Safety knife for resection of annulus
OwnerJohn Nordtinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cutting instrument for use in the complete removal of the annulus fibrosus of an intervertebral disc contains a curvature in the shaft. The curvature forms a guide that rests upon an intervertebral disc and guides the cutting head around the circumference of the intervertebral disc. The curvature of the shaft of the instrument conforms to the circumference of the intervertebral disc and prevents vessels and extra spinal tissue surrounding the intervertebral disc from being damaged particularly when cutting the posterior portion of the intervertebral disc where visibility is minimal. The cutting instruments contain blunt blade guards further minimizing any potential damage to tissue surrounding the intervertebral disc.
Claims18
An instrument for shaving annulus fibrosis of an intervertebral disc from vertebrae, the instrument comprising:
- a first shaving member extending in a distal direction for shaving annulus fibrosis from a first vertebral body;
- a second shaving member extending in the distal direction generally parallel to the first shaving member for shaving annulus fibrosis from a second vertebral body;
- a ramp extending transversely directly between midpoints of the first shaving member and the second shaving member;
- and
- a plurality of blunt guards extending distally beyond the first and second shaving members.
An instrument for shaving and preserving annulus fibrosis of an intervertebral disc for subsequent use and repair of said annulus fibrosis in the same procedure, the instrument comprising:
- a first annulus shaver extending in a distal direction for shaving said annulus fibrosis from the surface of a first vertebra;
- a second annulus shaver extending in a distal direction generally parallel to the first annulus shaver for shaving said annulus fibrosis from the surface of a second vertebra;
- and an annulus resector extending transversely directly between midpoints of the first and second annulus shavers for resecting a portion of said annulus fibrosis, said resector forming a ramp for guiding resected portions of the annulus fibrosis in a preserved state still attached to the disc.
An instrument for shaving and preserving annulus fibrosis of an intervertebral disc for subsequent use and repair of said annulus fibrosis in the same procedure, the instrument comprising:
- a first annulus shaver extending in a distal direction for shaving said annulus fibrosis from the surface of a first vertebra;
- a second annulus shaver extending in a distal direction generally parallel to the first annulus shaver for shaving said annulus fibrosis from the surface of a second vertebra;
- and
- an annulus resector extending transversely between the first and second annulus shavers for resecting a portion of said annulus fibrosis, said resector forming a curved surface for guiding resected portions of the annulus fibrosis in a preserved state still attached to the disc,
- the first annulus shaver, second annulus shaver and resector each comprising a generally straight distal edge, the distal edges forming a three-sided box-shaped channel at the distal end of the instrument having first and second cutting planes generally parallel to one another, and a third cutting plane extending transversely between the first and second cutting planes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.