Minimally invasive method and apparatus for placing facet screws and fusing adjacent vertebrae
AssigneeThe Cleveland Clinic Foundation
InventorIsador H. Lieberman
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Abstract
A minimally invasive apparatus for placing screws across a facet joint between first and second vertebrae comprises a first K-wire for inserting into a spinous process of the first vertebrae and a first fixation block removably connected to the first K-wire. The apparatus has a second K-wire for inserting into a transverse process of the second vertebrae and a second fixation block removably connected to the second K-wire. A first rod member is removably connected to both of the first and second fixation blocks. A support apparatus further secures the first and second K-wires to the first and second vertebrae. The apparatus has a cannula that enables implantation of the translaminar screws across a facet joint between the first and second vertebrae.
Claims17
An apparatus for placing screws through a cannula and across a facet joint between adjacent first and second vertebrae, said apparatus comprising:
- a first K-wire for inserting into a spinous process of the first vertebrae;
- a first fixation block removably connected to said first K-wire;
- a second K-wire for inserting into a transverse process of the second vertebrae;
- a second fixation block removably connected to said second K-wire;
- a first rod member removably connected to both said first and second fixation blocks;
- and
- a support apparatus secured to a single K-wire for further securing said first and second K-wires to the first and second vertebrae, wherein said support apparatus includes a support block, a third fixation block, and a third K-wire, said support block securing said support apparatus to said first K-wire, said third fixation block securing a second end of said support apparatus to said third K-wire.
An apparatus for placing translaminar screws across a facet joint between adjacent first and second vertebrae in a minimally invasive surgical procedure, said apparatus comprising:
- a first K-wire for inserting into a spinous process of the first vertebrae;
- a second K-wire for inserting into a transverse process of the second vertebrae;
- a first fixation block having perpendicularly extending first and second passages, said first K-wire extending into said first passage in said first fixation block
- a second fixation block having perpendicularly extending first and second passages, said second K-wire extending into said first passage in said second fixation block;
- a first support block having perpendicularly extending first and second passages, said first K-wire extending consecutively through said first passage in said first fixation block and said first passage in said first support block;
- a first rod member extending through said second passage in said first fixation block and said second passage in said second fixation block;
- a second rod member for further securing said first and second fixation blocks to the first and second vertebrae, said second rod member extending through said second passage in said first support block;
- and
- a cannula for implanting the translaminar screws across a facet joint between the first and second vertebrae.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.