Instruments and methods for stabilization of bony structures
First Claim
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1. A minimally invasive surgical method, comprising:
- making an incision in a patient for accessing first and second bony elements;
placing through the incision first and second anchors coupled to first and second anchor extensions, respectively;
engaging the first and second anchors to the first and second bony elements, respectively;
mounting an inserter instrument on the first and second anchor extensions, the inserter instrument having a pivot axis relative to the anchors and further including a connecting element mounted thereon;
swinging the inserter instrument relative to the anchors about the pivot axis and thereby moving the connecting element through an arc centered on the pivot axis of the inserter instrument;
introducing an end of the connecting element into the patient from a location remote from the incision; and
positioning the connecting element proximate to the first and second anchors.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to methods and instruments for placing a brace or connecting element into an animal subject for engagement with anchors secured in the animal subject. The installation instrument includes anchor extensions coupled to the anchors. The instrument is movable with respect to the anchors to position the connecting element in a position more proximate the anchors.
280 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A minimally invasive surgical method, comprising:
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making an incision in a patient for accessing first and second bony elements; placing through the incision first and second anchors coupled to first and second anchor extensions, respectively; engaging the first and second anchors to the first and second bony elements, respectively; mounting an inserter instrument on the first and second anchor extensions, the inserter instrument having a pivot axis relative to the anchors and further including a connecting element mounted thereon; swinging the inserter instrument relative to the anchors about the pivot axis and thereby moving the connecting element through an arc centered on the pivot axis of the inserter instrument; introducing an end of the connecting element into the patient from a location remote from the incision; and positioning the connecting element proximate to the first and second anchors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of placing a connecting element in a patient, comprising:
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placing first and second anchors in first and second bony elements of the body through an incision in the patient; positioning first and second anchor extensions with distal ends removably engaged to respective ones of the first and second anchors so that the first and second anchor extensions extend through the incision to proximal ends of the first and second anchor extensions located outside the patient; manipulating the anchor extensions in the incision so that the proximal ends of the anchor extensions are located closer to one another than the distal ends of the anchor extensions engaged to the first and second anchors; referencing an elongated connecting element to at least one of the anchor extensions, the connecting element being secured to an installation instrument; and moving the installation instrument relative to the at least one anchor extension to position the connecting element from outside the patient into passageways of the first and second anchors in the patient that are located between the first and second anchor extensions and the first and second anchors. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A minimally invasive surgical method, comprising:
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making an incision in a patient for accessing first and second bony elements; placing through the incision first and second anchors, wherein the first and second anchors are configured to be removably coupled to first and second anchor extensions, respectively, wherein the first anchor and the first anchor extension include a first passageway for receiving a connecting element and the second anchor and the second anchor extension include a second passageway for receiving the connecting element; engaging the first and second anchors to the first and second bony elements, respectively; referencing a connecting element to a proximal end of at least one of the first and second anchor extensions, the first and second anchor extensions extending through the incision to the proximal end thereof at a location outside the patient; moving the connecting element relative to the first and second extensions from the proximal ends of the first and second anchor extensions outside the patient to the first and second anchors in the patient; introducing the connecting element into the passageways of the first and second anchors; engaging the connecting element in the passageways of the first and second anchors with engaging members received from respective ones of the first and second anchor extensions to the first and second anchors; and removing the first and second anchor extensions from the first and second anchors after engaging the connecting element in the passageways with the engaging members. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification