Method and apparatus for spinal fixation using minimally invasive surgical techniques
First Claim
1. A minimally invasive surgery method of spinal fixation comprising the steps of:
- creating one or more short percutaneous incisions in the back of a patient;
inserting pedicle screws through said incisions and affixing said pedicle screws into multiple vertebrae, each of said pedicle screws comprising a rod-receiving head;
affixing a guide wire to one of said pedicle screws, said guide wire thereby having an attached end and a free end;
passing a medial portion of said guide wire through said pedicle screws, whereby said free end is not pulled through said patient and remains disposed outside of said patient;
connecting an end of a fixation rod to said medial portion of said guide wire;
pulling said free end of said guide wire such that said fixation rod is pulled into said rod-receiving heads of said pedicle screws;
securing said fixation rod to said pedicle screws; and
cutting said guide wire.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved method and guide wire assembly used in a system, set of instrumentation and method comprising the combination and use of plural pedicle screws, a rod for connecting pedicle screws in a relatively rigid manner, and instrumentation to optimize insertion of the rod into the pedicle screws, the assembly having a guide wire and instrumentation to grasp a medial portion of the guide wire to pull the medial portion through all the pedicle screws and connecting the loop to the end of a fixation rod, whereby one end of the guide wire is mounted to a pedicle screw, all the screws are implanted into the vertebrae, and the rod subsequently guided into the pedicle screws by pulling the guide wire loop back through the pedicle screws, all using minimally invasive surgical incisions.
17 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A minimally invasive surgery method of spinal fixation comprising the steps of:
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creating one or more short percutaneous incisions in the back of a patient; inserting pedicle screws through said incisions and affixing said pedicle screws into multiple vertebrae, each of said pedicle screws comprising a rod-receiving head; affixing a guide wire to one of said pedicle screws, said guide wire thereby having an attached end and a free end; passing a medial portion of said guide wire through said pedicle screws, whereby said free end is not pulled through said patient and remains disposed outside of said patient; connecting an end of a fixation rod to said medial portion of said guide wire; pulling said free end of said guide wire such that said fixation rod is pulled into said rod-receiving heads of said pedicle screws; securing said fixation rod to said pedicle screws; and cutting said guide wire. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification