Methods for performing minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion using guidance

1. A minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion surgery method, comprising:

placing a guide wire in each pedicle of each vertebra of each spinal segment to be fused in a transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion surgery;

after the step of placing, preparing working side and non-working side of spine, said preparing including:

for each guide wire on the working side of the spine except for a most superior guide wire, inserting a pedicle marker into the pedicle over the guide wire and removing the guide wire, and

for each guide wire on the non-working side, screwing a pedicle screw into the pedicle over the guide wire and removing the guide wire; and

after the step of preparing, surgically manipulating, from the working side, each spinal segment to be fused using the pedicle markers while each pedicle screw on the non-working side is in its respective pedicle.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

interconnecting each pedicle screw on the non-working side with a transfixing rod; and

for each spinal segment to be fused:

from the working side in the step of surgically manipulating, distracting the intervertebral disc space using a distracting tool inserted to the intervertebral disc space, and

on the non-working side, manipulating the transfixing rod and at least one of the pedicle screws to apply distraction of the spinal segment.

3. The method of claim 2 , comprising performing the steps of distracting and manipulating simultaneously to (i) apply distraction from the non-working side, using the transfixing rod and at least one of the pedicle screws, in synchrony with (ii) distraction from the working side using the distraction tool inserted to the intervertebral disc space.

4. The method of claim 2 , the step of surgically manipulating further comprising, for each spinal segment to be fused:

positioning a retractor to form an access path from the working side to at least the intervertebral disc space; and

in the step of distracting the intervertebral disc space, inserting the distraction tool through the retractor to the intervertebral disc space.

5. The method of claim 1 , comprising performing the step of surgically manipulating while the most superior guide wire is in its respective pedicle.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, on the working side and for each spinal segment to be fused:

positioning a retractor to form an access path for the surgeon to portion of the spinal segment requiring surgery.

7. The method of claim 6 , comprising, for each spinal segment to be fused, performing the step of surgically manipulating the spinal segment through the retractor.

8. The method of claim 7 , the step of surgically manipulating comprising:

decompressing neural structures associated with the spinal segment;

preparing intervertebral disc space of the spinal segment for fusion; and

depositing fusion-promoting material in the intervertebral disc space.

9. The method of claim 8 , the step of decompressing comprising utilizing location of the pedicle marker in the inferior vertebra of the spinal segment to remove superior portion of working-side facet of the inferior vertebra.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

interconnecting each pedicle screw on the non-working side with a transfixing rod;

in the step of preparing the intervertebral disc space, applying distracting tools through the retractor to distract the intervertebral disc space; and

while preparing the intervertebral disc space, manipulating the transfixing rod and at least one of the pedicle screws on the non-working side to apply distraction of the spinal segment.

11. The method of claim 8 , the step of preparing intervertebral disc space being performed lateral to dura, inferior to exiting nerve root of the spinal segment, and superior to the inferior pedicle of the spinal segment within neural foramen of the spinal segment.

12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising after the step of surgically manipulating:

replacing each pedicle marker with a pedicle screw;

replacing the most superior guide wire with a pedicle screw; and

interconnecting each pedicle screw on the working side with a transfixing rod.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising, for each spinal segment to be fused, adjusting (a) spacing between the pedicle screws on the working side and (b) spacing between the pedicle screws on the non-working side.

14. The method of claim 1 , the step of placing a guide wire in each pedicle comprising utilizing a robotic guidance system to place each guide wire according to a template generated from imaging of patient.

15. The method of claim 14 , the step of utilizing a robotic guidance system further comprising utilizing robotic guidance to make at least one incision needed to perform the transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion surgery.

16. The method of claim 14 , the step of utilizing a robotic guidance system comprising affixing the robotic guidance system to the patient with patient being in substantially same position as during said imaging.

17. The method of claim 16 , the step of affixing comprising affixing the robotic guidance system to (a) spinous process superior to each spinal segment to be fused and (b) both iliac crests of the patient.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising removing the guidance system from the patient prior to the step of performing.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising after the step of placing a guide wire in each pedicle and before the step of removing the guidance system, imaging patient to confirm proper location of each guide wire.

20. The method of claim 1 , for each spinal segment to be fused, the step of surgically manipulating including at least one of removing soft tissue from the spinal segment, distracting intervertebral disc space, and placing fusion promoting material in the intervertebral disc space.