Systems and methods for performing spine surgery
First Claim
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1. A method for correcting the curvature of a spine of a patient, comprising the steps of:
- implanting a plurality of bone screws at various locations along a spine, each of the plurality of bone screws having an anchor portion and a rod housing, the anchor portion adapted to provide purchase within bone and the rod housing configured to receive at least a portion of a spinal rod therein;
digitizing the locations of said plurality of implanted screws using a digitizing pointer comprised of a housing having shutters manually operable between an open position and a closed position, whereby said shutters expose reflective markers attached to said housing in the open position upon squeezing a handle of said housing, and whereby a digitizing pointer sensor detects said locations of said plurality of implanted screws when the shutters are in the open position;
digitizing a distal end of a spinal rod attached to a rod inserter that enables the spinal rod to advance through an operative corridor;
seating, with a rod pusher, the spinal rod in at least one of said rod housings;
wherein at least one of the rod inserter and the rod pusher has an emitting component thereon that can be sensed by a sensor;
continuously generating a dynamic visual output on a graphic user interface corresponding to the relative locations of the digitized screws and the digitized distal end; and
advancing the distal end of the spinal rod through the operative corridor toward a first of the implanted screws while receiving the dynamic visual output on the graphic user interface.
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Abstract
A method is provided for correcting a curvature or deformity in a patient'"'"'s spine based on the digitized locations of implanted screws and tracking the placement of the rod as it is placed in a minimally invasive fashion. The method is implemented by a control unit through a GUI to digitize screw locations, accept one or more correction outputs, and generate one or more rod solution outputs shaped to fit at locations distinct from the implanted screw locations.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method for correcting the curvature of a spine of a patient, comprising the steps of:
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implanting a plurality of bone screws at various locations along a spine, each of the plurality of bone screws having an anchor portion and a rod housing, the anchor portion adapted to provide purchase within bone and the rod housing configured to receive at least a portion of a spinal rod therein; digitizing the locations of said plurality of implanted screws using a digitizing pointer comprised of a housing having shutters manually operable between an open position and a closed position, whereby said shutters expose reflective markers attached to said housing in the open position upon squeezing a handle of said housing, and whereby a digitizing pointer sensor detects said locations of said plurality of implanted screws when the shutters are in the open position; digitizing a distal end of a spinal rod attached to a rod inserter that enables the spinal rod to advance through an operative corridor; seating, with a rod pusher, the spinal rod in at least one of said rod housings; wherein at least one of the rod inserter and the rod pusher has an emitting component thereon that can be sensed by a sensor; continuously generating a dynamic visual output on a graphic user interface corresponding to the relative locations of the digitized screws and the digitized distal end; and advancing the distal end of the spinal rod through the operative corridor toward a first of the implanted screws while receiving the dynamic visual output on the graphic user interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification