Apparatus including a guard member having a passage with a non-circular cross section for providing protected access to the spine
First Claim
1. An apparatus for use in human spinal surgery across a disc space between two adjacent vertebral bodies, comprising:
- a guard member having a distal end, a proximal end, and a mid-longitudinal axis through said distal and proximal ends, said guard member having a passage for providing protected access to the disc space and the adjacent vertebral bodies, said passage having a cross section transverse to the mid-longitudinal axis having a width and a height transverse to the width, the width of said passage being greater than the height of said passage along at least a portion of said passage; and
an extension extending from said distal end of said guard member for insertion into the disc space between the adjacent vertebral bodies, said extension having a portion for bearing against each of the adjacent vertebral bodies, said portion of said extension having an upper surface adapted to contact one of the adjacent vertebral bodies and a lower surface adapted to contact the other of the adjacent vertebral bodies, said portion of said extension having a height between said upper and lower surfaces and a length sufficient to properly align and distance apart the adjacent vertebral bodies from at least in part within the disc space between 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.
280 Citations
78 Claims
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1. An apparatus for use in human spinal surgery across a disc space between two adjacent vertebral bodies, comprising:
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a guard member having a distal end, a proximal end, and a mid-longitudinal axis through said distal and proximal ends, said guard member having a passage for providing protected access to the disc space and the adjacent vertebral bodies, said passage having a cross section transverse to the mid-longitudinal axis having a width and a height transverse to the width, the width of said passage being greater than the height of said passage along at least a portion of said passage; and an extension extending from said distal end of said guard member for insertion into the disc space between the adjacent vertebral bodies, said extension having a portion for bearing against each of the adjacent vertebral bodies, said portion of said extension having an upper surface adapted to contact one of the adjacent vertebral bodies and a lower surface adapted to contact the other of the adjacent vertebral bodies, said portion of said extension having a height between said upper and lower surfaces and a length sufficient to properly align and distance apart the adjacent vertebral bodies from at least in part within the disc space between 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)
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40. An apparatus for use in human spinal surgery across a disc space between two adjacent vertebral bodies, comprising:
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a guard member having a distal end, a proximal end, and a mid-longitudinal axis through said distal and proximal ends, said guard member having a passage with a cross section transverse to the mid-longitudinal axis for providing protected access to the disc space and the adjacent vertebral bodies, said cross section of said passage being non-circular along at least a portion of the mid-longitudinal axis; and an extension extending from said distal end of said guard member for insertion into the disc space between the adjacent vertebral bodies, said extension having a portion for bearing against each of the adjacent vertebral bodies, said portion of said extension having an upper surface adapted to contact one of the adjacent vertebral bodies and a lower surface adapted to contact the other of the adjacent vertebral bodies, said portion of said extension having a height between said upper and lower surfaces and a length sufficient to properly align and distance apart the adjacent vertebral bodies from at least in part within the disc space between the adjacent vertebral bodies. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78)
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Specification