SURGICAL TOOL AND METHOD FOR PASSING PILOT-LINE SUTURES THROUGH SPINAL VERTEBRAE

摘要

A method for installing spine-stabilization components comprises directing a long flexible tool (100) through a sublaminar space of a human spine vertebrae inside the spinal canal. Such tool enters the sublaminar space of a particular one of the human spine vertebrae posteriorly from the intervertebral gap with an adjacent verterbrae. It exits the sublaminar space of the particular one of the human spine vertebrae posteriorly from the intervertebral gap with another opposite-side adjacent vertebrae. A suture (200) is threaded through an eye (102) of the tool. The suture is pulled back through the sublaminar space by withdrawing the tool. A pulled-through part of the suture is attached to a spinal-fixation wire or cable. The suture is then usable as a pilot-line to draw the spinal-fixation wire or cable through the sublaminar space. The spinal-fixation wire or cable is used to anchor a spinal-fixation system.