The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 22, 2008
Filed:
Jun. 05, 2003
Kevin T. Foley, Germantown, TN (US);
John L. White, Bartlett, TN (US);
Bradley T. Estes, Memphis, TN (US);
Mingyan Liu, Bourg-la-Reine, FR;
Loic Josse, Palaja, FR;
Jeffrey D. Moore, Horn Lake, MS (US);
Kevin T. Foley, Germantown, TN (US);
John L. White, Bartlett, TN (US);
Bradley T. Estes, Memphis, TN (US);
Mingyan Liu, Bourg-la-Reine, FR;
Loic Josse, Palaja, FR;
Jeffrey D. Moore, Horn Lake, MS (US);
Warsaw Orthopedic, Inc., Warsaw, IN (US);
Abstract
This invention relates to methods and instruments for performing a surgical procedure in a disc space between adjacent vertebrae. A cannula is inserted to create a working channel through the skin and tissue of a patient using a transforaminal approach to the disc space. A viewing element is used to visualize working end of the cannula and the disc space. A facetectomy is performed through the working channel to access the disc space. The disc space is prepared with various instruments, such as distractors, shims, chisels and distractor-cutters that extend through the working channel. At least implant is inserted into the disc space. The procedure allows bi-lateral support of the adjacent vertebrae with the at least one implant inserted via a unitary, minimally invasive approach to disc space.