Articulating curette for decorticating a vertebral endplate via a cannula

An articulating curette for decorticating a vertebral endplate of a vertebra of a spine during a surgical spine procedure comprising:

• a handle;
• a controller connected to the handle;
• a shaft assembly including:
• two opposing arms extending from the controller and defining two arm ends distal to the controller;
• and
• a control shaft defining a distal control shaft end and a proximal control shaft end and disposed between the two opposing arms, the control shaft proximal end operably coupled to the controller for longitudinally axial movement of the control shaft by the controller relative to the two opposing arms;
• a decorticating head for decorticating a vertebral endplate of a vertebra, the decorticating head having an end surface, an upper surface, a lower surface opposite the upper surface, a first lateral side surface between the upper surface and the lower surface, and a second lateral side surface between the upper surface and the lower surface and opposite to the first lateral side surface, a first single blade extending along a first side length of the upper surface and projecting laterally outward from the first lateral side surface, and a second single blade extending along a second side length of the upper surface opposite the first single blade and projecting laterally outward from the second lateral side surface, the decorticating head pivotally connected to the two arm ends of the two opposing arms via a single pivot for 90° articulation about the two opposing arms;
• and
• a pivot mechanism situated on and between the decorticating head and the control shaft distal end for providing controlled articulation of the decorticating head through longitudinally axial movement of the control shaft.

A method of decorticating a vertebral endplate of a vertebra of a spine comprising:

• making an incision in a body of a patient adjacent desired vertebrae;
• inserting a cannula in the incision;
• inserting an articulating curette in the cannula, the articulating curette having:
• a handle;
• a controller connected to the handle;
• a shaft assembly including:
• two opposing arms extending from the controller and defining two arm ends distal to the controller;
• and
• a control shaft defining a distal control shaft end and a proximal control shaft end and disposed between the two opposing arms, the control shaft proximal end operably coupled to the controller for longitudinally axial movement of the control shaft by the controller relative to the two opposing arms;
• a decorticating head for decorticating a vertebral endplate of a vertebra, the decorticating head having an end surface, an upper surface, a lower surface opposite the upper surface, a first lateral side surface between the upper surface and the lower surface, and a second lateral side surface between the upper surface and the lower surface and opposite to the first lateral side surface, a first single blade extending along a first side length of the upper surface and projecting laterally outward from the first lateral side surface, and a second single blade extending along a second side length of the upper surface opposite the first single blade and projecting laterally outward from the second lateral side surface, the decorticating head pivotally connected to the two arm ends of the two opposing arms via a single for 90° articulation about the two opposing arms;
• and
• a pivot mechanism situated on and between the decorticating head and the control shaft distal end for providing controlled articulation of the decorticating head through longitudinally axial movement of the control shaft;
• operating the articulating curette to decorticate the vertebral endplate by the decorticating head when the decorticating head is pivoted from 0° to 90°, relative to the longitudinal axis of the control shaft;
• and
• removing the articulating curette from the cannula.