Flexible vertebral spacer

摘要

A flexible implant system for positioning a flexible spacer between adjacent vertebrae including and interbody spacer and an insertion instrument. The interbody spacer including a central axis, a lateral axis, a top surface positioned generally parallel to the central axis and a plurality of hinge sections extending generally perpendicular to the central axis. A plurality of notches making up the plurality of hinge sections adjacent the top surface that permit the interbody spacer to flex. The interbody spacer further including a groove extending along a lateral side surface, generally parallel to the central axis. An insertion instrument includes a proximal end, a distal end and a tongue extending from the proximal end to the distal end along a non-linear path. The groove slidably engages the tongue to guide the interbody spacer from the proximal end to the distal end along the non-linear path.

主权项

1. A method for positioning a flexible interbody spacer into a intervertebral disc space between adjacent vertebrae using a non-linear approach, the method comprising the steps of:
positioning a guide rail instrument that defines a track such that both: 1) a distal end of a guide rail body of the guide rail instrument faces a vertebra adjacent to the intervertebral disc space, and 2) an end of the track faces the intervertebral disc space; engaging an engagement member of the guide rail instrument with an exterior surface of the vertebra adjacent to the intervertebral disc space, such that the engagement member both: 1) is secured relative to the vertebra adjacent to the intervertebral disc space, and 2) extends beyond both the distal end of the guide rail body and the end of the track with respect to a direction; slidably engaging a flexible interbody spacer with the guide rail instrument; moving the flexible interbody spacer in the direction and along a non-linear insertion path guided by the guide rail instrument to the intervertebral disc space; placing the flexible interbody spacer in the intervertebral disc space; and disengaging the engagement member from the vertebra adjacent to the intervertebral disc space.