Method for inserting an artificial implant between two adjacent vertebrae along a coronal plane

1. A method comprising:

making an incision in skin of a patient's body to gain access to a disc space between two adjacent vertebrae located within a portion of one of a human thoracic or lumbar spine, said portion of one of the human thoracic or lumbar spine defined by the two adjacent vertebrae having an anterior aspect and a posterior aspect being divided by a first plane through transverse processes of the two adjacent vertebrae, the disc space having a depth measured from an anterior aspect to a posterior aspect of the disc space, each of the two adjacent vertebrae having a vertebral body having a transverse width perpendicular to the depth of the disc space, said incision being proximate an intersection of the skin and a path having an axis lying in a coronal plane passing through a lateral aspect and a medial aspect of the two adjacent vertebrae and anterior to the transverse processes;

advancing a first surgical instrument having a length into the body of the patient through said incision until proximate the disc space along said path and anterior to the transverse processes;

advancing a second surgical instrument into the body of the patient through said incision and over at least a portion of the length of said first surgical instrument, said second surgical instrument having a distal end and an opposite proximal end and a length therebetween, said second surgical instrument having a passageway configured to receive a portion of the length of said first surgical instrument therein;

advancing a third surgical instrument into the body of the patient through said incision and over at least a portion of the length of said second surgical instrument, said third surgical instrument having a distal end for insertion over said second surgical instrument and an opposite proximal end;

positioning said third surgical instrument such that said distal end of said third surgical instrument is proximate a lateral aspect of the vertebral bodies of the two adjacent vertebrae; and

inserting, from the position anterior to the transverse processes of the two adjacent vertebrae and along said path, a non-bone interbody intraspinal implant through said third surgical instrument into a laterally facing opening in said portion of one of the human thoracic or lumbar spine, said implant having an insertion end for insertion first into the laterally facing opening and a trailing end and a length therebetween, the length of said implant being sized to occupy substantially the full transverse width of the vertebral bodies of the two adjacent vertebrae, the length of said implant being greater than the depth of the disc space, said implant having opposed surfaces oriented toward each of the vertebral bodies of the two adjacent vertebrae when inserted therebetween, said opposed surfaces having bone engaging projections configured to engage the vertebral bodies of the two adjacent vertebrae, said implant having a maximum height between said bone engaging projections of said opposed surfaces and perpendicular to the length of said implant, the length of said implant being greater than the maximum height of said implant.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising engaging a spinal fixation device to the adjacent vertebrae after inserting of said implant into the laterally facing opening.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said spinal fixation device has a plate configured to cover at least a portion of said trailing end of said implant.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising engaging a plate with the adjacent vertebrae to prevent unwanted excursion of said implant from the spine.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the engaging of said plate includes attaching a portion of said plate to each of the adjacent vertebrae with a fastening member.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the engaging of said plate includes engaging a screw with said plate after inserting of said implant into the laterally facing opening.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising coupling a spinal fixation device to said implant and engaging said spinal fixation device to the adjacent vertebrae.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said fusion implant is provided in combination with fusion promoting substances.

9. A method comprising:

making an incision in skin of a patient's body to gain access to a disc space between two adjacent vertebrae located within a portion of one of a human thoracic or lumbar spine, said portion of one of the human thoracic or lumbar spine defined by the two adjacent vertebrae having an anterior aspect and a posterior aspect being divided by a first plane through transverse processes of the two adjacent vertebrae, the disc space having a depth measured from an anterior aspect to a posterior aspect of the disc space, each of the two adjacent vertebrae having a vertebral body having a transverse width perpendicular to the depth of the disc space, said incision being proximate an intersection of the skin and a path having an axis lying in a coronal plane passing through a lateral aspect and a medial aspect of the two adjacent vertebrae and anterior to the transverse processes;

advancing a first surgical instrument having a length into the body of the patient through said incision until proximate the disc space along said path and anterior to the transverse processes;

advancing a second surgical instrument into the body of the patient through said incision and over at least a portion of the length of said first surgical instrument, said second surgical instrument having a distal end and an opposite proximal end and a length therebetween, said second surgical instrument having a passageway configured to receive a portion of the length of said first surgical instrument therein;

advancing a third surgical instrument into the body of the patient through said incision and over at least a portion of the length of said second surgical instrument, said third surgical instrument having a distal end for insertion over said second surgical instrument and an opposite proximal end;

positioning a single elongated portion removably attached to said distal end of said third surgical instrument over the disc space, said single elongated portion having a length, a thickness, and a width, the length of said single elongated portion being greater than the width and the thickness of said single elongated portion, the width of said single elongated portion being greater than the thickness of said single elongated portion, said single elongated portion being tapered to facilitate entry between the vertebral bodies of the two adjacent vertebrae;

inserting said single elongated portion into the disc space with the width of said single elongated portion being oriented along a height of the disc space; and

inserting, from the position anterior to the transverse processes of the two adjacent vertebrae and along said path, an interbody intraspinal implant through said third surgical instrument into a laterally facing opening in said portion of one of the human thoracic or lumbar spine, said implant having an insertion end for insertion first into the laterally facing opening and a trailing end and a length therebetween, the length of said implant being sized to occupy substantially the full transverse width of the vertebral bodies of the two adjacent vertebrae, the length of said implant being greater than the depth of the disc space, said implant having opposed surfaces oriented toward each of the vertebral bodies of the two adjacent vertebrae when inserted therebetween, said opposed surfaces having bone engaging projections configured to engage the vertebral bodies of the two adjacent vertebrae, said implant having a maximum height between said bone engaging projections of said opposed surfaces and perpendicular to the length of said implant, the length of said implant being greater than the maximum height of said implant.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising engaging a spinal fixation device to the adjacent vertebrae after inserting of said implant into the laterally facing opening.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein said spinal fixation device has a plate configured to cover at least a portion of said trailing end of said implant.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising engaging a plate with the adjacent vertebrae to prevent unwanted excursion of said implant from the spine.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the engaging of said plate includes attaching a portion of said plate to each of the adjacent vertebrae with a fastening member.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the engaging of said plate includes engaging a screw with said plate after inserting of said implant into the laterally facing opening.

15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising coupling a spinal fixation device to said implant and engaging said spinal fixation device to the adjacent vertebrae.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein said fusion implant is provided in combination with fusion promoting substances.

17. A method comprising:

making an incision in skin of a patient's body to gain access to a disc space between two adjacent vertebrae located within a portion of one of a human thoracic or lumbar spine, said portion of one of the human thoracic or lumbar spine defined by the two adjacent vertebrae having an anterior aspect and a posterior aspect being divided by a first plane through transverse processes of the two adjacent vertebrae, the disc space having a depth measured from an anterior aspect to a posterior aspect of the disc space, each of the two adjacent vertebrae having a vertebral body having a transverse width perpendicular to the depth of the disc space, said incision being proximate an intersection of the skin and a path having an axis lying in a coronal plane passing through a lateral aspect and a medial aspect of the two adjacent vertebrae and anterior to the transverse processes;

advancing a first surgical instrument having a length into the body of the patient through said incision until proximate the disc space along said path and anterior to the transverse processes;

advancing a second surgical instrument into the body of the patient through said incision and over at least a portion of the length of said first surgical instrument, said second surgical instrument having a distal end and an opposite proximal end and a length therebetween, said second surgical instrument having a passageway configured to receive a portion of the length of said first surgical instrument therein;

advancing a third surgical instrument into the body of the patient through said incision and over at least a portion of the length of said second surgical instrument, said third surgical instrument having a distal end for insertion over said second surgical instrument and an opposite proximal end, said third surgical instrument having at least two elongated portions for insertion into the patient, each of said elongated portions having a length, a width, and a thickness, said length of each of said at least two elongated portions being greater than the width and the thickness of said at least two elongated portions, each of said at least two elongated portions have a cross section through the width and the thickness and perpendicular to the length of said at least two elongated portions, respectively, each cross section of said at least two elongated portions having a convex exterior surface, said convex surfaces of each of said at least two elongated portions having the same curvature;

positioning said third surgical instrument such that at least part of one of said at least two elongated portions is over one of the two adjacent vertebrae and at least part of another of said at least two elongated portions is over the other of the two adjacent vertebrae; and

inserting, from the position anterior to the transverse processes of the two adjacent vertebrae and along said path, an interbody intraspinal implant through said third surgical instrument into a laterally facing opening in said portion of one of the human thoracic or lumbar spine, said implant having an insertion end for insertion first into the laterally facing opening and a trailing end and a length therebetween, the length of said implant being sized to occupy substantially the full transverse width of the vertebral bodies of the two adjacent vertebrae, the length of said implant being greater than the depth of the disc space, said implant having opposed surfaces oriented toward each of the vertebral bodies of the two adjacent vertebrae when inserted therebetween, said opposed surfaces having bone engaging projections configured to engage the vertebral bodies of the two adjacent vertebrae, said implant having a maximum height between said bone engaging projections of said opposed surfaces and perpendicular to the length of said implant, the length of said implant being greater than the maximum height of said implant.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising engaging a spinal fixation device to the adjacent vertebrae after inserting of said implant into the laterally facing opening.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein said spinal fixation device has a plate configured to cover at least a portion of said trailing end of said implant.

20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising engaging a plate with the adjacent vertebrae to prevent unwanted excursion of said implant from the spine.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the engaging of said plate includes attaching a portion of said plate to each of the adjacent vertebrae with a fastening member.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein the engaging of said plate includes engaging a screw with said plate after inserting of said implant into the laterally facing opening.

23. The method of claim 17 , wherein said fusion implant is provided in combination with fusion promoting substances.

24. A method comprising:

making an incision in skin of a patient's body to gain access to a disc space between two adjacent vertebrae located within a portion of one of a human thoracic or lumbar spine, said portion of one of the human thoracic or lumbar spine defined by the two adjacent vertebrae having an anterior aspect and a posterior aspect being divided by a first plane through transverse processes of the two adjacent vertebrae the disc space having a depth measured from an anterior aspect to a posterior aspect of the disc space, each of the two adjacent vertebrae having a vertebral body having a transverse width perpendicular to the depth of the disc space, said incision being proximate an intersection of the skin and a path having an axis lying in a coronal plane passing through a lateral aspect and a medial aspect of the two adjacent vertebrae and anterior to the transverse processes;

advancing a first surgical instrument having a length into the body of the patient through said incision and along said path and anterior to the transverse processes;

advancing a second surgical instrument into the body of the patient through said incision and over at least a portion of said length of said first surgical instrument, said second surgical instrument having a distal end and an opposite proximal end and a length there between, said second surgical instrument having a passageway configured to receive a portion of said length of said first surgical instrument therein;

advancing a third surgical instrument into the body of the patient through said incision and over at least a portion of the length of said second surgical instrument, said third surgical instrument having a distal end for insertion over said second surgical instrument and an opposite proximal end, said third surgical instrument having a first, a second, and a third elongated portion for insertion into the patient, each of said elongated portions having a length, a width, and a thickness, the length of said first elongated portion being greater than the width and the thickness of said first elongated portion, the width of said first elongated portion being greater than the thickness of said first elongated portion, the width of said first elongated portion proximate said distal end of said third surgical instrument having a midpoint, the length of said second elongated portion being greater than the width and the thickness of said second elongated portion, the length of said third elongated portion being greater than the width and the thickness of said third elongated portion, each of said first, second, and third elongated portions have a cross section through the width and the thickness and perpendicular to the length thereof, each cross section of said first, second, and third elongated portions having a convex exterior surface, said convex exterior surfaces of each of said second and third elongated portions having the same curvature;

positioning said third surgical instrument such that the midpoint of the width of said first elongated portion is over the disc space and said second elongated portion is over one of the two adjacent vertebrae and said third elongated portion is over the other of the two adjacent vertebrae;

withdrawing said second surgical instrument and said first surgical instrument from the body; and

inserting, from the position anterior to the transverse processes of the two adjacent vertebrae and along said path, an interbody intraspinal implant through said third surgical instrument into a laterally facing opening in said portion of one of the human thoracic or lumbar spine, said implant having an insertion end for insertion first into the laterally facing opening and a trailing end and a length therebetween, the length of said implant being sized to occupy the full transverse width of the vertebral bodies of the two adjacent vertebrae, the length of said implant being greater than the depth of the disc space, said implant having opposed surfaces oriented toward each of the vertebral bodies of the two adjacent vertebrae when inserted therebetween, said opposed surfaces having bone engaging projections configured to engage the vertebral bodies of the two adjacent vertebrae, said implant having a maximum height between said bone engaging projections of said opposed surfaces and perpendicular to the length of said implant, the length of said implant being greater than the maximum height of said implant.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising engaging a spinal fixation device to the adjacent vertebrae after inserting of said implant into the laterally facing opening.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said spinal fixation device has a plate configured to cover at least a portion of said trailing end of said implant.

27. The method of claim 24 further comprising engaging a plate with the adjacent vertebrae to prevent unwanted excursion of said implant from the spine.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the engaging of said plate includes attaching a portion of said plate to each of the adjacent vertebrae with a fastening member.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein the engaging of said plate includes engaging a screw with said plate after inserting of said implant into the laterally facing opening.

30. The method of claim 24 wherein said fusion implant is provided in combination with fusion promoting substances.