Spine surgery method and inserter

Abstract

A surgical inserter for use in inserting an implant into a vertebral space may include: (a) a handle; (b) a gripper having one end attached to the handle and a second end having a pair of arms; and (c) a grip activator having an opening that threadingly receives the gripper. The grip activator can be rotated in a first direction with respect to the gripper to cause the arms to move toward each other to grip the inserter and in a second direction with respect to the gripper to cause the arms to move away from each other to release the inserter. In one embodiment a compression force activator is used to deploy the implant and in another embodiment a tension force activator is used to deploy the implant.

Description

I. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]A. Field of Invention[0002]This invention pertains to the art of methods and apparatuses regarding spine surgery and more specifically relates to surgical procedures and an inserter used to position an implant, and perhaps to deploy the implant, within a vertebral space.[0003]B. Description of the Related Art[0004]The volume of spinal surgeries to treat degenerative disc and facet disease has steadily increased over the past decade, fueled by population demographics and advancements in diagnostic and instrumentation adjuncts. Improvements in intraoperative radiological imaging and surgical technique have generated a great deal of interest in applying minimally invasive surgical (MIS) techniques to spinal applications. As in other surgical subspecialties, it is hoped such minimally invasive techniques applied to spinal surgery will result in less soft tissue trauma, less operative blood loss, reduced operative time, faster recovery periods and lowe...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0017]One advantage of this invention is that the inventive surgical inserter permits an implant to be relatively easily placed into a vertebral space.

[0018]Another advantage of this invention is that the implant may be relatively easily and securely attached to the inserter and then detached from the inserter.

[0019]Another advantage of this invention is that the surgeon may make consistent and reproducible biplanar, midline placement of the interbody implant.

[0021]Yet another advantage of this invention is that the surgical inserter allows for minimally invasive deployment via either an anterior, anterolateral, posterior or posterolateral approach, with the latter approach possible via either a transforaminal or extraforaminal approach.

Problems solved by technology

As a result, known spinal surgical methods, instrumentation and interbody implants have limitations.

One limitation is that the physical components are relatively large and bulky.

This reduces surgeon visualization of the surgical site.

Another limitation of known spinal surgical methods is that known surgical tools and implants are cumbersome and difficult to maneuver within the limited surgical space available.

The limitations of current instrumentation in MIS spine surgery are noted particularly with regards to interbody fusion surgery.

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