Surgery – Instruments – Orthopedic instrumentation
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-14
2001-05-22
Philogene, Pedro (Department: 3732)
Surgery
Instruments
Orthopedic instrumentation
C606S054000, C606S057000, C606S059000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06235028
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention broadly concerns surgical instrumentation. Specifically, the present invention concerns a guide rod for advancing an implant from a location outside the body to a surgical site.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Several techniques and systems have been developed for stabilizing and correcting deformities in the spinal column and for facilitating fusion at various levels of the spine. Most of these techniques involve the disposition of a pair of longitudinal elements along opposite sides of the posterior spinal column. The longitudinal elements are engaged to various vertebrae by way of a number of fixation elements to thereby apply stabilizing and corrective forces to the spine.
Typically, the longitudinal element is either a semi-flexible rod or a rigid plate, each having a length sized to span the distance between at least two adjacent vertebrae. A wide variety of fixation elements can be provided which are configured to engage specific portions of a vertebra and connect to a corresponding longitudinal element. For example, one such fixation element is a hook that is configured to engage the laminae of the vertebra. Other prevalent fixation elements include spinal screws or bolts that have a threaded section configured to be anchored in vertebral bone.
If a spinal rod is employed, a series of connector devices are typically used to interconnect the rod to the fixation elements. The connector devices typically have a first opening adapted to receive and engage an upper portion of the fixation element, and a second opening adapted to receive and engage the rod. An example of such a system is the TSRH® Spinal System manufactured and sold by Medtronic Sofamor Danek Group, Inc., the Assignee of the subject application. The TSRH® System includes elongated rods and a variety of hooks, screws and bolts, all configured to create a segmental construct along the spinal column. If a spinal plate is used as the longitudinal element, the plate typically includes a series of openings or slots, through which extends an upper threaded portion of each fixation element. A nut is threaded onto each threaded portion to connect the spinal plate to the fixation elements. An example of such a system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,728,097 to Mathews.
The assembly, delivery and manipulation of the implant components described above can be awkward or cumbersome due to the limited amount space available to manipulate the implant components and the required surgical instruments. Additionally, if the openings in the connector devices or spinal plates are not properly aligned with the corresponding upper portions of the fixation elements, considerable force may be required to stress the rod or plate to achieve the alignment necessary to engage the rod or plate to the fixation elements. Moreover, the assembly and manipulation of multiple implant components within the surgical site is tedious and time consuming, thus prolonging the surgical procedure and increasing the risks associated therewith. There is also a risk of mishandling the implant during delivery to the surgical site and possibly dropping the implant within the surgical wound.
There is therefore a general need in the industry to provide surgical instrumentation an techniques for advancing and guiding an implant or implant construct from a location outside of the body to a location adjacent the surgical site. The present invention meets this need and provides other benefits and advantages in a novel and unobvious manner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
While the actual nature of the invention covered herein can only be determined with reference to the claims appended hereto, certain forms of the invention that are characteristic of the preferred embodiments disclosed herein are described briefly as follows.
In one form of the present invention, a surgical instrument is provided for guiding an implant from a location outside the body to a location adjacent a bone anchor disposed within a surgical site. The instrument comprises a longitudinal member having a connecting portion and a guiding portion. The connecting portion defines an end portion of the longitudinal member and is adapted to releasably engage the bone anchor and being selectively seperable therefrom. The guiding portion is adapted to engage the implant and guide the implant along a length of the guiding portion toward the bone anchor. In a further aspect of the invention, the guiding portion is at least partially formed of a malleable material. In another aspect of the invention, the guiding portion is formed of a shape-memory alloy which may be bent or reshaped into different configurations and selectively returned to its initial configuration.
In another form of the present invention, a method is provided for guiding an implant from a location outside a patient's body to a location adjacent the patient's spine. The method comprises: providing a bone anchor having a bone engaging portion and a guiding portion adapted for releasable connection to the bone engaging portion; anchoring the bone engaging portion to the patient's spine; engaging the implant to the guiding portion and advancing the implant along the guiding portion until positioned adjacent the bone engaging portion; fixing the implant to the bone engaging portion; separating the detachable guiding portion from the bone engaging portion; and removing the detachable guiding portion from the patient's body. In one aspect of the method, the guiding portion is releasably connected to the bone engaging portion after anchoring the bone engaging portion to the patient's spine. In another aspect of the method, the guiding portion is bent prior to advancing the implant along the guiding portion.
It is one object of the present invention to provide a surgical instrument and method for guiding a spinal implant from outside the body to a location adjacent the spinal column.
Further objects, features, advantages, benefits, and aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the drawings and description contained herein.
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patent: 5551871 (1996-09-01), Besselink
patent: 5597378 (1997-01-01), Jervis
patent: 5637089 (1997-06-01), Abrams et al.
patent: 5653710 (1997-08-01), Harle
patent: 5662648 (1997-09-01), Faccioli et al.
patent: 5728097 (1998-03-01), Mathews
patent: 5797917 (1998-08-01), Boyd et al.
patent: 5810817 (1998-09-01), Roussouly et al.
patent: 5899908 (1999-05-01), Kuslich et al.
TSRH -3D Surgical Technique, 1999 by Sofamor Danek, Inc. (Copy to follow.).
Barker B. Thomas
Brumfield David L.
Drewry Troy D.
Myrick Paige A.
Philogene Pedro
SDGI Holdings Inc.
Woodard Emhardt Naughton Moriarty & McNett
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