Prostheses, tools, and methods for replacement of natural facet joints with artificial facet joint surfaces
View Patent ↗Cephalad and caudal vertebral facet joint prostheses and methods of use are provided. The cephalad prostheses are adapted and configured to be attached to a lamina portion of a vertebra without blocking a pedicle portion of the cephalad vertebra.
1. A method of stabilizing a spinal motion segment,
comprising:
accessing a facet joint of the spinal motion segment;
resecting all or a portion of the facet joint to provide a surgical access path through at least a portion of the resected all or a portion of the facet joint; and
implanting a first facet replacement prosthesis to replace a portion of the facet joint, wherein the first facet replacement prosthesis is positioned on a first location of a vertebra; and
implanting a second facet replacement prosthesis to replace a different portion of the facet joint, wherein the second facet replacement prosthesis is positioned on a second location of the same vertebra;
wherein the first facet replacement prosthesis and the second facet replacement prosthesis are independent and not connected to one another, and
wherein the first facet replacement prosthesis extends through a spinous process of the vertebra and the second facet replacement prosthesis extends through the spinous process of the vertebra.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of implanting the first facet replacement prosthesis occurs after introducing an artificial disc replacement prosthesis first through the surgical access path.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the resecting step comprises resecting at least a portion of the superior facet and the inferior facet of the facet joint.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the resecting step further comprises resecting all of the superior and inferior facets of a second facet joint of the spinal motion segment.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the resecting step further comprises resecting a portion of the lamina of the spinal level.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein all of the surgical steps occur percutaneously.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein all of the surgical steps are performed using a combination of open and percutaneous surgical accesses.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the surgical steps is performed through a cannula.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the surgical steps is performed through an expanding cannula.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first facet replacement prosthesis is implanted without disruption to the supra-spinous and/or inter-spinous ligaments.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein a facet capsule is opened and removed before or during resecting all or a portion of the facet joint.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first facet replacement prosthesis extends along a first axis through the spinous process and the second facet replacement prosthesis extends along a second axis through the spinous process, wherein the first axis is different from the second axis.
13. A method of stabilizing a spinal motion segment,
comprising:
accessing a facet joint of the spinal motion segment;
resecting all or a portion of the facet joint to provide a surgical access path through at least a portion of the resected all or a portion of the facet joint; and
implanting a first facet replacement prosthesis to replace a portion of the facet joint, wherein the first facet replacement prosthesis extends along a first axis through a spinous process; and
implanting a second facet replacement prosthesis to replace a different portion of the facet joint, wherein the second facet replacement prosthesis prosthesis extends along a second axis, different from the first axis, through the spinous process;
wherein the first facet replacement prosthesis and the second facet replacement prosthesis are independent and not connected to one another.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the step of implanting the first facet replacement prosthesis occurs after introducing an artificial disc replacement prosthesis first through the surgical access path.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the resecting step comprises resecting at least a portion of the superior facet and the inferior facet of the facet joint.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the resecting step further comprises resecting all of the superior and inferior facets of a second facet joint of the spinal motion segment.
17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the resecting step further comprises resecting a portion of the lamina of the spinal level.
18. The method of claim 13 , wherein all of the surgical steps occur percutaneously.
19. The method of claim 13 , wherein all of the surgical steps are performed using a combination of open and percutaneous surgical accesses.
20. The method of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the surgical steps is performed through a cannula.