Systems and methods for spinal surgery
View Patent ↗Disclosed herein are methods and devices for distracting adjacent vertebrae during surgical procedures for implanting spinal prostheses. In an exemplary embodiment, a distractor is disclosed that maintains the empty space between adjacent vertebrae following a discectomy, and that can removably mate with other surgical instruments, such as, for example, a filler bar, an implanting tool, or a funnel. In other embodiments of the present invention a distractor is disclosed having various features to assist in implanting a spinal prosthesis, such as, for example, an angled distal end and/or an expandable paddle. In another embodiment of the present invention, an articulating inserter is disclosed. Moreover, various implants and funnels are also disclosed herein.
1. A surgical instrument system, comprising:
an articulating implant inserter including
a shaft; and
an articulatable implant holding element having a hinge pivot joint and located on a distal end of the shaft, the articulatable implant holding element being operable from a proximal portion of the shaft to releasably hold an implant; and
an implant having a connecting element that cooperates with the articulatable implant holding element to allow articulation of the implant to a desired angle upon operation of the implant holding element.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the implant connecting element is internal to the implant.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the implant connecting element is external to the implant.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the articulatable implant holding element includes two sliding elements having distal implant impaction faces, the implant holding element being operable from a proximal handle to provide relative sliding in a proximal-distal direction along the shaft to selectively articulate the implant to a desired angle.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the position of the handle acts as a visual indicator for an angle through which the implant has been rotated.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the implant is a fusion cage.
7. A surgical instrument system, comprising:
an articulating implant inserter including
a shaft; and
an articulatable implant holding element located on a distal end of the shaft, the articulatable implant holding element being operable from a proximal portion of the shaft to releasably hold an implant; and
an implant having a connecting element that cooperates with the articulatable implant holding element to allow articulation of the implant to a desired angle upon operation of the implant holding element;
wherein the articulatable implant holding element includes two sliding elements having distal implant impaction faces, the implant holding element being operable from a proximal handle to provide relative sliding in a proximal-distal direction along the shaft to selectively articulate the implant to a desired angle; and
wherein the position of the handle acts as a visual indicator for an angle through which the implant has been rotated.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the implant connecting element is internal to the implant.
9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the implant is a fusion cage.