System and method for spinal implant placement

摘要

A posterior spinal fusion system may include a plurality of cannulas that mate with cages polyaxially coupled to pedicle screws. The cannulas maintain access to the pedicle screws to facilitate percutaneous insertion of a fusion rod into engagement with the cages. Each cannula has a pair of blades that may be held together by an abutment member that at least partially encircles the blades. Each abutment member abuts the skin to define a variable subcutaneous length of the corresponding cannula. Each abutment members is also lockably removable from the corresponding blades to enable the blades to pivot with respect to the connecting element to a position in which they can be withdrawn from the connecting element. The blades of each cannula are spaced apart to provide first and second slots of each cannula, through which the fusion rod can be percutaneously inserted.

主权项

1. A system for providing access to a spine of a patient, the system comprising:
a first connecting element implantable in a first vertebra of a spine; and a first cannula adapted to receive at least a portion of a spinal fusion rod therealong, the first cannula comprising:
a first blade; anda second blade discrete from the first blade; wherein the first and second blades are configured to be assembled together substantially parallel to each other and mated with the first connecting element, without being directly connected to one another, in order to provide the first cannula such that the first cannula has a distal end terminating at the connecting element, whereby the first cannula provides access to the spine when the first connecting element is implanted in the first vertebra of the spine; and wherein the first and second blades are independently detachable from the first connecting element such that the first and second blades are independently removable from the patient.