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Distractor for use in spinal surgeryRelated Patent Categories: Surgery, Instruments, Orthopedic Instrumentation, Internal Fixation Means, Spinal Positioner Or StabilizerDistractor for use in spinal surgery description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060036247, Distractor for use in spinal surgery. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] This application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 10/692,545, filed Oct. 24, 2003; which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/626,636, filed Jul. 27, 2000; which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/484,927, filed Jun. 7, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,096,038; which is a divisional of application Ser. No. 08/074,781, filed Jun. 10, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,437; all of which are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to artificial fusion implants to be placed into the intervertebral space left remaining after the removal of a damaged spinal disc and specifically to the apparatus for and method of, inserting the implants. [0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art [0005] For the purpose of achieving long term stability to a segment of injured spine, a fusion (the joining together of two or more bones via a continuous bridge of incorporated bone) may be performed. Well-known to those skilled in such art is the interbody fusion wherein the disc is partially excised and bone placed within that space previously occupied by that disc material (between adjacent vertebrae) for the purpose of restoring a more normal spatial relationship, and to provide for stability; short term by mechanical support, and long term by the permanent cross bonding of bone from vertebra to vertebra. For fusion to occur within the disc space, it is necessary to prepare the vertebrae to be fused by breaking through, or cutting into, the hardened outside plates of bone (the endplates) to allow the interposed bone graft to come into direct contact with the more vascular cancellous (spongy) bone, and to thereby trick the body into attempting to heal this induced, but controlled, "fracturing" by both bone production and the healing of the grafts to both opposed vertebral surfaces such that they become one continuous segment of bone. [0006] The purpose of the present invention is to provide an implant, and the apparatus and method of inserting the implant within the intervertebral space left after the removal of the disc material and permanently eliminate all motion at that location. To do so, the device of the present invention is space occupying within the disc interspace, rigid, self-stabilizing to resist dislodgement, stabilizing to the adjacent spinal vertebrae to eliminate local motion, and able to intrinsically participate in a vertebra to vertebra bony fusion so as to assure the permanency of the result. [0007] At present, following the removal of a damaged disc, either bone or nothing is placed into the remaining space. Placing nothing into this space allows the space to collapse which may result in damage to the nerves; or the space may fill with scar tissue and eventually lead to a reherniation. The use of bone to fill the space is less than optimal in that bone obtained from the patient requires additional surgery and is of limited availability in its most useful form, and if obtained elsewhere, lacks living bone cells, carries a significant risk of infection, and is also limited in supply as it is usually obtained from accident victims. Furthermore, regardless of the source of the bone, it is only marginal structurally and lacks a means to either stabilize itself against dislodgement, or to stabilize the adjacent vertebrae. a. Prior Art Implants [0008] There have been an extensive number of attempts to develop an acceptable disc prosthesis (an artificial disc). Such devices by design would be used to replace a damaged disc and seek to restore the height of the interspace and to restore the normal motion of that spinal joint. No such device has been found that is medically acceptable. This group of prosthetic or artificial disc replacements, seeking to preserve spinal motion and so are different from the present invention, would include: [0009] U.S. Pat. No. 3,867,728 to STUBSTAD--describing a flexible disc implant. [0010] U.S. Pat. No. 4,349,921 to KUNTZ--describing a flexible disc replacement with file-like surface projections to discourage device dislocation. [0011] U.S. Pat. No. 4,309,777 to PATIL--describing a motion preserving implant with spiked outer surfaces to resist dislocation and containing a series of springs to urge the vertebrae away from each other. [0012] U.S. Pat. No. 3,875,595 to FRONING--describing a motion preserving bladder-like disc replacement with two opposed stud-like projections to resist dislocation. [0013] U.S. Pat. No. 2,372,622 to FASSIO (France)--describing a motion preserving implant comprising complimentary opposed convex and concave surfaces. [0014] In summary, these devices resemble the present invention only in that they are placed within the intervertebral space following the removal of a damaged disc. In that they seek to is preserve spinal motion, they are diametrically different from the present invention which seeks to permanently eliminate all motion at that spinal segment. [0015] A second related area of prior art includes those devices utilized to replace essentially wholly removed vertebrae. Such removal is generally necessitated by extensive vertebral fractures, or tumors, and is not associated with the treatment of disc disease. While the present invention is to be placed within the disc space, these other vertebral devices cannot be placed within the disc space as at least one vertebra has already been removed such that there no longer remains a "disc space". Furthermore, these devices are limited in that they seek to perform as temporary structural members mechanically replacing the removed vertebrae (not a removed disc), and do not intrinsically participate in supplying osteogenic material to achieve cross vertebrae bony fusion. Therefore, unlike the present invention which provides for a source of osteogenesis, use of this group of devices must be accompanied by a further surgery consisting of a bone fusion procedure utilizing conventional technique. This group consisting of vertebral struts rather than disc replacements would include the following: [0016] U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,273 to WU--describing a turnbuckle-like vertebral strut. [0017] U.S. Pat. No. 4,401,112 to REZAIAN--describing a turnbuckle-like vertebral strut with the addition of a long stabilizing staple that spans the missing vertebral body. [0018] U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,914 to KAPP--describing a large distractible spike that elongates with a screw mechanism to span the gap left by the removal of an entire vertebra and to serve as an anchor for acrylic cement which is then used to replace the missing bone (vertebrae). [0019] U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,217 to OGILVIE--describing a vertebral strut mechanism that can be implanted after at least one vertebrae has been removed and consists of a mechanism for causing the engagement of screws into the vertebrae above and the vertebrae below the one removed. [0020] In summary, this second group of devices differs from the present invention in that they are vertebral replacements struts, do not intrinsically participate in the bony fusion, can only be inserted in the limited circumstances where an entire vertebra has been removed from the anterior approach, and are not designed for, or intended to be used for the treatment of disc disease. [0021] A third area of prior art related to the present invention includes all devices designed to be applied to one of the surfaces of the spine. Such devices include all types of plates, struts, and rods which are attached by hooks, wires and screws. These devices differ significantly from the present invention in that they are not inserted within the disc space and furthermore do not intrinsically participate in supplying osteogenic material for the fusion. [0022] Therefore, where permanent spinal immobilization is desired, an additional surgery, consisting of a spinal fusion performed by conventional means or the use of supplemental methylmethacrylate cement is required. Such devices applied to the spine, but not within the disc space, would include the following: Continue reading about Distractor for use in spinal surgery... Full patent description for Distractor for use in spinal surgery Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Distractor for use in spinal surgery patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Distractor for use in spinal surgery or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Device and method for correcting a spinal deformity Next Patent Application: Implant assembly and method for use in an internal structure stabilization system Industry Class: Surgery ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Distractor for use in spinal surgery patent info. 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