Milling instrumentation and method for preparing a space between adjacent vertebral bodies
First Claim
1. An apparatus adapted for use in spinal surgery for creating an implantation space at least in part within and across a height of the disc space between two adjacent vertebral bodies of the human spine, each of the adjacent vertebral bodies having an endplate adjacent to the disc space, said apparatus comprising:
- a milling block configured at least in part for placement across the height of the disc space and adapted to be engaged to at least a portion of the outer surface of the two adjacent vertebral bodies, said milling block having a leading end for positioning towards the two adjacent vertebral bodies and an opposite trailing end, said milling block having at least a first track configured to provide access to the implantation space to be prepared into a first one of the two adjacent vertebral bodies from said trailing end and through said leading end of said milling block, said first track overlapping a portion of the first one of the adjacent vertebral bodies when said milling block is placed across the height of the disc space, said milling block having at least a second track configured to provide access to the implantation space to be prepared into a second one of the two adjacent vertebral bodies from said trailing end and through said leading end of said milling block, said second track overlapping a portion of the second one of the adjacent vertebral bodies when said milling block is placed across the height of the disc space, at least one of said tracks including opposed substantially planar surfaces for guiding said bone cutting device therebetween; and
a bone cutting device for removing at least a portion of bone from the two endplates adjacent the disc space, said bone cutting device having a central longitudinal axis, said bone cutting device being configured to access one of the endplates of the adjacent vertebral bodies through said milling block along said first track, said bane cutting device being configured to access the other one of the endplates of the adjacent vertebral bodies through said milling block along said second track, each of said first and second tracks being configured to guide movement of said bone cutting device axially along the central longitudinal axis of said bone cutting device and in a direction transverse to the central longitudinal axis of said bone cutting device to remove bone.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for placing adjacent vertebrae at a fixed distance and angular relationship relative to each other, fixing said vertebrae in said position by use of a milling block engaging each of said adjacent vertebrae and then using a milling means, the depth, length and excursion of which from side to side are controlled by said apparatus to machine out a defined thickness of bone and a space of defined length, height, width and shape in preparation for receiving an interbody spinal implant or graft of known size and configuration are disclosed.
125 Citations
42 Claims
-
1. An apparatus adapted for use in spinal surgery for creating an implantation space at least in part within and across a height of the disc space between two adjacent vertebral bodies of the human spine, each of the adjacent vertebral bodies having an endplate adjacent to the disc space, said apparatus comprising:
-
a milling block configured at least in part for placement across the height of the disc space and adapted to be engaged to at least a portion of the outer surface of the two adjacent vertebral bodies, said milling block having a leading end for positioning towards the two adjacent vertebral bodies and an opposite trailing end, said milling block having at least a first track configured to provide access to the implantation space to be prepared into a first one of the two adjacent vertebral bodies from said trailing end and through said leading end of said milling block, said first track overlapping a portion of the first one of the adjacent vertebral bodies when said milling block is placed across the height of the disc space, said milling block having at least a second track configured to provide access to the implantation space to be prepared into a second one of the two adjacent vertebral bodies from said trailing end and through said leading end of said milling block, said second track overlapping a portion of the second one of the adjacent vertebral bodies when said milling block is placed across the height of the disc space, at least one of said tracks including opposed substantially planar surfaces for guiding said bone cutting device therebetween; and a bone cutting device for removing at least a portion of bone from the two endplates adjacent the disc space, said bone cutting device having a central longitudinal axis, said bone cutting device being configured to access one of the endplates of the adjacent vertebral bodies through said milling block along said first track, said bane cutting device being configured to access the other one of the endplates of the adjacent vertebral bodies through said milling block along said second track, each of said first and second tracks being configured to guide movement of said bone cutting device axially along the central longitudinal axis of said bone cutting device and in a direction transverse to the central longitudinal axis of said bone cutting device to remove bone. - 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. A method for creating an implantation space across a height of a disc space between adjacent vertebral bodies of the human spine, each of the adjacent vertebral bodies having an endplate adjacent to the disc space, the method comprising the steps of:
-
placing a milling block across the height of the disc space, the milling block having a leading end for positioning towards the adjacent vertebral bodies and an opposite trailing end, the milling block having at least a first track configured to provide access to the implantation space to be prepared into one of the adjacent vertebral bodies from the trailing end and through the leading end of the milling block, the milling block having at least a second track configured to provide access to the implantation space to be prepared into the other one of the adjacent vertebral bodies from the trailing end and through the leading end of the milling block; removing bone through the milling block along the first track from one of the adjacent vertebral bodies with a bone cutting device to create a portion of the implantation space; removing bone through the milling block along the second track from the other one of the adjacent vertebral bodies with a bone cutting device to create another portion of the implantation space, at least one of the removing steps including moving the bone removal device along the width of the vertebral bodies; and inserting a spinal implant into the implantation space. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
-
Specification