Claims
- 1. A method of treating a spine of a patient, comprising:
implanting a fusion device via an anterior approach in an interbody space between at least two of a first vertebra, a second vertebra and a third vertebra; inserting an access device into said patient with said access device in a first configuration having a first cross-sectional area at a distal portion thereof; actuating said access device to a second configuration having an enlarged cross-sectional area at said distal portion thereof such that the distal portion extends across at least a portion of each of the three adjacent vertebrae; and performing a multi-level procedure through the access device across the at least three adjacent vertebrae.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-level procedure is a two-level procedure.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the access device is inserted via a postero-lateral approach.
- 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the access device is inserted via a transforaminal approach.
- 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the access device is inserted via a posterior approach.
- 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-level procedure is fixation.
- 7. The method of claim 6, further comprising performing a fixation procedure via an anterior approach.
- 8. The method of claim 6, further comprising performing a fusion procedure external to the interbody space through the access device after performing fixation.
- 9. The method of claim 6, further comprising performing decompression through the access device prior to performing fixation.
- 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising performing a fusion procedure external to the interbody space through the access device after performing fixation.
- 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-level procedure comprises delivering a bone growth substance through the access device.
- 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising performing decompression through the access device before delivering the bone growth substance through the access device.
- 13. The method of claim 11, further comprising performing decompression through the access device after delivering the bone growth substance through the access device.
- 14. A method of treating a spine of a patient, comprising:
anteriorly exposing an interbody space between at least two of a first vertebra, a second vertebra, and a third vertebra; placing a fusion device in the interbody space; inserting an access device through an incision in the skin of the patient generally posteriorly until a distal portion thereof is located adjacent the spine, said access device being inserted in a first configuration having a first cross-sectional area at the distal portion thereof, actuating said access device to a second configuration having an enlarged cross-sectional area at said distal portion thereof; providing a first fastener configured for insertion into said patient through said access device and for attachment to the first vertebra; providing a second fastener configured for insertion into the patient through said access device and for attachment to a second vertebra; providing a third fastener configured for insertion into said internal passage of said expandable conduit and for attachment to a third vertebra; attaching said first, second, and third fasteners to said first, second, and third vertebrae; inserting an elongated member through said access device and moving said elongated member adjacent to said first, second, and third fasteners; and securing said elongate member to said first, second, and third fasteners.
- 15. A method of treating the spine of a patient, comprising:
anteriorly exposing an interbody space between at least two of a first vertebra, a second vertebra, and a third vertebra; placing a fusion device in the interbody space; inserting an access device through an incision in the skin of the patient generally posteriorly until a distal portion of the access device is located adjacent the spine of the patient, said access device being inserted in a first configuration having a first cross-sectional area at the distal portion thereof; actuating said access device to a second configuration having an enlarged cross-sectional area at said distal portion thereof; advancing a decompression tool through the access device; removing a portion of bone from at least one of the first, second, and third vertebrae through the access device; providing a first fastener configured for insertion into said patient through said access device and for attachment to the first vertebra; providing a second fastener configured for insertion into the patient through said access device and for attachment to a second vertebra; providing a third fastener configured for insertion into said internal passage of said expandable conduit and for attachment to a third vertebra; attaching said first, second, and third fasteners to said first, second, and third vertebrae; inserting an elongated member through said access device and moving said elongated member adjacent to said first, second, and third fasteners; and securing said elongate member to said first, second, and third fasteners.
- 16. The method of claims 15, further comprising placing a bone growth substance through the access device and adjacent at least one of said first, second, and third fasteners and said elongate member to enhance bone growth.
- 17. A method of treating a spine of a patient, comprising:
anteriorly exposing an interbody space between at least two of a first vertebra, a second vertebra, and a third vertebra; placing a fusion device in the interbody space; inserting an access device through an incision in the skin of the patient generally posteriorly until a distal portion of the access device is located adjacent the spine of the patient, said access device being inserted in a first configuration having a first cross-sectional area at the distal portion thereof; actuating said access device to a second configuration having an enlarged cross-sectional area at said distal portion thereof; providing a first fastener configured for insertion into said patient through said access device and for attachment to the first vertebra; providing a second fastener configured for insertion into the patient through said access device and for attachment to a second vertebra; providing a third fastener configured for insertion into said internal passage of said expandable conduit and for attachment to a third vertebra; attaching said first, second, and third fasteners to said first, second, and third vertebrae; inserting an elongated member through said access device and moving said elongated member adjacent to said first, second, and third fasteners; and securing said elongate member to said first, second, and third fasteners; and placing a bone growth substance through the access device and adjacent at least one of said first, second, and third fasteners and said elongate member to enhance bone growth.
- 18. A method of treating a spine of a patient, comprising:
anteriorly exposing an interbody space between at least two of a first vertebra, a second vertebra, and a third vertebra; placing a fusion device in the interbody space; inserting an access device through an incision in the skin of the patient generally posteriorly until a distal portion of the access device is located adjacent the spine of the patient, said access device being inserted in a first configuration having a first cross-sectional area at the distal portion thereof; actuating said access device to a second configuration having an enlarged cross-sectional area at said distal portion thereof; and placing a bone growth substance through the access device and adjacent an interbody space defined between at least two of said first, second, and third vertebrae to enhance bone growth therebetween.
- 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:
advancing a decompression tool through the access device; and removing a portion of bone from one of the first vertebrae, the second vertebrae, and the third vertebrae through the access device.
- 20. A method of treating the spine of a patient, comprising:
inserting an access device through an incision in the skin of the patient generally posteriorly until a distal portion of the access device is located adjacent the spine of the patient, said access device being inserted in a first configuration having a first cross-sectional area at the distal portion thereof; actuating said access device to a second configuration having an enlarged cross-sectional area at said distal portion thereof that spans at least a portion of a first vertebra, a second vertebra, and a third vertebra; placing a fusion device through the access device and in at least one of a first interbody space between the first and second vertebrae and a second interbody space between the second and third vertebrae; performing a two level fixation procedure spanning the first and second interbody spaces through the access device; advancing a decompression tool through the access device; and removing a portion of bone from one of the first vertebrae, the second vertebrae, and the third vertebrae through the access device.
- 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the portion of bone removed comprises a portion of a facet.
- 22. The method of claim 20, wherein the portion of bone removed comprises a portion of a lamina.
- 23. The method of claim 20, further comprising placing a bone growth substance through the access device and adjacent at least one of the first interbody space and the second interbody space to enhance bone growth therebetween.
- 24. A method of treating a spine of a patient, comprising:
inserting an access device through an incision in the skin of the patient generally posteriorly until a distal portion of the access device is located adjacent the spine of the patient, said access device being inserted in a first configuration having a first cross-sectional area at the distal portion thereof; actuating said access device to a second configuration having an enlarged cross-sectional area at said distal portion thereof that spans at least a portion of a first vertebra, a second vertebra, and a third vertebra; placing a fusion device through the access device and in at least one of a first interbody space between the first and second vertebrae and a second interbody space between the second and third vertebrae; and placing a bone growth substance through the access device and adjacent at least one of the first interbody space and the second interbody space to enhance bone growth therebetween.
- 25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:
advancing a decompression tool through the access device; and removing a portion of bone from one of the first vertebrae, the second vertebrae, and the third vertebrae through the access device.
- 26. The method of claim 24, wherein the portion of bone removed comprises a portion of a facet.
- 27. The method of claim 24, wherein the portion of bone removed comprises a portion of a lamina.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/280,489, filed Oct. 25, 2002, which is incorporated by reference hereinbelow in its entirety.
Continuation in Parts (3)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
PCT/US02/28106 |
Sep 2002 |
US |
Child |
10658736 |
Sep 2003 |
US |
Parent |
10280489 |
Oct 2002 |
US |
Child |
10658736 |
Sep 2003 |
US |
Parent |
09630077 |
Aug 2000 |
US |
Child |
10280489 |
Oct 2002 |
US |