Spine-tech, Inc.

Sulzer Spine-tech Inc.

Zimmer Spine, Inc.

Other

Stephen D Kuslich

Douglas W Kohrs

James Donald Corin

George W Bagby

Spinal fusion implants are inserted into a disc space of disc material separating first and second vertebrae by forming bores between the vertebrae. A distraction spacer is temporarily put in place on one side of the vertebrae while a bore is being formed on an opposite side of the vertebrae.

Spinal stabilization surgical method

Spinal fusion implants are laparoscopically placed in a disc space separating two vertebrae. Implant tools, including distraction spacers, boring tools and implants, are passed through a cannula toward the disk space.

Laparoscopic spinal stabilization surgical method

Spinal fusion implants are laparoscopically placed in a disk space separating two vertebrae. Implant tools, including distraction spacers, boring tools and implants, are passed through a cannula toward the disk space.

An alignment guide for placing an intervertebral spinal implant into a disc space includes a body and a pair of parallel pins spaced at a predetermined distance from one another. The body may be x-ray transparent while the pins are made of material that is visible to x-ray, allowing the guide assembly to imaged in the spine using x-ray.

Alignment guide assembly for spinal stabilization

An implant is disclosed for use in spinal stabilization. In one preferred embodiment, the implant is described as including a hollow, cylindrical body having external threading and a plurality of openings formed radially through the body in communication with the body interior. The holes are positioned to chip bone into the implant as the implant is rotated.

Threaded spinal implant with convex trailing surface

Threaded spinal implant with bone ingrowth openings

Spinal fusion implants are inserted into a disc space of disc material separating first and second vertebrae by forming bores between the vertebrae. A distraction spacer is temporarily put in place on one side of the vertebrae while a bore is being formed on an opposite of the vertebrae.

Spinal stabilization surgical apparatus

Spinal fusion implants are laparoscopically placed in a disc space separating two vertebrae. Implant tools, including distraction spacers, boring tools and implants are passed through a hollow tube having exposed teeth and including a blunt sleeve slidably placed over the hollow tube.

Laparoscopic spinal stabilization method

The invention provides a guide system for use in a spinal implant procedure. The system includes a hollow tube for accurately guiding instruments to prepare a site and/or insert a spinal fusion implant between opposing vertebrae. The guide tube can be surrounded by a sheath to reduce the chance of injury during placement of the guide tube.

Spinal drill tube guide

A method for implanting an implant into a bore formed between opposing vertebra includes forming a bore between the vertebra and selecting an implant having a rigid body with exposed threads and a hollow interior and with holes formed through a shell of the body into the interior. The implant is placed within the bore with a longitudinal axis of the body aligned with an axis of the bore. The body is advanced into the bore to stretch an annulus.

Method for spinal fixation

An apparatus for performing spinal stabilization includes a distraction spacer sized to be inserted into a disc space and act against end plates of vertebra to urge the vertebra apart. A tube guide is placed at a second location on the disc space with the tube guide including a spacer on its distal end sized approximate to a sizing of the distraction spacer. A guide tube is mutually sized with the tube guide for the tube guide and the spacer to be withdrawn through the guide tube. The guide tube is sized to direct surgical tools to the disc space. A boring tool includes a guide tip which is sized to be received within the disc space and act against end plates of the vertebra to maintain the boring tool in accurate alignment with the disc space.

An expandable, porous fabric implant for insertion into the interior of a reamed out disc which is packed with material to stabilize the spinal segment. The fabric pores allows for tissue ingrowth through the implant.

Expandable fabric implant for stabilizing the spinal motion segment

A method for stabilizing a spinal motion segment by boring and excising an opening in a disc nucleus, inserting a fabric bag having a pore size between about 0.25 and 5.0 mm, packing the bag with a graft medium until the bag is a rigid self-retaining shape, then closing the bag. The nucleus is excised by inserting an expandable cutting tool in order to cut an area greater than the access opening. A further spinal stabilization includes positioning a flexible bag containing graft medium against the exterior of the lamina bone of the adjacent vertebra. The exterior lamina bone is prepared by roughening to present a bleeding surface to hasten bone growth.

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Maplewood, MN, United States of America

Stephen D Kuslich