Method and apparatus for placement of a reduced vertebral body replacement device during a surgical operation on the cervical portion of the spine including into a transcorporeal void

Abstract

A method of performing a transcorporeal procedure including placement of a Vertebral Body Replacement device into a transcorporeal void within a cervical spine is disclosed. The method includes creating a working channel through a vertebral body of a vertebra by removing at least a portion of the vertebral body of the vertebra, beginning anteriorly and extending inwardly toward the epidural space, the working channel extending from an anterior wall through a posterior wall, and placing the Vertebral Body Replacement device within the working channel, the placement of the Vertebral Body Replacement device leaving the inferior and superior endplates to perform their function and leaving at least a portion of the intervertebral disc functional thereby avoiding an intervertebral fusion to an adjacent vertebra, where the Vertebral Body Replacement device has at least one of a width of less than 12 millimeters and a diameter of less than 12 millimeters.