546 results about "Spinal surgery" patented technology

The present invention provides a non-rigid retractor for providing access to a surgical site, such as a patient's spine, during a surgical process. When used in spinal surgery, the non-rigid retractor allows a surgeon to operate on one or more spinal levels. The non-rigid retractor includes at least one flexible strap anchored at a first end to the spine or other internal body part at the surgical site. The body of the at least one flexible strap extends from a skin incision and is anchored at a second location external to the body to retract skin and muscle from the surgical site, allowing adequate visualization of the surgical site and providing access for implants and surgical instruments to pass through the retractor and into the surgical site.

A dilator retractor and the dilators that are used for minimally invasive spinal surgery or other surgery are configured to accommodate the anatomical structure of the patient as by configuring the cross sectional area in an elliptical shape, or by forming a funnel configuration with the wider end at the proximate end. In some embodiments the distal end is contoured to also accommodate the anatomical structure of the patient so that a cylindrically shaped, funnel shaped, ovoid shaped dilator retractor can be sloped or tunneled to accommodate the bone structure of the patient or provide access for implants. The dilator retractor is made with different lengths to accommodate the depth of the cavity formed by the dilators.

An endoscopic pedicle probe for use during spinal surgery to form a hole in a pedicle for reception of a pedicle screw. The probe has an enlarged proximal end for cooperation with the hand of the surgeon so that the probe can be pushed through the pedicle in a controlled manner, and an elongate hollow shaft terminating in a distal tip end. A fiber optic cable or endoscope is placed in the hollow shaft and connected with a monitor to enable the surgeon to visually observe the structure adjacent the tip end of the probe during surgery, whereby the probe may be accurately placed in the pedicle for subsequent accurate placement of the pedicle screw in the hole formed with the probe.

Systems and methods for determining a desired trajectory and / or monitoring the trajectory of surgical instruments and / or implants in any number of surgical procedures, such as (but not limited to) spinal surgery, including (but not limited to) ensuring proper placement of pedicle screws during pedicle fixation procedures and ensuring proper trajectory during the establishment of an operative corridor to a spinal target site.

The present invention relates to a device and method which may be used to reinforce the native annulus during spinal surgery. The device is a catheter based device which is placed into the inter-vertebral space following discectomy performed by either traditional surgical or endoscopic approaches. The distal end of the catheter is comprised of an expansile loop which may be increased in diameter by advancement of a portion of the catheter via its proximal end, such proximal end remaining external to the body. The expansile loop may be formed of a woven or braided material and may be made of a polymer such as nylon, polyurethane, polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene or any of the well known and biocompatible polymers. Alternatively the expansile portion of the catheter may be formed from a metallic braid of stainless steel, elgiloy, Nitinol, or other biocompatible metals. The expansile loop may be formed such that when the loop is diametrically contracted the loop feeds into its other end, similar to a snake eating its own tail. Stabilization of the outer portion of the loop and pulling out the inner portion will thereby increase the overall diameter of the loop while maintaining it as a closed loop or torus. The present invention comprises four embodiments and can be used to 1) facilitate disk fusing, 2) perform an artificial replacement of the nucleus, 3) perform an artificial replacement of the annulus, or 4, perform an artificial replacement of both the nucleus and annulus.

A retractor is provided for performing spinal surgery with a minimal approach, and which spares the lumbar muscles from surgical disruption. A preferred embodiment includes a blade having first and second faces wherein the faces are positioned substantially transverse to one another, and wherein at least one of the faces has a tapered width. Alternatively, both the first and second faces are tapered. Additionally, a third face positioned transverse to the first face and substantially parallel to the third face may be incorporated into the retractor. The second face also preferably includes at least one tooth, and more preferably, a plurality of teeth at its distal end for laterally engaging an articular process of a vertebra of the spine.

A non-cannulated dilator that is designed with a rigid elongated solid body and with a judiciously configured tip is utilized as the first dilator of a series of dilators which are inserted into the body of a patient for minimally invasive spinal surgery and is made from a solid elongated body, that could be round, ovoid or other cross sectional configuration whose diameter is greater than one and a half (1½) millimeter, and that includes a tool engaging end portion at the proximal end is sufficiently rigid so as not to bend and has a pointed shaped insertion end portion at the distal end with the point of the pointed end being discreetly blunted and utilized in a surgical procedure as a replacement of the typical guide wire and is characterized as providing a “feel” to the surgeon as it penetrates through the tissue and muscle of the patient as it proceeds toward the target.

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.

A device for use as a portal in percutaneous minimally invasive surgery performed within a patient's body cavity includes a first elongated hollow tube having a length adjusted with a self-contained mechanism. The first elongated tube includes an inner hollow tube and an outer hollow tube and the inner tube is adapted to slide within the outer tube thereby providing the self-contained length adjusting mechanism. This length-adjustment feature is advantageous for percutaneous access surgery in any body cavity. Two or more elongated tubes with adjustable lengths can be placed into two or more adjacent body cavities, respectively. Paths are opened within the tissue areas between the two or more body cavities, and are used to transfer devices and tools between the adjacent body cavities. This system of two or more elongated tubes with adjustable lengths is particularly advantageous in percutaneous minimally invasive spinal surgeries, and provides the benefits of minimizing long incisions, recovery time and post-operative complications.

A system for rod bending for use in robotic spinal surgery, enabling the correct bending of a fusion rod to match the shape required to accurately pass through the heads of the pedicle screws. The system uses data generated by information provided to the robot by the surgeon's preoperative plan, optionally augmented by feedback from the robot control system of deviations encountered intraoperatively. Such deviations could occur, for example, when the surgeon decides intraoperatively on a different trajectory or even to skip screws on one vertebra, in which case, the robot will be commanded to perform the alternative procedure, with commensurate instructions relayed to the control system of the rod-bending machine. The system is also able to thin down the rod at predetermined locations along its length, adapted to be at selected intervertebral locations, for maintaining limited flexibility between vertebrae, instead of fixating them.

An electromagnetic pedicle awl utilizes a tightly focused time-varying magnetic flux to create a localized electromotive force (EMF) near the tip of a pedicle awl. The localized EMF creates localized eddy currents in nearby nerves which in turn excite ionic nerve channels, the excitation being detected by an electromyographic recording device. In comparison to the electrically stimulated pedicle awl of the prior art, the electromagnetic pedicle awl only excites nerves directly in front of and directly to the side of the tip. The electromagnetic pedicle awl is comprised of a tapered awl or drill tip in combination with a solid core surrounded by a solenoid. A pulsed electric current source drives the solenoid to create a time-varying magnetic field in the vicinity of the tapered tip. The awl or drill tip may be stationary with respect to the solenoid or it may rotate. The electromagnetic pedicle awl in combination with an EMG detector connected to a patient is very sensitive to the pedicle hole position with respect to adjacent nerves and reduces false placement failure.

The present invention relates to a device and method which may be used to reinforce the native annulus during spinal surgery. The device is a catheter based device which is placed into the inter-vertebral space following discectomy performed by either traditional surgical or endoscopic approaches. The distal end of the catheter is comprised of an expansile loop which may be increased in diameter by advancement of a portion of the catheter via its proximal end, such proximal end remaining external to the body. The expansile loop may be formed such that when the loop is diametrically contracted the loop feeds into its other end, similar to a snake eating its own tail. Stabilization of the outer portion of the loop and pulling out the inner portion will thereby increase the overall diameter of the loop while maintaining it as a closed loop or torus. The expansile loop can use an attachment means to secure it to substantially healthy tissues of the annulus, nucleus, or endplates. The present invention comprises four embodiments and can be used to 1) facilitate disk fusing, 2) perform an artificial replacement of the nucleus, 3) perform an artificial replacement of the annulus, or 4, perform an artificial replacement of both the nucleus and annulus.

Disclosed is a computer-integrated surgery aid system for minimally invasive surgery and a method for controlling the same. The system includes a surgery planning system for creating three-dimensional information from two-dimensional images obtained by means of biplanar fluoroscopy so that spinal surgery can be planned according to the image information and a scalar-type 6 degree-of-freedom surgery aid robot adapted to be either driven automatically or operated manually.

A minimally invasive retractor system is shown which has a support frame having two opposing pairs of horizontally oriented sides. The sides of the frame can be adjusted to vary an interior space of the frame. Four retractor blades are mounted on the frame for engaging tissue within a surgical site. Each retractor blade has an elongate body portion with a length which is oriented perpendicularly to the frame in use. One of the retractor blades can be equipped with a light source and a suction source which are integral to the blade. The blade also has an integral power source for powering the light source. The blade can also house a tissue retractor such as a dural retractor for retracting the dural sack of a patient during spinal surgery.

A rotatable surgical burr (100, 200, 300, 500) having a protective hood (120, 220, 320, 520, 620, 720) with a dissecting foot plate (119, 219, 319, 519, 619, 719) is provided to improve and enable various spinal decompression procedures. The surgical burr's protective hood has a dissecting foot plate that may be shaped to resemble a curette, a Woodson, or other appropriate dissecting tools to allow insertion of the tool between the spinal nerve and the compressing bone. The protective hood surrounds the burr bit (130, 230, 530) exposing only a portion of the burr bit for burring of the offending bone and protects the nerve from the burr tip. The instrument may also be configured with a soft tissue resecting tip (330) for soft tissue resection.

A system for installing a cross member between first and second anchor members within a patient's body generally includes first and second docking members configured to be removably coupled to the respective first and second anchor members. Each docking member has a first end with an opening, a second end, and a body extending between the first and second ends. The body includes an outer surface with an opening, and a bore extends from the opening on the first end of the body to the opening on the outer surface. The openings on the outer surface of each docking member are configured to be aligned so that the bore in the first docking member is able to direct a wire member into the bore in the second docking member. A method for minimally invasive surgery using the system is also disclosed.

A bone anchoring assembly for use in spinal surgery or trauma surgery includes an anchoring element having a shaft and a receiving part having a substantially U-shaped cross-section with a base connected to said shaft and two free legs forming a channel for receiving a rod having an at least partially structured surface. The bone anchoring assembly further includes a locking member cooperating with the receiving part for locking said rod in the channel. At least on the locking member or in the receiving part an engagement portion for engaging said structured surface of the rod is provided. The locking member, the rod and the receiving part cooperate in such a manner that as soon as the engagement portion comes into engagement with the structured surface the rod is held in the receiving part in a form-locking manner preventing movement of the rod.

A removably insertable surgical apparatus is configured for insertion between adjacent vertebrae during spinal surgery and adjusted in-situ to produce varying degrees of distraction, neural-decompression, lordotic, kyphotic and / or scoliotic adjustment in the spine.