Method, Implant & Instruments for Percutaneous Expansion of the Spinal Canal

An implant for expanding a spinal canal, comprising:

• a distal portion;
• a proximal portion including a threaded device and an expanding device;
• and
• a screw communicating with the threaded device and the expanding device, wherein operation of the screw moves the expanding device relative to the threaded device to increase a length of the proximal portion, the increasing length of the proximal portion, bearing against the distal portion, acts to widen a vertebral cut to expand the spinal canal.

An implant for expanding a spinal canal, comprising:

• a distal portion having inner threads;
• a proximal portion having inner threads, wherein the inner threads of the distal portion are of a substantially different pitch than the inner threads of the proximal portion, creating a dual pitch configuration;
• and
• a screw capable of communication with the distal and the proximal portions, the screw having:
• outer threads at a distal end substantially similar in pitch to the inner threads of the distal portion;
• and
• outer threads at a proximal end substantially similar in pitch to the inner threads of the proximal portion;
• wherein
• operation of the screw within the distal and the proximal portions translates the proximal portion relative to the distal portion, due to the dual pitch configuration, about a vertebral cut, to widen the vertebral cut and expand the spinal canal.

A bone saw, comprising:

• a flexible saw blade, rectangular in shape, having a central longitudinal axis and a cutting edge at a distal tip;
• a shaft having:
• a central longitudinal axis;
• a blade passage within the shaft that houses the saw blade, wherein the central longitudinal axis of the saw blade, of the shaft, and of the blade passage, are parallel;
• a blade opening located at and through a distal end of the shaft and of the blade passage, the blade opening being essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft;
• a curved abutment within the blade passage, aligning the saw blade with the blade opening, wherein distally translating the saw blade within the blade passage causes the saw blade to conform to the curved abutment and exit the blade opening with the cutting edge essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft.