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Ipsilateral approach to minimally invasive ligament decompression procedure

DC
  • US 7,942,830 B2
  • Filed: 05/09/2006
  • Issued: 05/17/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2006
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for treating stenosis in a spine of a patient having a median plane, the spine including a spinal canal having a posterior surface, a dural sac and an epidural space between the posterior surface and dural sac, the location of the stenosis determining a region of interest in the spine, comprising the steps of:

  • a) generating at least one view of a portion of the spinal canal in the region of interest;

    b) compressing the dural sac in the region of interest by injecting a fluid to form a safety zone and establish a working zone in the region of interest, the safety zone lying generally between the working zone and the dural sac;

    c) percutaneously accessing the region of interest on a first lateral side of the median plane via a tool trajectory that passes generally between a lamina of a superior first vertebra and a lamina of an inferior second vertebra and generally between the two superior articular processes of the inferior second vertebra, wherein the first and second vertebra are adjacent;

    d) inserting a tissue removal tool into tissue in the working zone on the first lateral side of the median plane via the tool trajectory;

    e) using the tissue removal tool to percutaneously reduce the stenosis on the first lateral side of the median plane; and

    f) utilizing the at least one view to position the tissue removal tool during at least a part of step d) and at least part of step e).

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