Apparatus for use in inserting spinal implants
First Claim
1. An apparatus for use in human spinal surgery across at least a portion of the height of a surgically corrected disc space between two adjacent vertebral bodies of a human spine, said apparatus comprising:
- a guard having a passage for providing access to the disc space and the adjacent vertebral bodies, said passage having a maximum height as measured along the longitudinal axis of the human spine, said guard having a proximal end and an opposite distal end and at least one side therebetween, said guard having at least two openings in said side in communication with said passage, said openings being opposite one another; and
at least one extension extending from said distal end of said guard adapted to be inserted into the disc space between the adjacent vertebral bodies, said extension having a portion adapted to bear against each of the adjacent endplates of the adjacent vertebral bodies from within the disc space, said portion of said extension having an upper surface adapted to contact one of the adjacent endplates of the adjacent vertebral bodies and a lower surface adapted to contact the other of the adjacent endplates of the adjacent vertebral bodies, said portion of said extension having a height between said upper and lower surfaces and a length sufficient to align and distance apart the adjacent vertebral bodies.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and a method of inserting spinal implants is disclosed in which an intervertebral space is first distracted, a hollow sleeve having teeth at one end is then driven into the vertebrae adjacent that disc space. A drill is then passed through the hollow sleeve removing disc and bone in preparation for receiving the spinal implant which is then inserted through the sleeve. Apparatus and a method of inserting spinal implants is disclosed in which an intervertebral space is first distracted to restore the normal angular relationship of the vertebrae adjacent to that disc space. An extended outer sleeve having extended portions capable of maintaining the vertebrae distracted in their normal angular relationship is then driven into the vertebrae adjacent that disc space. A drill is then passed through the hollow sleeve removing disc and bone in preparation for receiving the spinal implant which is then inserted through the sleeve.
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Citations
505 Claims
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1. An apparatus for use in human spinal surgery across at least a portion of the height of a surgically corrected disc space between two adjacent vertebral bodies of a human spine, said apparatus comprising:
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a guard having a passage for providing access to the disc space and the adjacent vertebral bodies, said passage having a maximum height as measured along the longitudinal axis of the human spine, said guard having a proximal end and an opposite distal end and at least one side therebetween, said guard having at least two openings in said side in communication with said passage, said openings being opposite one another; and
at least one extension extending from said distal end of said guard adapted to be inserted into the disc space between the adjacent vertebral bodies, said extension having a portion adapted to bear against each of the adjacent endplates of the adjacent vertebral bodies from within the disc space, said portion of said extension having an upper surface adapted to contact one of the adjacent endplates of the adjacent vertebral bodies and a lower surface adapted to contact the other of the adjacent endplates of the adjacent vertebral bodies, said portion of said extension having a height between said upper and lower surfaces and a length sufficient to align and distance apart the adjacent vertebral bodies. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. An apparatus for use in human spinal surgery across at least a portion of the height of a surgically corrected disc space between two adjacent vertebral bodies of a human spine, said apparatus comprising:
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a guard having a passage for providing access to the disc space and the adjacent vertebral bodies, said passage having a maximum height as measured along the longitudinal axis of the human spine, said guard having a proximal end and an opposite distal end and at least one side therebetween, said guard having at least two openings in said side in communication with said passage, said openings being parallel to one another; and
at least one extension extending from said distal end of said guard adapted to be inserted into the disc space between the adjacent vertebral bodies, said extension having a portion adapted to bear against each of the adjacent endplates of the adjacent vertebral bodies from within the disc space, said portion of said extension having an upper surface adapted to contact one of the adjacent endplates of the adjacent vertebral bodies and a lower surface adapted to contact the other of the adjacent end plates of the adjacent vertebral bodies, said portion of said extension having a height between said upper and lower surfaces and a length sufficient to align and distance apart the adjacent vertebral bodies. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111)
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112. An apparatus for use in human spinal surgery across at least a portion of the height of a surgically corrected disc space between two adjacent vertebral bodies of a human spine, said apparatus comprising:
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a guard having a passage for providing access to the disc space and the adjacent vertebral bodies, said passage having a maximum height as measured along the longitudinal axis of the human spine, said guard having a proximal end and an opposite distal end and at least one side therebetween, said guard having at least two openings in said side in communication with said passage, said openings including at least two slots; and
at least one extension extending from said distal end of said guard adapted to be inserted into the disc space between the adjacent vertebral bodies, said extension having a portion adapted to bear against each of the adjacent endplates of the adjacent vertebral bodies from within the disc space, said portion of said extension having an upper surface adapted to contact one of the adjacent endplates of the adjacent vertebral bodies and a lower surface adapted to contact the other of the adjacent endplates of the adjacent vertebral bodies, said portion of said extension having a height between said upper and lower surfaces and a length sufficient to align and distance apart the adjacent vertebral bodies. - View Dependent Claims (113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164)
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165. An apparatus for use in human spinal surgery across at least a portion of the height of a surgically corrected disc space between two adjacent vertebral bodies of a human spine, said apparatus comprising:
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a guard having a passage for providing access to the disc space and the adjacent vertebral bodies, said passage having a maximum height as measured along the longitudinal axis of the human spine, said guard having a proximal end and an opposite distal end and at least one side therebetween, said guard having at least two openings in said side in communication with said passage, said openings dividing at least a portion of said guard into an upper portion and a lower portion; and
at least one extension extending from said distal end of said guard adapted to be inserted into the disc space between the adjacent vertebral bodies, said extension having a portion adapted to bear against each of the adjacent endplates of the adjacent vertebral bodies from within the disc space, said portion of said extension having an upper surface adapted to contact one of the adjacent end plates of the adjacent vertebral bodies and a lower surface adapted to contact the other of the adjacent end plates of the adjacent vertebral bodies, said portion of said extension having a height between said upper and lower surfaces and a length sufficient to align and distance apart the adjacent vertebral bodies. - View Dependent Claims (166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, 180, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 195, 196, 197, 198, 199, 200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210, 211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216, 217)
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218. An apparatus for use in human spinal surgery across at least a portion of the height of a surgically corrected disc space between two adjacent vertebral bodies of a human spine, said apparatus comprising:
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a guard having a passage for providing access to the disc space and the adjacent vertebral bodies, said passage having a maximum height as measured along the longitudinal axis of the human spine, said guard having a proximal end and an opposite distal end and at least one side therebetween, said proximal end having an increased outer dimension, said guard having at least one opening in said side in communication with said passage; and
at least one extension extending from said distal end of said guard adapted to be inserted into the disc space between the adjacent vertebral bodies said extension having a portion adapted to bear against each of the adjacent endplates of the adjacent vertebral bodies from within the disc space, said portion of said extension having an upper surface adapted to contact one of the adjacent endplates of the adjacent vertebral bodies and a lower surface adapted to contact the other of the adjacent endplates of the adjacent vertebral bodies, said portion of said extension having a height between said upper and lower surfaces and a length sufficient to align and distance apart the adjacent vertebral bodies. - View Dependent Claims (219, 220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 228, 229, 230, 231, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241, 242, 243, 244, 245, 246, 247, 248, 249, 250, 251, 252, 253, 254, 255, 256, 257, 258, 259, 260, 261, 262, 263, 264, 265, 266, 267, 268, 269)
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270. An apparatus for use in human spinal surgery across at least a portion of the height of a surgically corrected disc space between two adjacent vertebral bodies of a human spine, said apparatus comprising:
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a guard having a passage for providing access to the disc space and the adjacent vertebral bodies, said passage having a maximum height as measured along the longitudinal axis of the human spine, said guard having a proximal end and an opposite distal end and at least one side therebetween, said distal end being contoured to the curvature of the adjacent vertebral bodies against which said guard is adapted to be placed, said guard having at least one opening in said side in communication with said passage; and
at least one extension extending from said distal end of said guard adapted to be inserted into the disc space between the adjacent vertebral bodies, said extension having a portion adapted to bear against each of the adjacent endplates of the adjacent vertebral bodies from within the disc space, said portion of said extension having an upper surface adapted to contact one of the adjacent endplates of the adjacent vertebral bodies and a lower surface adapted to contact the other of the adjacent endplates of the adjacent vertebral bodies, said portion of said extension having a height between said upper and lower surfaces and a length sufficient to align and distance apart the adjacent vertebral bodies. - View Dependent Claims (271, 272, 273, 274, 275, 276, 277, 278, 279, 280, 281, 282, 283, 284, 285, 286, 287, 288, 289, 290, 291, 292, 293, 294, 295, 296, 297, 298, 299, 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 307, 308, 309, 310, 311, 312, 313, 314, 315, 316, 317, 318, 319, 320)
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321. An apparatus for use in human spinal surgery across at least a portion of the height of a surgically corrected disc space between two adjacent vertebral bodies of a human spine, said apparatus comprising:
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a guard having a passage for providing access to the disc space and the adjacent vertebral bodies, said passage having a maximum height as measured along the longitudinal axis of the human spine, said guard having a proximal end and an opposite distal end and at least one side therebetween, said guard having at least one opening in said side in communication with said passage, said guard having a footplate; and
at least one extension extending from said distal end of said guard adapted to be inserted into the disc space between the adjacent vertebral bodies, said extension having a portion adapted to bear against each of the adjacent endplates of the adjacent vertebral bodies from within the disc space, said portion of said extension having an upper surface adapted to contact one of the adjacent endplates of the adjacent vertebral bodies and a lower surface adapted to contact the other of the adjacent endplates of the adjacent vertebral bodies, said portion of said extension having a height between said upper and lower surfaces and a length sufficient to align and distance apart the adjacent vertebral bodies. - View Dependent Claims (322, 323, 324, 325, 326, 327, 328, 329, 330, 331, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336, 337, 338, 339, 340, 341, 342, 343, 344, 345, 346, 347, 348, 349, 350, 351, 352, 353, 354, 355, 356, 357, 358, 359, 360, 361, 362, 363, 364, 365, 366, 367, 368, 369, 370)
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371. An apparatus for use in human spinal surgery across at least a portion of the height of a surgically corrected disc space between two adjacent vertebral bodies of a human spine, said apparatus comprising:
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a guard having a passage for providing access to the disc space and the adjacent vertebral bodies, said passage having a maximum height as measured along the longitudinal axis of the human spine, said guard having a proximal end and an opposite distal end and at least one side therebetween, said guard having at least one opening in said side in communication with said passage;
at least one extension extending from said distal end of said guard adapted to be inserted into the disc space between the adjacent vertebral bodies, said extension having a portion adapted to bear against each of the adjacent endplates of the adjacent vertebral bodies from within the disc space, said portion of said extension having an upper surface adapted to contact one of the adjacent endplates of the adjacent vertebral bodies and a lower surface adapted to contact the other of the adjacent endplates of the adjacent vertebral bodies, said portion of said extension having a height between said upper and lower surfaces and a length sufficient to align and distance apart the adjacent vertebral bodies; and
a removable inner hollow tubular sleeve. - View Dependent Claims (372, 373, 374, 375, 376, 377, 378, 379, 380, 381, 382, 383, 384, 385, 386, 387, 388, 389, 390, 391, 392, 393, 394, 395, 396, 397, 398, 399, 400, 401, 402, 403, 404, 405, 406, 407, 408, 409, 410, 411, 412, 413, 414, 415, 416, 417, 418)
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419. An apparatus for use in human spinal surgery across at east a portion of the height of a surgically corrected disc space between two adjacent vertebral bodies of a human spine, said apparatus comprising:
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a guard having a passage for providing access to the disc space and the adjacent vertebral bodies, said passage having a maximum height as measured along the longitudinal axis of the human spine, said guard having a proximal end and an opposite distal end and at least one side therebetween, said guard having at least one opening in said side in communication with said passage; and
at least two extensions extending from said distal end of said guard adapted to be inserted into the disc space between the adjacent vertebral bodies, said extensions having a portion adapted to bear against each of the adjacent endplates of the adjacent vertebral bodies from within the disc space, said portion of said extensions having an upper surface adapted to contact one of the adjacent end plates of the adjacent vertebral bodies and a lower surface adapted to contact the other of the adjacent end plates of the adjacent vertebral bodies, said portion of said extensions having a height between said upper and lower surfaces and a length sufficient to align and distance apart the adjacent vertebral bodies. - View Dependent Claims (420, 421, 422, 423, 424, 425, 426, 427, 428, 429, 430, 431, 432, 433, 434, 435, 436, 437, 438, 439, 440, 441, 442, 443, 444, 445, 446, 447, 448, 449, 450, 451, 452, 453, 454, 455, 456, 457, 458, 459, 460, 461, 462, 463)
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464. An apparatus for use in human spinal surgery across at least a portion of the height of a surgically corrected disc space between two adjacent vertebral bodies of a human spine, said apparatus comprising:
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a guard having first and second passages for providing access to the disc space and the adjacent vertebral bodies, said first and second passages having a maximum height as measured along the longitudinal axis of the human spine, said guard having a proximal end and an opposite distal end and at least one side therebetween, said guard having at least one opening in said side in communication with at least one of said first and second passages; and
at least one extension extending from said distal end of said guard adapted to be inserted into the disc space between the adjacent vertebral bodies, said extension having a portion adapted to bear against each of the adjacent endplates of the adjacent vertebral bodies from within the disc space, said portion of said extension having an upper surface adapted to contact one of the adjacent end plates of the adjacent vertebral bodies and a lower surface adapted to contact the other of the adjacent end plates of the adjacent vertebral bodies, said portion of said extension having a height between said upper and lower surfaces and a length sufficient to align and distance apart the adjacent vertebral bodies. - View Dependent Claims (465, 466, 467, 468, 469, 470, 471, 472, 473, 474, 475, 476, 478, 479, 480, 481, 482, 483, 484, 485, 486, 487, 488, 489, 490, 491, 492, 493, 494, 495, 496, 497, 498, 499, 500, 501, 502, 503, 504, 505)
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477. The apparatus of claim wherein said first and second passages overlap at least in part.
Specification