Method for using a guard for creating a socket posteriorly in the lumbar spine
A method for guiding a bone removal device to form a socket in the human spine and for inserting a cortical bone implant into the socket. The method includes placing a guard against the posterior aspect of the spine, the guard having a passage therethrough, inserting the bone removal device into the passage, removing a portion of a facet joint with the bone removal device to create the socket having a maximum height, and inserting the cortical bone implant into the socket. The cortical bone implant has a leading end, a trailing end, a mid-longitudinal axis through the ends, and a height transverse to the mid-longitudinal axis, the height of the cortical bone implant being greater than the maximum height of the socket.
1. A method for inserting a bone implant into a posterior aspect of the human spine, comprising:
placing a guard against the posterior aspect of the spine, the guard having a passage therethrough;
inserting a bone removal device into the passage of the guard, the bone removal device having a cutting portion;
drilling a portion of a facet joint with the bone removal device to create a socket having a maximum height; and
inserting a bone implant into the socket created by the bone removal device, the bone implant having a leading end, a trailing end, a mid-longitudinal axis through the ends, and a height transverse to the mid-longitudinal axis, the height of the bone implant being greater than the maximum height of the socket.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bone removal device is a drill.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying an impaction force against a trailing end of the guard to stabilize the guard relative to the posterior aspect of the spine.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising monitoring the depth of insertion of the bone removal device with a radiographic imaging device.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising irrigating inside and outside the guard.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bone implant, inserted through the passage of the guard, has a circular cross section.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the guard has a rectangular cross section.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the socket is formed in an endplate of a vertebral body with the bone removal device.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the guard includes two extensions at a leading end thereof for insertion at least in part between two adjacent vertebral bodies.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the guard includes an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper and lower portions being pivotally attached to one another.
11. A method for inserting a bone implant into a posterior aspect of the human spine, comprising:
placing a guard against the posterior aspect of the spine, the guard having a passage therethrough;
forming a socket through a portion of a facet joint using a bone removal device inserted through the passage of the guard, wherein forming the socket includes compacting portions of bone forming the socket to increase the density of the bone forming the socket, the socket having a maximum height; and
inserting a bone implant having a circular cross section into the socket, the bone implant having a leading end, a trailing end, a mid-longitudinal axis through the ends, and a height transverse to the mid-longitudinal axis, the height of the bone implant being greater than the maximum height of the socket.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the bone removal device has a rotatable cutting portion.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the bone removal device is a drill.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein a portion of the socket is formed in an endplate of a vertebral body with the bone removal device.
15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising applying an impaction force against a trailing end of the guard to stabilize the guard relative to the posterior aspect of the spine.
16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising monitoring the depth of insertion of the bone removal device with a radiographic imaging device.
17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising irrigating inside and outside the guard.
18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the bone implant is inserted through the passage of the guard.
19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the guard has a rectangular cross section.
20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the guard includes two extensions at a leading end thereof for insertion at least in part between two adjacent vertebral bodies.
21. The method of claim 11 , wherein the guard includes an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper and lower portions being pivotally attached to one another.