Surgical instruments useful for endoscopic spinal procedures
US5620458A · kind A · utility
116Cited by
57References
24Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 16, 1994 |
| Grant date | Apr 15, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 16, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B2017/2946
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The present invention provides endoscopic instrumentation and surgical techniques especially useful for accessing and removing at least a portion of an intervertebral disc. Instrumentation includes tissue spreaders and cutting instruments. In particular, the tissue spreading instruments include instruments for spreading pre-sacral tissue such as fascia and for spreading adjacent vertebrae to facilitate access to the intervertebral disc. Endoscopic cutting instruments deliver a cutting blade in a sheathed position to the site of the disc nucleus followed by deployment to remove portions of the disc nucleus.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.