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US 7,079,883 B2Granted
Nerve surveillance cannulae systems
AssigneeNuVaslve, Inc.
InventorsJames F. Marino, Corbett W. Stone, Troy K. Christopher, Jeffrey J. Blewett, Brian S. Kelleher
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An expandable tip cannula system, comprising: a hollow cannula shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; and an expandable tip mounted at the distal end of the hollow cannula shaft, the expandable tip comprising a plurality of generally-triangular shaped petals held together in a radially-inwardly tapered arrangement between adjacent petals, each petal comprising a nerve sensing electrode disposed therein.
Claims13
A method of performing spine surgery comprising:
- providing a nerve surveillance instrument dimensioned to be minimally invasively advanced to a spinal target site and slideably received within a cannula, wherein at least one of said nerve surveillance instrument and said cannula is equipped with at least one nerve stimulation electrode disposed proximate a distal end thereof, and wherein said cannula has an inner lumen dimensioned to pass an implant therethrough for introduction into said spinal target site;
- minimally invasively advancing said nerve surveillance instrument and said cannula towards said spinal target site while energizing said at least one nerve stimulation electrode in an amount sufficient to depolarize nerves adjacent at least one of said instrument and said cannula such that said nerves may be detected and avoided without effecting tissue ablation or cauterization;
- removing said nerve surveillance instrument from said inner lumen after said cannula has been advanced to said spinal target site to thereby enable a surgeon to introduce said implant into said spinal target site;
- and
- introducing an implant into said spinal target site.
2 more elements
A method of performing spine surgery, comprising:
- providing a cannula having an inner lumen extending between a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end being dimensioned to be minimally invasively advanced to a spinal target site, said inner lumen being dimensioned to pass an implant therethrough;
- providing at least one nerve stimulation electrode integrally associated with said cannula and located proximate said distal end thereof;
- minimally invasively advancing said distal end of said cannula to said spinal target site while delivering energy through said at least one nerve stimulation electrode in an amount sufficient to depolarize nerves adjacent said distal end of said cannula such that said nerves may be detected and avoided without effecting tissue ablation or cauterization while creating a passageway to introduce an implant into said spinal target site;
- and
- introducing an implant into said spinal target site.
2 more elements
A method of performing spine surgery, comprising:
- providing a surgical access instrument having a distal end, said distal end being dimensioned to be minimally invasively advanced to said spinal target site;
- providing at least one nerve stimulation electrode located proximate said distal end of said surgical access instrument;
- and
- advancing said distal end of said surgical access instrument to said spinal target site while delivering energy through said at least one nerve stimulation electrode in an amount sufficient to depolarize nerves adjacent said distal end of said surgical access instrument such that said nerves may be detected and avoided while said surgical access instrument is advanced to said spinal target site;
- opening said surgical access instrument to create a passageway dimensioned to pass an implant into said spinal target site;
- and
- introducing an implant through said passageway and into said spinal target site.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.