Method for implanting a rod implant along a spine of a patient

摘要

A tool set for implanting a rod in a human spine in conjunction with bone screws. The tool set includes a pair of end guide tools that receive opposite ends of the rod in channels and under manipulation by a surgeon facilitate transport of the rod toward the bone screws attached to the guide tools. Intermediate guide tools having guiding pass through slots are utilized to guide intermediate locations along the rod toward associated bone screws. An attachment structure operably connects the guide tools to the bone screws. The guide tools each include a lower guide and advancement structure to allow a closure top with mating structure to be rotated and driven downward against the rod and to cooperate with similar structure in the bone screw to seat and lock the rod therein. A method utilizing the tool set allows a surgeon to percutaneously implant the rod in the patient.

主权项

1. A surgical method for implanting a bone screw having a shank into a spine of a patient, the method comprising:
a) making a limited surgical opening in soft tissues of a back of the patient over the spine and releasably attaching a bone screw head connected to the shank to a bottom of an elongated guide tool, the elongated guide tool comprising a channel extending upwardly from the bottom toward a top of the elongated guide tool opposite the bottom, the channel opening radially through a wall of the elongated guide tool at least at the bottom of the elongated guide tool via at least one opening in the wall, wherein the channel is configured to removably receive a shaft of a screw driving tool; b) inserting the shaft of the screw driving tool into the channel of the elongated guide tool such that the shaft of the screw driving tool engages the shank of the bone screw so as to provide a bone screw insertion assembly; c) anchoring the shank of the bone screw to bone of, the spine through the limited surgical opening in the soft tissues using the bone screw insertion assembly; d) removing the shaft of the screw driving tool from the channel of the elongated guide tool; and e) passing an implantable rod along at least one of the at least one opening of the elongated guide tool or the channel of the elongated guide tool and then into a rod receiving channel of the bone screw head.