Method for using a guard for creating a socket posteriorly in the lumbar spine

摘要

A method for guiding a bone removal device to form a socket in the human spine and for inserting a cortical bone implant into the socket. The method includes placing a guard against the posterior aspect of the spine, the guard having a passage therethrough, inserting the bone removal device into the passage, removing a portion of a facet joint with the bone removal device to create the socket having a maximum height, and inserting the cortical bone implant into the socket. The cortical bone implant has a leading end, a trailing end, a mid-longitudinal axis through the ends, and a height transverse to the mid-longitudinal axis, the height of the cortical bone implant being greater than the maximum height of the socket.

主权项

1. A method for inserting a cortical bone implant into a posterior aspect of the human spine, comprising:
placing a guard against the posterior aspect of the spine, the guard having a passage therethrough; inserting a bone removal device into the passage of the guard, the bone removal device having a cutting portion including a leading end, a trailing end, and a central longitudinal axis through the leading and trailing ends; removing a portion of a facet joint with the bone removal device to create a socket having a maximum height; and inserting a cortical bone implant into the socket created by the bone removal device, the cortical bone implant having a leading end, a trailing end, a mid-longitudinal axis through the ends, and a height transverse to the mid-longitudinal axis, the height of the cortical bone implant being greater than the maximum height of the socket.