Methods and apparatus for performing spine surgery
First Claim
1. A method for providing surgical access to a spine, said method comprising:
- advancing a first access instrument from a posterior-lateral entry site on a patient to a spinal target site on a lateral exterior surface of the anterior column of the spine, the advancement of the first access instrument following a curvilinear path from the entry site to the target site on the lateral exterior surface of the anterior column, wherein the curvilinear path comprises a continuous curve from the entry site to the target site;
advancing a second access instrument over the first access instrument along the curvilinear path from the posterior-lateral entry site to the target site;
advancing a third access instrument over the second access instrument along the curvilinear path from the posterior-lateral entry site to the target site.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An implant for use in spinal surgery comprises a resilient element having an inflatable cavity. It is formed of a biologically compatible material and is arranged for placement between end plates of adjacent vertebra. The implant may also include a wound disc replacement element. A method of performing spinal surgery on a patient comprises securely mounting a patient onto a patient support table; imaging a spinal region of the patient; building up a three-dimensional image file of the spinal region of the patient; storing the image file; and utilizing the image file for planning and carrying out computer controlled spinal surgery on the patient utilizing the implant. A computer-controlled surgical implant system comprises a steerable endosurgical implanting assembly operative to install the implant at a desired location in a patient; and a computerized controlled, which operates the steerable endosurgical implanting assembly.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method for providing surgical access to a spine, said method comprising:
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advancing a first access instrument from a posterior-lateral entry site on a patient to a spinal target site on a lateral exterior surface of the anterior column of the spine, the advancement of the first access instrument following a curvilinear path from the entry site to the target site on the lateral exterior surface of the anterior column, wherein the curvilinear path comprises a continuous curve from the entry site to the target site; advancing a second access instrument over the first access instrument along the curvilinear path from the posterior-lateral entry site to the target site; advancing a third access instrument over the second access instrument along the curvilinear path from the posterior-lateral entry site to the target site. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for performing spinal surgery on a patient, said method comprising:
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creating an access corridor to a spinal target site in the patient by advancing at least one access instrument along a continuous curvilinear path to said the spinal target site, wherein said continuous curvilinear path originates from a location posterior-lateral to the spine and continues to a lateral exterior surface of the anterior column of the spine adjacent the spinal target site; removing through said access corridor at least a portion of an intervertebral disc from the intervertebral space between a superior vertebra and an inferior vertebra of the spine; and inserting an implant into the intervertebral space through said access corridor. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification