Depuy Spine, Inc.

Depuy Synthes Products, Inc.

Amendia, Inc.

Baxano, Inc.

Baxano Surgical, Inc.

Depay Spine, Inc.

Depuy Actomed, Inc.

Amie R Borgstrom

John Riley Hawkins

SeungKyu Daniel Kwak

William Dunbar

Erasmo A Lopez

Missoum Moumene

Charles M Bartish

Robert Labrom

Lutz Biedermann

Wilfried Matthis

Michael P Wallace

Ian Charles Burgess

William L Dunbar, Jr

Roy Leguidleguid

Gregory B Arcenio

Ronald Leguidleguid

Daniel Huan Kim

Robert J Garabedian

Jeffery Lee Bleich

Benjamin Arnold

Gregory Paul Schmitz

Jefferey C Bleam

Michael Michielli

Anwar M Upal

Seungkyu Daniel Kwak

Douglas R LaSota

Katherine Torres

Dominique Verhulst

Bryan Dale Knodel

Jonathan Bellas

Ronald Sacher

Frank S Bono

Andrea Burke

Winnie Chung

Winnie Tang

Seung Kyu Daniel Kwak

Chris Fair

Ronnie I Mimran

Erasmo A López

Michael Carl Michielli

Greg Arcenio

Jeffrey Bleich

William D Dunbar

Seungkyo Daniel Kwak

A spine stabilization system includes at least one bone anchor assembly, the bone anchor assembly including a bone engaging member and a receiver member, wherein the receiver member includes a connecting member cavity, and an elongated connecting member inserted into the connecting member cavity and connected to the receiver member, wherein the connecting member comprises locking features configured to secure the connecting member to the receiver member without the use of a fixation screw extending through a top portion of the receiver member.

Spinal anchoring screw

Described herein are methods and systems for precisely placing and/or manipulating devices within the body by first positioning a guidewire or pullwire. The device to be positioned within the body is coupled to the proximal end of the guidewire, and the device is pulled into the body by pulling on the distal end of the guidewire that extends from the body. The device may be bimanually manipulated by pulling the guidewire distally, and an attachment to a device that extends proximally, allowing control of both the proximal and the distal ends. In this manner devices (and particularly implants such as innerspinous distracters, stimulating leads, and disc slings) may be positioned and/or manipulated within the body. Guidewire exchange systems, devices and methods are also described. A guidewire may be exchanged between different surgical devices and may be releaseably or permanently coupled.

Access and tissue modification systems and methods

Devices and methods for cutting tissue in a patient. In some embodiments, a bimanually controlled device may include a tissue modification region; one or more (e.g., two) flexible elongate length of cable that extend proximally to distally, a tissue modification region along a portion of the length of cable; and a guidewire coupler at the distal end of the device for attaching the distal end of the tissue modification device to the proximal end of a guidewire. Method of using these devices (including devices having two or more parallel length of cutting regions) to cut tissue (e.g., spinal lamina) are also described.

Tissue modification devices and methods

Various methods and devices are provided for implanting a motion segment repair system. In particular, exemplary methods and devices are provided for implanting a spinal disc implant and/or a PDS device using a posterior surgical approach, including methods and devices for distracting adjacent vertebrae using a posterior surgical approach, methods and devices for posteriorly introducing a spinal implant into a disc space between adjacent vertebrae, and methods and devices for coupling a PDS device to the adjacent vertebrae to provide a complete motion segment repair system that is implanted using a posterior surgical approach.

Motion segment repair systems and methods

An intervertebral disc prosthesis comprises a left prosthesis component and a symmetric right prosthesis component positioned in an intervertebral space. Each prosthesis component includes a superior vertebra facing surface, an inferior vertebra facing surface, and a substantially spherical bearing surface. The bearing surface is positioned between the superior vertebra facing surface and the inferior vertebra facing surface. The superior vertebra facing surface is provided on a superior endplate and the inferior vertebra facing surface is provided on an inferior endplate. The superior endplate is operable to rotate relative to the inferior endplate upon the bearing surface. Each prosthesis component further comprises an elastic member positioned between an endplate and the bearing surface. The elastic member may be substantially cylindrical with a plurality of resilient ribs. Flexion/extension, lateral bending, and torsional movement are allowed by a combination of endplate rotation upon the bearing surface and compression of the elastic member.

Intervertebral disc prosthesis having multiple bearing surfaces

An artificial disc replacement implant is provided that includes an implantable body having a superior surface adapted to be positioned adjacent to an endplate of a superior vertebra, and an opposite inferior surface adapted to be positioned adjacent to an endplate of an adjacent inferior vertebrae. The implantable body includes at least one wall formed therein and extending between the superior and inferior surfaces. The wall(s) can be adapted such that, when the implantable body is disposed between the endplates of adjacent superior and inferior vertebrae, the wall(s) will buckle by moving laterally and shorting in height under a load applied thereto by movement of the adjacent vertebrae. The implantable body can also include at least one opening formed adjacent to the wall(s) and extending between the superior and inferior surfaces of the implantable body.

Buckling disc replacement

Various methods and devices for replacing damaged, injured, diseased, or otherwise unhealthy posterior elements, such as the facet joints, the lamina, the posterior ligaments, and/or other features of a patient's spinal column, are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, the methods and devices are effective to mimic the natural function of the spine by allowing flexion, extension, and lateral bending of the spine, while substantially restricting posterior-anterior shear and rotation of the spine.

Artificial facet joint

Implantable vertebral staples and tools for use with the same are provided. In general, an exemplary vertebral staple according to the present invention includes a staple body having at least one long spike formed thereon for allowing rotation of the body when the long spike is partially inserted in bone. The staple body can also include one or more short spikes formed thereon and adapted to prevent rotation of the body when the long and short spikes are fully inserted into bone. The present invention also provides an inserter tool that can be used to implant the vertebral staple, and also a drill guide that can be used, preferably in combination with the inserter tool, to drill holes through the bone in alignment with one or more holes formed in the vertebral staple.

Vertebral staples and insertion tools

An interspinous spacer having a memory metal extension.

Posterior process dynamic spacer

A spine stabilization system having a dynamic screw comprises at least one bone anchor assembly comprising a receiver member and a bone engaging member pivotably connected to the receiver member. A bearing is provided in the receiver member that engages a portion of the bone engaging member. An elongated connecting member is connected to the receiver member. A retention member insert is provided within the receiver member between the elongated connecting member and the bearing. The retention member is configured to secure the bearing within the retention member.

Described herein are pullwire handle devices for securing to a tissue-penetrating pullwire. In some embodiments, the device includes a handle body, a pullwire lock configured to removably lock the pullwire handle device onto a pullwire within the handle body, and a tip containment element configured to retain the distal tip of the pullwire. In some embodiments, the handle body further comprises a storage chamber configured to store a distal portion of the pullwire. Also described herein are methods for capturing a pullwire using a pullwire handle device. In some embodiments, the method includes the steps of inserting the distal end of a pullwire into the pullwire handle device, advancing the pullwire further into the pullwire handle device while the distal portion of the pullwire is contained within the pullwire handle device, and locking the distal portion of the pullwire within the pullwire handle device.

Surgical tools for treatment of spinal stenosis

Various exemplary instruments for introducing an implant using a posterolateral approach are also provided, as well as various exemplary methods for using such instruments. In general, the instruments are configured to interconnect to an implant and/or to a guide member such that the components are all docked relative to one another. This allows the various components of a multi-piece implant to be mated intraoperatively within the disc space, and in particular to be guided into alignment with one another.

Methods and instrumentation for disc replacement

Methods and devices are provided for replacing a spinal disc. In an exemplary embodiment, artificial disc replacements and methods are provided wherein at least a portion of a disc replacement can be implanted using a posterolateral approach. With a posterolateral approach, the spine is accessed more from the side of the spinal canal through an incision formed in the patient's back. A pathway is created from the incision to the disc space between adjacent vertebrae. Portions of the posterolateral annulus, and posterior lip of the vertebral body may be removed to access the disc space, leaving the remaining annulus and the anterior and posterior longitudinal ligaments in tact. The disc implant can be at least partially introduced using a posterolateral approach, yet it has a size that is sufficient to restore height to the adjacent vertebrae, and that is sufficient to maximize contact with the endplates of the adjacent vertebrae.

Artificial disc replacement using posterior approach

Growing community of inventors

San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Amie R Borgstrom