Bone scaffold improvements

An orthopaedic system for performing minimally invasive posterolateral spinal fusion comprising:

• at least one rod comprising a shaft;
• at least two pedicle screws, each comprising a threaded shaft and adapted to receive and lock the rod in place such that in use the shaft of the rod spans the at least two pedicle screws;
• a plurality of bone graft scaffold clips, each clip comprising a housing configured to clip onto the shaft of the rod such that the shaft supports the housing, and the housing further comprises:
• a first side wall,
• an opposing second side wall, and
• an outer wall spanning the first side wall and opposing second side wall and comprising an opening extending inward from the outer wall to receive the shaft such that in use the received shaft extends through the first side wall and the opposing second side wall,
• a cavity defined by the first side wall, second side wall and outer wall for receiving bone growth promoting materials;
• and
• a plurality of apertures in at least the outer wall, which in use allow bone growth promoting material to move out into the surrounding tissue through the plurality of apertures and/or to allow bone to grow through the plurality of apertures.

A method for performing minimally invasive posterolateral spinal fusion surgery comprising:

• filling one or more bone graft scaffold clips with bone growth promoting materials, wherein each bone graft clip comprise a housing configured to clip onto the shaft of a rod such that the shaft supports the housing, and the housing further comprises:
• a first side wall,
• an opposing second side wall, and
• an outer wall spanning the first side wall and opposing second side wall and comprising an opening extending inward from the outer wall to receive the shaft such that in use the received shaft extends through the first side wall and the opposing second side wall,
• a cavity defined by the first side wall, second side wall and outer wall for receiving bone growth promoting materials via the opening;
• and
• a plurality of apertures in at least the outer wall, which in use allow bone growth promoting material to move out into the surrounding tissue through the plurality of apertures and/or to allow bone to grow through the plurality of apertures;
• making a first incision to access a pedicle of a first vertebra;
• making a second incision to access a pedicle of a second vertebra;
• inserting a first pedicle screw into the pedicle of the first vertebra;
• inserting a second pedicle screw into the pedicle of the second vertebra;
• inserting a rod between the first pedicle screw and the second pedicle screw, wherein the tissue surrounding the rod and between the first and second pedicle screws is not exposed;
• and
• clipping a first bone graft scaffold clip to a shaft of the rod adjacent the first pedicle screw and between the first and second pedicle screws via the first incision such that the shaft of the rod supports the clip, and
• clipping one or more further bone graft scaffold clips to the shaft of the rod adjacent the first pedicle screw and between the first and second pedicle screws via the first incision such that the shaft of the rod supports the clip, wherein prior to clipping each of the one or more further graft scaffold clips to the shaft, the scaffold clips clipped onto the shaft are pushed along the rod toward the second pedicle screw.