Lumbosacral fixation and fusion method and device
AssigneeUniversity of Florida
InventorMichael MacMillan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for percutaneously fixing and fusing the lumbosacral joint and a guide device for accurate placement of instrumentation to effect the fixation or fusion. The inventive method comprises placement of pins along bony canals leading bilateral of the spine from the pelvis to the S1 pedicles and then the vertebral body of L5.
Claims8
A method for percutaneously fixing or fusing the lumbosacral joint of a patient comprising the step of placing bone penetration instrumentation bilateral of the spine through the pedicles of S1 across the S1-L5 disk into the vertebral body of L5.
A guide device for introducing surgical instrumentation into at least one bony pathway leading from the iliac crest of the pelvis to the pedicle of the S1 vertebra and from there to the vertebral body of the L5 vertebra, comprising:
- (a) a first linear member having a length ranging from 8 to 10 inches and having a bracket at or near its distal end for attaching a pedicle localizing instrument having a penetration end, the bracket being mounted at an approximately 90.degree. angle to the first member;
- and
- (b) a second member connected to the proximal end of the first member and having a bracket for receiving a penetration instrument, the bracket being movable in a curve with respect to the second member such that the longitudinal axis of a received penetration instrument intercepts the penetration end of the pedicle localizing instrument.
A method for percutaneously removing the L5-S1 disc of a patient comprising the steps of:
- (a) drilling a hole along at least one of the two bony pathways existing on the sides of the spine leading from the iliac crest through the S1 pedicle to the vertebral body of L5;
- (b) inserting a suction-cutter arthroscopic tool into the hole;
- (c) breaking up the L5-S1 disc material;
- and
- (d) removing the L5-S1 disc material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.