US 7,503,920 B2Granted

Spinal surgery system and method

OwnerTzony Siegalinventor

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Abstract

Apparatus and method for minimally invasive spinal surgery employs an elongated flexible guide element inserted so as to pass in through a first lateral posterior incision, through the spinal column anterior to the spinal cord, and out through a second lateral posterior incision contralateral to said first incision. The guide element is used to guide various elements to a desired position within the spinal column as part of the surgical procedure. Preferably, two hollow rigid tubes rigidly coupled outside the body in converging relation are used to define a working gap within the spinal column through which the guide element passes. This provides a platform for manipulation of tissues and introduction of implants anterior to the spinal cord. Procedures described include reinforcement of a degenerative intervertebral disc and restoration of a damaged vertebral body.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A tunneling system for forming an arcuate tunnel through biological tissue, the tunneling system comprising:

(a) a rigid delivery conduit having an inner channel and an open end, at least part of said inner channel being substantially straight;
and
(b) a tunneling device for deploying within said inner channel and advancing beyond said open end, at least a distal portion of said tunneling device being formed from a series of substantially rigid elements interconnected at pivotal interconnection regions having parallel effective hinge axes, said interconnection regions being configured to transfer compressive forces between adjacent of said elements, each of said elements further including at least one contact surface disposed for abutting a corresponding region of an adjacent one of said elements so as to define a maximum deflection of relative pivotal motion between adjacent of said elements,
such that, when said distal portion is deployed within said inner channel, at least part of said distal portion is limited by said rigid delivery conduit to a substantially straight state with said contact surfaces and said corresponding regions separated and, as said distal portion is advanced beyond said open end into said biological tissue, said elements are deflected to said maximum deflection so that a part of said distal portion beyond said open end assumes a pre-defined substantially arcuate state while another part of said distal portion remaining within said delivery conduit is maintained in said substantially straight state.

1 more element

An apparatus for use in performing a minimally invasive spinal surgical procedure via a pair of bilateral stab wounds on either side of a subject region of the spine of a patient, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a first hollow rigid tube having a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end for insertion through a first of the stab wounds;
(b) a second hollow rigid tube having a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end for insertion through a second stab wound in the back of a patient;
(c) a rigid coupling for rigidly coupling said first and second tubes such that said tubes converge towards said distal ends but maintain a predefined gap between said distal ends;
and
(d) a tunneling system deployable along said first tube for forming an arcuate tunnel so as to traverse said gap between said distal ends of said first and second tubes, said tunneling system including a tunneling device, at least a distal portion of said tunneling device being formed from a series of substantially rigid elements interconnected at pivotal interconnection regions having parallel effective hinge axes, said interconnection regions being configured to transfer compressive forces between adjacent of said elements, each of said elements further including at least one contact surface disposed for abutting a corresponding region of an adjacent one of said elements so as to define a maximum deflection of relative pivotal motion between adjacent of said elements,
such that, when said distal portion of said tunneling device is deployed within said first tube, at least part of said distal portion assumes a substantially straight state with said contact surfaces and said corresponding regions separated and, as said distal portion of said tunneling device is advanced beyond said distal end, said elements are deflected to said maximum deflection so that a part of said distal portion of said tunneling element beyond said distal end of said first tube assumes a pre-defined substantially arcuate state.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/028,655Filed 5 Jan 2005 · continuation in part
Priority: 11 Aug 2004
Published: US 2006/0036241 A116 Feb 2006
Granted: 17 Mar 2009
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification16 codes

A61B 17/1757
Specially adapted for particular parts of the body: for the spine
A61B 17/7094
Spinal positioners or stabilisers, e.g. stabilisers comprising fluid filler in an implant: solid vertebral fillers; devices for inserting such fillers
A61B 17/1642
Instruments for performing osteoclasis; Drills or chisels for bones; Trepans: for producing a curved bore
A61B 17/1671
For particular parts of the body: for the spine