SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS AND TECHNIQUES FOR PERCUTANEOUS PLACEMENT OF SPINAL STABILIZATION ELEMENTS

摘要

Systems (10) and methods for positioning a connecting element (200) adjacent the spinal column in minimally invasive procedures include instruments that guide the connecting element (200) from a location remote from one or more anchors (300) to a location proximate to the one or more anchors (300). The instruments include extensions (100) mountable to anchors (300), and inserter instruments (20) mountable to the connecting element (200) for positioning the connecting element (200) adjacent the anchors (300) in a minimally invasive procedure. The inserter instruments (20) need not be mounted to the anchors (300) or to the anchor extensions (100), and are operable independently thereof to position the connecting element (200) into the patient along a minimally invasive insertion path from a location remote from the anchor extensions (100).