Method and apparatus for spinal implant insertion

专利名称：Method and apparatus for spinal implant

insertion

发明人：Salvatore Castro申请号：US09282863申请日：19990331公开号：US06267763B1公开日：20010731

专利附图：

摘要：An apparatus for facilitating fusion of adjacent vertebrae, In one preferredembodiment, the apparatus for facilitating fusion of adjacent vertebrae includes aretractor and a retractor introducer. The retractor includes a retractor sleeve having

proximal and distal ends and defines a longitudinal passageway for reception of surgicalinstrumentation. The retractor sleeve has first and second retractor arms extendingdistally therefrom in a general longitudinal direction. Each retractor arm has first andsecond opposed supporting surfaces for engaging respective adjacent opposedvertebrae. Each retractor arm defines a dimension between the first and second

supporting surfaces sufficient to distract the opposed vertebrae upon insertion thereof.The retractor introducer is positionable within the longitudinal passageway of theretractor sleeve. The retractor introducer includes an elongated member definingproximal and distal ends and having a distal introducer head. The introducer head has aretractor arm insert. The retractor arm insert preferably defines a cross-sectionaldimension to substantially occupy the inner area defined by the retractor arms of theretractor and possesses sufficient rigidity to advance within the tissue portions therebyfacilitating placement of the first and second retractor arms of the retractor between thevertebral portions in distracting engagement therewith. The introducer head of theretractor introducer may also define a proximal portion which has a cross-sectionaldimension generally corresponding to the internal dimension of the retractor sleeve tothereby substantially minimize entry of tissue within the retractor sleeve during

placement between the opposed vertebrae. Preferably, the cross-sectional dimension ofthe proximal portion of the introducer head is slightly less than the internal dimension ofthe retractor sleeve.

申请人：SURGICAL DYNAMICS, INC.

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