Spinal plug for a minimally invasive facet joint fusion system
DCFirst Claim
1. An arthroscopic type portal facet surgical method comprising:
- placing a portal into a human patient through a minimally invasive incision in the tissue of said human patient;
accessing a facet joint through said portal, wherein said facet joint comprises a first facet joint bone and a second facet joint bone, and wherein said first facet joint bone comprises a first articulated surface and said second facet joint bone comprises a second articulated surface, and wherein said first articulated surface and said second articulated surface face each other at said facet joint;
inserting a drill bit into said portal;
drilling a hole with said drill bit into said facet joint between said first articulated surface and said second articulated surface through said portal;
removing said drill bit from said hole through said portal;
inserting a facet joint fusion plug into said hole through said portal;
inserting a tamping instrument into said portal; and
tamping said facet joint fusion plug into said hole with said tamping instrument through said portal.
3 Assignments
Litigations
0 Petitions
Reexamination
Accused Products
Abstract
A frustum shaped body has an aperture in a top surface and a pair of first and second opposed apertures in a side surface, first and second horizontal internal channels connect both the first and second opposed apertures. A vertical channel from the top aperture connects with the first and second channels. After the body is inserted into a hole in a facet joint, compatible synthetic or biologic material is inserted into the vertical channel until the material exits from the first and second apertures in the side surface. At least one pair of flanges on a portion of an exterior side surface of the body acts as a detent to hold the body in place within the facet joint hole.
429 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. An arthroscopic type portal facet surgical method comprising:
-
placing a portal into a human patient through a minimally invasive incision in the tissue of said human patient; accessing a facet joint through said portal, wherein said facet joint comprises a first facet joint bone and a second facet joint bone, and wherein said first facet joint bone comprises a first articulated surface and said second facet joint bone comprises a second articulated surface, and wherein said first articulated surface and said second articulated surface face each other at said facet joint; inserting a drill bit into said portal; drilling a hole with said drill bit into said facet joint between said first articulated surface and said second articulated surface through said portal; removing said drill bit from said hole through said portal; inserting a facet joint fusion plug into said hole through said portal; inserting a tamping instrument into said portal; and tamping said facet joint fusion plug into said hole with said tamping instrument through said portal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. An arthroscopic type portal facet surgical method comprising:
-
placing a portal into a human patient through a minimally invasive incision in the tissue of said human patient; accessing a facet joint through said portal, wherein said facet joint comprises a first facet joint bone and a second facet joint bone, and wherein said first facet joint bone comprises a first articulated surface and said second facet joint bone comprises a second articulated surface, and wherein said first articulated surface and said second articulated surface face each other at said facet joint; inserting a drill bit into said portal; drilling a hole with said drill bit into said facet joint between said first articulated surface and said second articulated surface through said portal; removing said drill bit from said hole through said portal; inserting a facet joint fusion plug into said hole through said portal; and pushing said facet joint fusion plug into said hole through said portal, wherein said facet joint fusion plug comprises bone. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification