Surgical instrument for moving a vertebra
First Claim
1. A method of treating a spinal location of a patient, comprising:
- providing an elongate body having a proximal end, a distal end, an outer surface and an inner surface, said elongate body defining a path extending therethrough;
inserting said distal end of said elongate body into the patient such that the distal end resides proximate the spinal location;
configuring said elongate body so that the cross-sectional area of said path at a first location is greater than the cross-sectional area of said path at a second location, wherein the first location is distal to the second location, wherein configuring said elongate body causes said outer surface to engage body tissue;
inserting a first screw into a first vertebra;
advancing through the path a device having a first portion including a clamp actuatable between open and closed positions, the clamp configured to engage the first screw coupled with the first vertebra and a second portion configured to manipulate a rod coupled to a second vertebra with a second screw, the first and second portions being aligned along a longitudinal axis of the device;
actuating the clamp to engage the first screw; and
providing relative axial motion between the first and second portions of the device to move the first vertebra with respect to the second vertebra in a plane generally transverse to the spine of the patient while the cross-sectional area of the path at the first location remains greater than the cross-sectional area of the path at the second location.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical instrument includes a first device adapted to be connected to a fastener fixed to a first bone portion. A second device includes a first portion associated with the first device and a second portion for supporting a member which engages the fastener fixed to the first bone portion and secures a rod connected to the second bone portion to the fastener. The second portion is adapted for pressing the member against the rod. The first device has a part that prevents the second device from moving toward the fastener that is connected to the first device so that the member is rotated relative to the fastener but is not moved axially relative to the fastener in response to rotation of the second device.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of treating a spinal location of a patient, comprising:
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providing an elongate body having a proximal end, a distal end, an outer surface and an inner surface, said elongate body defining a path extending therethrough; inserting said distal end of said elongate body into the patient such that the distal end resides proximate the spinal location; configuring said elongate body so that the cross-sectional area of said path at a first location is greater than the cross-sectional area of said path at a second location, wherein the first location is distal to the second location, wherein configuring said elongate body causes said outer surface to engage body tissue; inserting a first screw into a first vertebra; advancing through the path a device having a first portion including a clamp actuatable between open and closed positions, the clamp configured to engage the first screw coupled with the first vertebra and a second portion configured to manipulate a rod coupled to a second vertebra with a second screw, the first and second portions being aligned along a longitudinal axis of the device; actuating the clamp to engage the first screw; and providing relative axial motion between the first and second portions of the device to move the first vertebra with respect to the second vertebra in a plane generally transverse to the spine of the patient while the cross-sectional area of the path at the first location remains greater than the cross-sectional area of the path at the second location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for manipulating at least one of a first screw and a rod, comprising:
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advancing an elongate body to a spinal location, the elongate body at least partially defining a path therethrough; inserting the first screw into a first vertebra; advancing through the path an instrument having a longitudinal axis and being configured to manipulate at least one of the first screw coupled with a first vertebra and the rod coupled to a second vertebra with a second screw, the instrument being configured to limit a force applied to the first screw or to the rod by the instrument along the longitudinal axis, the instrument including a clamp having first and second clamping portions, the first clamping portion being movable relative to the second clamping portion to actuate the clamp between open and closed positions; moving the first clamping portion relative to the second clamping portion to engage the first screw; and moving the rod with respect to the first screw along the longitudinal axis to change the relative position of the first vertebra and the second vertebra in a plane generally transverse to the spine. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A method for manipulating at least one of an anchoring member and an implant, comprising:
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advancing an elongate body to a spinal location, the elongate body at least partially defining a path therethrough; advancing through the path an instrument having a longitudinal axis and being configured to manipulate at least one of the anchoring member coupled with a first vertebra and the implant coupled with a second vertebra, the instrument being configured to limit a force applied to the anchoring member or to the implant by the instrument along the longitudinal axis the instrument including a spring configured to limit a force applied by the instrument along the axis; and moving the implant with respect to the anchoring member along the longitudinal axis to change the relative position of the first vertebra and the second vertebra in a plane generally transverse to the spine.
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14. A method for manipulating at least one of an anchoring member and an implant, comprising:
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advancing an elongate body through an incision to a spinal location to provide an access path to the spinal location through the incision, the elongate body having a distal end and a proximal end; advancing along the access path an instrument having a longitudinal axis and being configured to apply an axial force not to exceed an upper threshotd along the axis, the instrument including a clamp having a first jaw member pivotable relative to a second jaw member, the clamp configured to engage the anchoring member when the first jaw member is pivoted towards the second jaw member; engaging the anchoring member by pivoting the first jaw member towards the second jaw member; and applying an axial force with the instrument to move at least one of the anchoring member coupled with a first vertebra and the implant coupled with a second vertebra to change the relative position of the first vertebra and the second vertebra in a plane generally transverse to the spine. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of treating a spinal location of a patient, comprising:
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providing an elongate body having a proximal end, a distal end, an outer surface and an inner surface, said elongate body defining a path extending therethrough; inserting said distal end of said elongate body into the patient such that the distal end resides proximate the spinal location; configuring said elongate body so that the cross-sectional area of said path at a first location is greater than the cross-sectional area of said path at a second location, wherein the first location is distal to the second location, wherein configuring said elongate body causes said outer surface to engage body tissue; advancing through the path a device having a first portion configured to engage a first implant coupled with a first vertebra and a second portion configured to manipulate a second implant coupled with a second vertebra, the first portion including a first member moveable toward a second member to engage an implant; engaging the first implant with the device by moving the first member toward the second member; providing relative motion between the first and second portions of the device by inserting the second portion within the first portion and rotating the second portion relative to the first portion to move the first vertebra with respect to the second vertebra in a plane generally transverse to the spine of the patient while the cross-sectional area of the path at the first location remains greater than the cross-sectional area of the path at the second location; and positioning a clamping member on a distal end of the second portion prior to inserting the second portion within the first portion.
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20. A method of treating a spinal location of a patient, comprising:
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providing an elongate body having a proximal end, a distal end, an outer surface and an inner surface, said elongate body defining a path extending therethrough; inserting said distal end of said elongate body into the patient such that the distal end resides proximate the spinal location; configuring said elongate body so that the cross-sectional area of said path at a first location is greater than the cross-sectional area of said path at a second location, wherein the first location is distal to the second location, wherein configuring said elongate body causes said outer surface to engage body tissue; advancing through the path a device having a first portion configured to engage a first implant coupled with a first vertebra and a second portion configured to manipulate a second implant coupled with a second vertebra, the first portion being a clamp, the clamp comprising a first jaw member pivotable relative to a second jaw member, the first and second portions being aligned along a longitudinal axis of the device; engaging the first implant with the device by pivoting the first jaw member relative to the second jaw member; and providing relative axial motion between the first and second portions of the device to move the first vertebra with respect to the second vertebra in a plane generally transverse to the spine of the patient while the cross-sectional area of the path at the first location remains greater than the cross-sectional area of the path at the second location.
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21. A method of treating a spinal location of a patient, comprising:
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providing an elongate body having a proximal end, a distal end, an outer surface and an inner surface, said elongate body defining a path extending therethrough; inserting said distal end of said elongate body into the patient such that the distal end resides proximate the spinal location; configuring said elongate body so that the cross-sectional area of said path at a first location is greater than the cross-sectional area of said path at a second location, wherein the first location is distal to the second location, wherein configuring said elongate body causes said outer surface to engage body tissue; advancing through the path a device having a first portion configured to engage a first implant coupled with a first vertebra and a second portion configured to manipulate a second implant coupled with a second vertebra, the first portion being a clamp, the clamp comprising a first jaw member and a second jaw member, wherein at least one of the first jaw member and the second jaw member is movable relative to the other of the first and second jaw member, the first and second portions being aligned along a longitudinal axis of the device; engaging the first implant with the device by pivoting at least one of the first and second jaw members; and providing relative axial motion between the first and second portions of the device to move the first vertebra with respect to the second vertebra in a plane generally transverse to the spine of the patient while the cross-sectional area of the path at the first location remains greater than the cross-sectional area of the path at the second location.
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Specification