Spine surgery method and inserter

A. Field of Invention

This invention pertains to the art of methods and apparatuses regarding spine surgery and more specifically relates to surgical procedures and an inserter used to position an implant, and perhaps to deploy the implant, within a vertebral space.

B. Description of the Related Art

The volume of spinal surgeries to treat degenerative disc and facet disease has steadily increased over the past decade, fueled by population demographics and advancements in diagnostic and instrumentation adjuncts. Improvements in intraoperative radiological imaging and surgical technique have generated a great deal of interest in applying minimally invasive surgical (MIS) techniques to spinal applications. As in other surgical subspecialties, it is hoped such minimally invasive techniques applied to spinal surgery will result in less soft tissue trauma, less operative blood loss, reduced operative time, faster recovery periods and lower costs.

Known spinal surgical techniques, though generally working well for their intended purposes, have been adopted from traditional open surgical (non-MIS) techniques. As a result, known spinal surgical methods, instrumentation and interbody implants have limitations. One limitation is that the physical components are relatively large and bulky. This reduces surgeon visualization of the surgical site. Another limitation of known spinal surgical methods is that known surgical tools and implants are cumbersome and difficult to maneuver within the limited surgical space available. The limitations of current instrumentation in MIS spine surgery are noted particularly with regards to interbody fusion surgery.

The present invention provides methods and apparatuses for overcoming these limitations by providing a surgical inserter that allows for minimally invasive spinal surgery and that provides for precise movement, placement and deployment of an implant into the vertebral space.

According to one embodiment of this invention, a surgical inserter for use in inserting an implant into a vertebral space comprises: (1) a handle having first and second ends for use by a surgeon; and, (2) an implant gripping mechanism comprising: a gripper having a first end attached to the second end of the handle and a second end having a pair of arms; and, a grip activator having an opening that threadingly receives the gripper. The grip activator can be rotated in a first direction with respect to the gripper to cause the arms to move toward each other to grip the inserter and can be rotated in a second direction with respect to the gripper to cause the arms to move away from each other to release the inserter.

According to another embodiment of this invention, the surgical inserter further comprises: a connector having a first end attached to the second end of the handle and a second end attached to the first end of the gripper.

According to another embodiment of this invention, the surgical inserter further comprises: an implant deployment mechanism for use in deploying the implant.

According to still another embodiment of this invention, the implant deployment mechanism comprises: (1) a compression force member; and, (2) a compression force activator that can apply a force to the compression force member to extend the compression force member into contact with the implant.

According to yet another embodiment of this invention, the implant deployment mechanism comprises: (1) a tension force member that is operatively connected to the implant; and, (2) a tension force activator that can apply a tension force to the tension force member to deploy the implant.

According to another embodiment of this invention, the surgical inserter further comprises: an implant anti-deployment mechanism for use in preventing the implant deployment mechanism from operating until the surgeon is ready to operate it.

According to another embodiment of this invention, the implant anti-deployment mechanism comprises: a tube member that can contact the implant; and, a securing device for use in securing the tube member in contact with the implant to prevent deployment of the implant.

According to still another embodiment of this invention, a method comprises the steps of: (A) providing an implant made to be placed into a vertebral space; (B) providing a surgical inserter comprising: a handle having first and second ends for use by a surgeon; a gripper having a first end attached to the second end of the handle and a second end having a pair of arms; and, a grip activator having an opening in that threadingly receives the gripper; (C) preparing the vertebral space to receive the implant; (D) rotating the grip activator with respect to the gripper to cause the arms to move toward each other to grip the inserter; (E) moving the surgical inserter to insert the implant within the vertebral space; (F) rotating the grip activator with respect to the gripper to cause the arms to move away from each other to release the inserter; and, (G) moving the surgical inserter away from the vertebral space.

According to another embodiment of this invention, the method may further comprise the step of: deploying the implant with the inserter.

According to another embodiment of this invention, the method may further comprise the step of: adjusting an anti-deployment mechanism to permit deployment of the implant.

One advantage of this invention is that the inventive surgical inserter permits an implant to be relatively easily placed into a vertebral space.

Another advantage of this invention is that the implant may be relatively easily and securely attached to the inserter and then detached from the inserter.

Another advantage of this invention is that the surgeon may make consistent and reproducible biplanar, midline placement of the interbody implant.

Another advantage of this invention is that, in one embodiment, the inserter can be used to deploy the implant.

Yet another advantage of this invention is that the surgical inserter allows for minimally invasive deployment via either an anterior, anterolateral, posterior or posterolateral approach, with the latter approach possible via either a transforaminal or extraforaminal approach.