Distractor for use in spinal surgery

• US 6,565,574 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2001
• Issued: 05/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Warsaw Orthopedic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Gary K. Michelson
• Inventors: Michelson, Gary K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Robert, Eduardo C.
• Application Number:
  US09/768,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20010010002A1
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 606/90, 606/105, 606/86, 623/17.11, 623/17.16
• US Class Current: 606/90
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/025 Joint distractors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1604 Chisels; Rongeurs; Punches; Stamps
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1671 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1757 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/885 Tools for expanding or compacting bones or discs or cavities therein A61B17/8805, A61B17/7097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00238 Type of minimally invasive operation A61B2017/00805 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00464 for use with different instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0256 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/08021 of the patient or his organs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/395 with marking agent for marking skin or other tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/28 Bones joints A61F2/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30744 End caps, e.g. for closing an endoprosthetic cavity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/3094 Designing or manufacturing processes
• 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 2/447 substantially parallelepipedal, e.g. having a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4601 for introducing bone substitute, for implanting bone graft implants or for compacting them in the bone cavity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4603 for insertion or extraction of endoprosthetic joints or of accessories thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4611 of spinal prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4637 : for connecting or disconnecting two parts of a prosthesis
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/2817 : Bone stimulation by chemical reactions or by osteogenic or biological products for enhancing ossification, e.g. by bone morphogenetic or morphogenic proteins [BMP] or by transforming growth factors [TGF]
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30153 : rectangular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30158 : trapezoidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30261 : parallelepipedal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30266 : wedge-shaped parallelepipeds
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3028 : polyhedral different from parallelepipedal and pyramidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30281 : wedge-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30593 : hollow
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30777 : Oblong apertures
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30785 : parallel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30787 : inclined obliquely with respect to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30789 : perpendicular with respect to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30845 : with cutting edges
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30879 : Ribs
• 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 2002/448 : 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 2002/4627 : with linear motion along or rotating motion about the instrument axis or the implantation direction, e.g. telescopic, along a guiding rod, screwing inside the instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4681 : by applying mechanical shocks, e.g. by hammering
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4687 : Mechanical guides for implantation instruments
• 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 2230/0082 : parallelepipedal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0086 : Pyramidal, tetrahedral, or wedge-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00179 : Ceramics or ceramic-like structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00293 : containing a phosphorus-containing compound, e.g. apatite
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00341 : Coral, e.g. aragonite, porite

Abstract

A distractor for use in spinal surgery for urging two adjacent vertebral bodies apart is disclosed. The distractor includes a disc penetrating portion having a hollow with an open leading end configured to facilitate insertion of the distractor into at least a portion of the disc space. The hollow is adapted to contain disc material within the extension as the distractor is being inserted at least in part between the adjacent vertebral bodies.

Claims

1. A distractor for use in urging adjacent vertebral endplates of two adjacent vertebral bodies apart, comprising:

a body; and

a disc penetrating extension extending from said body for insertion between the adjacent vertebral bodies, said extension having upper and lower portions adapted to bear against the adjacent vertebral endplates of the adjacent vertebral bodies and opposed side portions between said upper and lower portions, said disc penetrating extension having a leading end with an opening into a hollow adapted to contain disc material within said extension, said opening of said leading end having a maximum height between said upper and lower portions that is greater than a combined thickness of said upper and lower portions, said body having a portion configured to limit the insertion of said extension between the adjacent vertebral bodies.

2. The distractor of claim 1, wherein said portion of said body includes a shoulder adapted to conform at least in part to an exterior of the adjacent vertebral bodies.

3. The distractor of claim 1, wherein said upper and lower portions and said opposed side portions of said extension form one of a rectangular cross-section and a circular cross-section.

4. The distractor of claim 1, wherein said body and said extension are detachably connected to one another.

5. The distractor of claim 4, further comprising a plurality of variously sized extensions, each of said extensions being configured to be detachably attachable to said body.

6. The distractor of claim 1, wherein said leading end of said extension has sharpened surface.

7. The distractor of claim 1, wherein said extension has a portion that converges away from said body.

8. The distractor of claim 1, wherein said extension has a portion that diverges away from said body.

9. The distractor of claim 1, wherein said extension is tapered to facilitate insertion of said extension at least in part between the adjacent vertebral bodies.

10. The distractor of claim 1, wherein said extension has a trailing end, said leading end of said extension having a height between said upper and lower portions that is less than a height of said trailing end of said extension.

11. The distractor of claim 10, wherein the height of said leading end of said extension is approximately 4 to 16 mm.

12. The distractor of claim 10, wherein the height of said trailing end of said extension is approximately 7 to 20 mm.

13. The distractor of claim 1, wherein said extension has a length of approximately 15-30 mm for use from an anterior approach to the spine.

14. The distractor of claim 1, wherein said extension has a length of approximately 15-42 mm for use from a lateral approach to the spine.

15. The distractor of claim 1, wherein said body has a trailing end configured to cooperatively engage with an impaction cap.

16. The distractor of claim 1, wherein said body has a trailing end including a handle.

17. A distractor for use in urging adjacent vertebral endplates of two adjacent vertebral bodies apart, comprising:

a body; and

a disc penetrating extension extending from said body for insertion between the adjacent vertebral bodies, said extension having upper and lower portions adapted to bear against the adjacent vertebral endplates of the adjacent vertebral bodies and opposed side portions between said upper and lower portions, said upper and lower portions being angled relative to one another to induce lordosis between the adjacent vertebral bodies, said disc penetrating extension having a leading end with an opening into a hollow adapted to contain disc material within said extension, said opening of said leading end having a maximum height between said upper and lower portions that is greater than a combined thickness of said upper and lower portions.

18. The distractor of claim 17, wherein said body has a portion configured to limit the insertion of said extension between the adjacent vertebral bodies.

19. The distractor of claim 17, wherein said portion of said body includes a shoulder adapted to conform at least in part to an exterior of the adjacent vertebral bodies.

20. The distractor of claim 17, wherein said upper and lower portions and said opposed side portions of said extension form one of a rectangular cross-section and a circular cross-section.

21. The distractor of claim 17, wherein said leading end of said extension has sharpened surface.

22. The distractor of claim 17, wherein said leading end of said extension has a height of approximately 4 to 16 mm.

23. The distractor of claim 17, wherein said extension has a trailing end, said trailing end of said extension having a height of approximately 7 to 20 mm.

24. The distractor of claim 17, wherein said extension has a length of approximately 15-30 mm for use from an anterior approach to the spine.

25. The distractor of claim 17, wherein said extension has a length of approximately 15-42 mm for use from a lateral approach to the spine.

26. The distractor of claim 17, wherein said body has a trailing end configured to cooperatively engage with an impaction cap.

27. The distractor of claim 17, wherein said body has a trailing end including a handle.

28. The distractor of claim 17, wherein said body and said extension are detachably connected to one another.

29. The distractor of claim 28, further comprising a plurality of variously sized extensions, each of said extensions being configured to be detachably attachable to said body.