6. The surgical guideframe of claim, 1, 2 or 3, wherein the vertical supports suspend the cross member such that the cross member is rotatable about an axis extending transversely thereacross in a direction parallel to a center portion of the cross member.

7. The surgical guideframe of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the cannula guides are coplanar with a patient'"'"'s intervertebral plane.

8. The surgical guideframer of claim 1, 2 or 3, further comprising:

a pair of horizontal supports, wherein one of the vertical supports is attached to each of the horizontal supports and the vertical supports are each movably positionable along the length of the horizontal supports.

9. The surgical guideframe of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein rotating the cannula guides about the axis extending perpendicular to the cross member and passing below the cross member comprises:

varying a posterolateral angle of approach of the cannula guides relative to the patient.

2. A surgical guideframe, comprising:

a pair of vertical supports;

a cross member spanning between the vertical supports;

a pair of cannula guide holders slidably positionable along the cross member; and

a pair of cannula guides, each cannula guide supported by one of the cannula guide holders, wherein the cannula guides remain coplanar with one another as the cannula guide holders are moved along the cross member, and wherein the cannula guide holders each support one of the cannula guides such that the cannula guide can adjustably be rotated about an axis extending perpendicular to the cross member, the axis passing below the cross member.

3. A surgical guideframe, comprising:

a pair of vertical supports;

a cross member spanning between the vertical supports;

means for adjustably positioning a pair of cannula guide holders along the cross member; and

means for supporting a pair of cannula guides from the pair of cannula guide holders such that the cannula guides remain coplanar with one another both as the cannula guide holders are adjustably positioned along the cross member and as the cannula guides are rotated about an axis extending perpendicular to the cross- member, the axis passing below the cross member.