Methods and instruments for interbody surgical techniques
AssigneeSDGI Holdings, Inc.
InventorsKevin T. Foley, Jeffrey D. Moore, Bradley T. Estes, Mingyan Liu, Loic Josse
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Abstract
This invention relates to methods and instruments for performing a surgical procedure in a disc space between adjacent vertebrae. The instruments include a distractor and a cutting instrument. In one embodiment the distractor includes a body portion and a pair of flanges extending along opposite sides of the body portion such that a slot is formed between the flanges and the body portion. The cutting instrument is positionable over the body portion and into the slots of the distractor so that the flanges are positioned between the cutting instrument and the adjacent tissue.
Claims37
A distractor, comprising:
- a body portion extending between a leading end and a trailing end, said body portion including an upper surface and an opposite lower surface and opposite first and second sidewalls extending between said upper and lower surfaces;
- and
- a first flange and a second flange each extending proximally from said leading end of said body portion towards said trailing end, said first flange spaced a distance from said first sidewall and said second flange spaced a distance from said second sidewall.
A distractor for distracting the disc space between adjacent vertebral bodies, comprising:
- a body portion extending between a leading end and a trailing end, said body portion including opposite first and second sidewalls extending between the adjacent vertebral bodies;
- and
- a first flange and a second flange each extending from said leading end towards said trailing end of said body portion, each of said first and second flanges forming with a respective one of said first and second sidewalls a slot along said body portion.
A distractor, comprising:
- a body portion extending between a leading end and a trailing end, said body portion including an upper surface and an opposite lower surface and opposite first and second sidewalls extending between said upper and lower surfaces, at least a portion of said upper and lower surfaces being contactable with the endplates of adjacent vertebral bodies when said body portion is inserted in the disc space between the adjacent vertebral bodies, wherein said body portion includes a cavity formed therethrough extending between and opening at said upper surface and said lower surface.
A spinal instrument assembly, comprising:
- a distractor including:
- a body portion extending between a leading end and a trailing end, said body portion including opposite first and second sidewalls extending between the adjacent vertebral bodies;
- a first flange and a second flange each extending from said leading end towards said trailing end of said body portion, each of said first and second flanges forming with a respective one of said first and second sidewalls a slot along said body portion;
- an elongated stem extending proximally from said trailing end of said body portion;
- and
- a cutting instrument including:
- an elongated shaft having a distal cutting end, said shaft including an upper member, a lower member, and a pair of sidewalls extending therebetween, said shaft defining a channel sized to receive said body portion of said distractor whereby said sidewalls are positionable in a respective one of said slots when said body portion of said distractor is in said channel of said shaft.
A method for preparing a disc space between adjacent vertebrae, comprising:
- accessing the disc space through the skin and tissue of a patient;
- inserting a distractor into the disc space, the distractor having a body portion extending between a leading end and a trailing end, the distractor further including a first flange and a second flange extending from said leading end towards said trailing end of said body portion, each of said first and second flanges forming a slot along said body portion;
- and
- positioning a cutter over the body portion and into the slots formed between the body portion and the first and second flanges of the distractor.
A spinal instrument assembly, comprising:
- a distractor including a body portion extending between a leading end and a trailing end, said body portion including opposite first and second sidewalls extending between the adjacent vertebral bodies and having a first width between said sidewalls;
- a cutting instrument including an elongated shaft having a distal cutting end, said distal cutting end of said shaft configured to interfit with said distractor and having a channel with a height sized to receive said body portion of said distractor, said distal cutting end having a second width that is less than said first width.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.