Graft material injector system and method

1. A graft material injector comprising:

an injector device including an elongated injector tube, an internal injector tube lumen extending through the injector tube and having a longitudinal axis, a distal injection aperture communicating with the lumen and a side loading aperture for receiving a quantity of graft material into axial alignment with the lumen axis; and

a graft material loader cooperatively engageable with the side loading aperture and adapted to load a selected quantity of graft material into axial alignment with the axis of the injector tube lumen, wherein the graft material loader comprises a hopper engageable with the injector tube for directing graft material into the side loading aperture; and

a cover movable between a position substantially closing the side loading aperture and a position exposing the side loading aperture for loading graft material through the side loading aperture into the injector tube lumen.

2. The injector of claim 1 including a pusher movably receivable within the injector tube lumen for applying force to the graft material to force such material through the injector tube lumen and out the distal injection aperture.

3. The injector of claim 1 wherein the side loading aperture comprises an elongated slot in the injector tube proximal to the injection aperture.

4. The injector of claim 3 wherein the graft material loader includes an elongated funnel with an elongated outlet configured for cooperative association with the tube with the elongated outlet in registration with the elongated slot to guide graft material from the funnel into the slot and into the injector tube.

5. The injector of claim 1 wherein the hopper includes a funnel wall converging to a funnel outlet and at least one tube guide configured to guide the injector tube into a position in which the side loading aperture of the injector device is in registration with the funnel outlet to receive graft material from the hopper into the injector tube lumen.

6. The injector of claim 1 in which the side loading aperture is configured to sieve the graft material loaded into the injector tube lumen.

7. The injector of claim 1 in which the graft material loader is configured to sieve the graft material loaded into the injector tube lumen.

8. A graft material injector device comprising:

an elongated injector tube including an internal lumen;

a distal injection aperture communicating with the injector tube internal lumen and a side loading aperture communicating with the lumen;

a hopper engageable with the injector tube for directing graft material into the side loading aperture; and

a cover associated with the side loading aperture and movable between a position substantially closing the side loading aperture and a position substantially opening the side loading aperture for loading graft material into the internal lumen.

9. The injector of claim 6 including a pusher movably receivable within the lumen for applying force to the graft material loaded therein to force such material through the injection aperture.

10. A method of injecting graft material into a spine disc implant employing the apparatus of claim 1 comprising

introducing graft fluid into axial alignment with the injector tube lumen through the side loading aperture;

closing the side loading aperture;

positioning the distal end of the tube into the desired position with respect to the implant; and

moving a push rod through the lumen, thereby applying force to the graft material to force it out the injection aperture and into association with the implant.

11. The method of claim 10 in which the injector tube is placed in registration with a funnel opening of a funnel and the graft material is introduced into the side loading aperture through the funnel opening.

12. The method of claim 11 in which the side loading aperture is closed by sliding a cover to a position substantially closing the side loading aperture and opened by sliding the cover to a position not substantially covering the side loading aperture.

13. The method of claim 11 in which the side loading aperture is elongated and the funnel opening is elongated to provide for introduction of medical material along the entire length of the funnel opening.

14. The method of claim 10 in which the graft material comprises bone graft material.

15. The method of claim 10 including sieving the graft material during introducing into the lumen to prevent graft material exceeding a selected size from entering the lumen.