Lumbar fusion
Apparatus and methods for lumbar fusion. An apparatus includes a large footprint interbody cage, a two bladed mini-open retractor, and a pole, the large footprint interbody cage laid into a concavity forward by outwardly bent tines of the two bladed mini-open retractor, the pole for impacting the large footprint interbody cage into an interbody space advanced through a stab incision separate from a main incision and attached to the large footprint interbody cage.
1. A minimally invasive method for a use of an implant for interbody fusion, the method comprising:
advancing a tunnel with a trochar inside through an incision in the skin and underlying facsia to dock on a lumbar facet through an off-midline incision and posterior approach;
performing an ipsilateral facetectomy;
preparing a disc space with an internal serial passage of instruments down a visualization tunnel through a posterior approach;
adjusting an angle of the tunnel;
packing a cage with arthrodesos material;
attaching the cage to an inserter instrument;
adjusting an angle of the tunnel to enable insertion of the cage through a posterior approach in as diagonal an orientation as possible into an interspace through the tunnel;
disconnecting the introducer from the cage;
passing an arc-shaped muscle sweeping tool down the interior of the tunnel;
inserting a second straight sweeping tool through a symmetrically placed contralateral incision;
guiding the second sweeper to a distal end of the visualization tunnel;
introducing a slotted tamp instrument; and
removing the second sweeper.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
applying a force with a mallet onto a proximal end of the tamp;
removing the tamp from the contralateral incision; and
reinserting the tamp down the visualization tunnel to re-dock on the implant surface.