Cervical fusion apparatus and method for use

Abstract

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a method of implanting a fusion plate, having at least two primary fastener openings, into a patient is described. According to the inventive method, a throat of the patient is dissected, providing access through the throat dissection to a spinal column of the patient. The fusion plate is inserted into the throat dissection, and the fusion plate is then positioned in an asymmetrical relationship with a sagittal plane of the spinal column. A first primary fastener is inserted through a first primary fastener opening of the fusion plate and into the first vertebra. A second primary fastener is inserted through a second primary fastener opening of the fusion plate and into the second vertebra. A cervical fusion apparatus is also disclosed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a frontal view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention in a first mode;

FIG. 2 is a frontal view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention in a second mode;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional transverse view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional sagittal view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method of implanting a fusion plate, having at least two primary fastener openings, into a patient, the method comprising the steps of: dissecting a throat of the patient;providing access through the throat dissection to a spinal column of the patient;inserting the fusion plate into the throat dissection;positioning the fusion plate in an asymmetrical relationship with a sagittal plane of the spinal column;contacting a side portion of an anterior surface of a first vertebra of the spinal column and a side portion of an anterior surface of a second vertebra of the spinal column with the fusion plate;inserting a first primary fastener, having a longitudinal axis, through a first primary fastener opening of the fusion plate and into the first vertebra such that the longitudinal axis of the first primary fastener is angled within the sagittal plane relative to a transverse plane of the spinal column; andinserting a second primary fastener, having a longitudinal axis, through a second primary fastener opening of the fusion plate and into the second vertebra such that the longitudinal axis of the second primary fastener is angled within the sagittal plane relative to the transverse plane of the spinal column.

2. The method of claim 1, including the steps of: inserting a first secondary fastener through a first secondary fastener opening of the fusion plate and into the first vertebra such that the longitudinal axis of the first secondary fastener is angled within the sagittal plane relative to the transverse plane; andinserting a second secondary fastener through a second secondary fastener opening of the fusion plate and into the second vertebra such that the longitudinal axis of the second secondary fastener is angled within the sagittal plane relative to the transverse plane.

3. The method of claim 1, including the steps of: inserting the first secondary fastener through the first secondary fastener opening of the fusion plate and into the first vertebra such that the longitudinal axis of the first secondary fastener is angled within both the sagittal and transverse planes; andinserting the second secondary fastener through the second secondary fastener opening of the fusion plate and into the second vertebra such that the longitudinal axis of the second secondary fastener is angled within both the sagittal and transverse planes.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the longitudinal axes of the first and second primary fasteners form a diverging angle in the sagittal plane as the first and second primary fasteners extend into the first and second vertebrae.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the longitudinal axes of the first and second secondary fasteners form a diverging angle in the sagittal plane as the first and second secondary fasteners extend into the first and second vertebrae.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the longitudinal axes of the first primary and first secondary fasteners form a converging angle in the transverse plane as the first primary and first secondary fasteners extend into the first vertebra, and the longitudinal axes of the second primary and second secondary fasteners form a converging angle in the transverse plane as the second primary and second secondary fasteners extend into the second vertebra.

7. A method of retaining vertebrae of a spinal column in a desired spatial relationship, the method comprising the steps of: providing a fusion apparatus including a fusion plate and at least two fasteners, each fastener having a longitudinal axis;positioning the fusion plate in an asymmetrical relationship with a sagittal plane of the spinal column;contacting a first vertebra and a second vertebra with the fusion plate;inserting a first primary fastener through a first primary fastener opening of the fusion plate and into the first vertebra such that the longitudinal axis of the first primary fastener is angled within the sagittal plane relative to a transverse plane of the spinal column; andinserting a second primary fastener through a second primary fastener opening of the fusion plate and into the second vertebra such that the longitudinal axis of the second primary fastener is angled within the sagittal plane relative to the transverse plane of the spinal column.

8. The method of claim 7, including the steps of: inserting a first secondary fastener through a first secondary fastener opening of the fusion plate and into the first vertebra such that a longitudinal axis of the first secondary fastener is angled within the sagittal plane relative to the transverse plane; andinserting a second secondary fastener through a second secondary fastener opening of the fusion plate and into the second vertebra such that a longitudinal axis of the second secondary fastener is angled within the sagittal plane relative to the transverse plane.

9. The method of claim 7, including the steps of: inserting the first secondary fastener through the first secondary fastener opening of the fusion plate and into the first vertebra such that the longitudinal axis of the first secondary fastener is angled within both of the sagittal and transverse planes; andinserting the second secondary fastener through the second secondary fastener opening of the fusion plate and into the second vertebra such that the longitudinal axis of the second secondary fastener is angled within both the sagittal and transverse planes.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the longitudinal axes of the first and second primary fasteners form a diverging angle in the sagittal plane as the first and second primary fasteners extend into the first and second vertebrae.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the longitudinal axes of the first and second secondary fasteners form a diverging angle in the sagittal plane as the first and second secondary fasteners extend into the first and second vertebrae.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the longitudinal axes of the first primary and first secondary fasteners form a converging angle in the transverse plane as the first primary and first secondary fasteners extend into the first vertebra, and the longitudinal axes of the second primary and second secondary fasteners form a converging angle in the transverse plane as the second primary and second secondary fasteners extend into the second vertebra.

13. A cervical fusion apparatus, comprising: a fusion plate, having at least two primary fastener openings, and being adapted to simultaneously engage at least two vertebrae of a spinal column while being positioned asymmetrically about a sagittal plane of the spinal column; andat least two primary fasteners, each primary fastener having a longitudinal axis and being adapted for insertion through at least one primary fastener opening of the fusion plate;wherein the longitudinal axes of the primary fasteners are each located within the sagittal plane and angled relative to a transverse plane of the spinal column when the primary fasteners are inserted through the primary fastener openings.

14. The cervical fusion apparatus of claim 13, wherein the fusion plate includes an inner plate side located adjacent the at least two vertebrae and the inner side plate includes at least one location rib adapted for insertion into a spinal space defined between the first and second vertebrae.

15. The cervical fusion apparatus of claim 13, wherein the fusion plate includes an inner plate side located adjacent the at least two vertebrae and the inner side plate is shaped to substantially follow a contour of at least a portion of anterior surfaces of the at least two vertebrae.

16. The cervical fusion apparatus of claim 13, wherein the fusion plate includes at least one placement spike adapted for insertion into a vertebra.

17. The cervical fusion apparatus of claim 13, including at least two secondary fasteners, each secondary fastener having a longitudinal axis and being adapted for insertion through at least one secondary fastener opening of the fusion plate, wherein the longitudinal axes of the secondary fasteners are each located within the sagittal plane and angled relative to a transverse plane of the spinal column when the secondary fasteners are inserted through the secondary fastener openings.

18. The cervical fusion apparatus of claim 13, wherein the longitudinal axes of the secondary fasteners are each angled relative to the transverse and sagittal planes of the spinal column when the secondary fasteners are inserted through the secondary fastener openings.

19. The cervical fusion apparatus of claim 13, including first and second primary fasteners, and wherein the longitudinal axes of the first and second primary fasteners form a diverging angle in the sagittal plane as the first and second primary fasteners extend into the first and second vertebrae.

20. The cervical fusion apparatus of claim 17, including first and second secondary fasteners, and wherein the longitudinal axes of the first and second secondary fasteners form a diverging angle in the sagittal plane as the first and second secondary fasteners extend into the first and second vertebrae.

21. The cervical fusion apparatus of claim 18, including first and second secondary fasteners, and wherein the longitudinal axes of the first primary and first secondary fasteners form a converging angle in the transverse plane as the first primary and first secondary fasteners extend into the first vertebra, and the longitudinal axes of the second primary and second secondary fasteners form a converging angle in the transverse plane as the second primary and second secondary fasteners extend into the second vertebra.

22. The cervical fusion apparatus of claim 13, wherein the fusion plate includes a plurality of primary fastener openings, at least one primary fastener is inserted into a chosen one of the primary fastener openings, and at least one other primary fastener is inserted into a different chosen one of the primary fastener openings.

23. The cervical fusion apparatus of claim 17, wherein the fusion plate includes a plurality of secondary fastener openings, at least one secondary fastener is inserted into a chosen one of the secondary fastener openings, and at least one other secondary fastener is inserted into another chosen one of the secondary fastener openings.

24. The cervical fusion apparatus of claim 13, wherein the primary fastener openings are each shaped to guide a chosen one of the primary fasteners into a predetermined angular relationship with another chosen one of the primary fasteners.

25. The cervical fusion apparatus of claim 17, wherein the secondary fastener openings are each shaped to guide a chosen one of the secondary fasteners into a predetermined angular relationship with another chosen one of the secondary fasteners.