Methods and instruments for use in vertebral treatment
AssigneeWarsaw Orthopedic, Inc.
InventorsGreg C. Marik, Newton H. Metcalf, Jr., Danish Siddiqui, Vincent C. Traynelis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of the invention include instruments, implants, and methods for surgically treating facet joints of vertebrae. An instrument may be advanced into one or more facet joints to one or both separate vertebrae and remove tissue from one or more articular processes. A stop on the instrument may be used to terminate advancement of the instrument by contacting a vertebra, and one or more implants may be placed into one or more facet joints.
Claims17
A method of surgically treating vertebrae comprising:
- separating vertebrae at one or more facet joints between articular processes of the vertebrae;
- introducing a leading end of an instrument into at least one of the one or more facet joints to remove tissue from one or more articular processes, the leading end and a trailing end, the instrument comprising a first cutting face and an opposite second cutting face extending between the leading and trailing ends, the leading end comprising a curved incline;
- advancing the instrument until a stop on the instrument terminates advancement of the instrument by contacting a vertebra, the stop extending from the first cutting face and the second cutting face being substantially free from having a stop;
- and
- placing an implant into one or more of the facet joints,
- wherein the act of placing an implant into one or more facet joints includes using a pusher instrument to advance the implant into at least one of the one or more facet joints, and
- wherein the act of placing an implant into one or more facet joints using a pusher instrument includes using a pusher instrument with a stop on the pusher instrument that terminates advancement at least in part by contacting a portion of a vertebra.
A method for surgically treating vertebrae comprising:
- separating and removing tissue from vertebrae at one or more facet joints between articular processes of the vertebrae with a single instrument extending between a leading end and a trailing end, the instrument comprising a first cutting face and an opposite second cutting face extending between the leading and trailing ends, the leading end comprising a curved incline that is more curved near the first cutting face than the second cutting face, wherein the single instrument is used to remove tissue from one or more articular processes by introducing the single instrument into at least one of the one or more facet joints;
- advancing the leading end into at least one of the one or more facet joints until a stop on the instrument terminates advancement of the instrument by contacting a vertebra;
- and
- using a pusher instrument to place an implant into one or more facet joints, the pusher comprising a stop that terminates advancement at least in part by contacting a portion of a vertebra.
A method of surgically treating vertebrae comprising:
- separating vertebrae at one or more facet joints between articular processes of the vertebrae;
- introducing an instrument with a leading end into at least one of the one or more facet joints to remove tissue from one or more articular processes, the leading end comprising a curved incline;
- advancing the instrument until a stop on the instrument terminates advancement of the instrument by contacting a vertebra;
- and
- using a pusher instrument to advance an implant into one or more of the facet joints such that a stop on the pusher instrument contacts a portion of a vertebra to terminate advancement of the implant.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.