Human vertebral bodies are comprised of a dense, hard outer shell and a relatively less dense inner mass. The hard outer shell is very densely compacted cancellous bone, resembling cortical bone at all but high magnification, and is generally referred to as the cortex. The inner mass is a softer cancellous bone. As shown in FIG. 1, the outer shell of cortex bone (the bony endplate) that is adjacent the disc and the bone immediately beneath that bone (both are subchondral, that is, beneath the cartilage layer or cartilaginous endplate that separates the bone from the disc), are defined for the specific purposes of this specification to comprise the “end plate region” to avoid any confusion that might otherwise arise from any inconsistency in the use of any of these terms. While it is understood that these terms may have other meanings more ordinary or special, and that those of ordinary skill in the art might otherwise differ as to the correct meanings of these terms, it is exactly for the purpose of removing any ambiguity that these terms are being so precisely defined specifically for this specification.
The spinal disc that resides between adjacent vertebral bodies maintains the spacing between those vertebral bodies and, in a healthy spine, allows for relative motion between the vertebrae. At the time of surgery, for example in the instance of interbody fusion, that is, where fusion is intended to occur between adjacent vertebral bodies of a patient's spine, the surgeon typically prepares an opening at the site of the intended fusion by removing a substantial amount of the nucleus disc material that exists between the adjacent vertebral bodies to be fused. Because the outermost layers of bone of the vertebral end plate are relatively inert to new bone growth, the surgeon will typically work on the end plate to remove at least the outermost cell layers of bone to gain access to the blood-rich, vascular bone tissue within the vertebral body. In this manner, the vertebrae are prepared in a way that encourages new bone growth consistent with fusion.
Devices for assisting a surgeon in accessing the disc space and adjacent vertebral bodies are known. Drill guides and boxed chisels have been used to form an implantation space between the adjacent vertebral bodies for insertion of a spinal implant therein. Applicant invented a guard and instrument system particularly well suited for use in the lumbar spine and of unequalled advantage for use posteriorly therein through which both the implantation space can be formed and a spinal implant can be inserted into the implantation space, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,015,247, filed Jun. 13, 1988, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Applicant also invented a guard having disc penetrating extension(s), which extensions have utility for stabilizing the guard, stabilizing the adjacent vertebrae relative to each other, urging the vertebrae apart if desired, and aligning the vertebrae to each other if desired to form the implantation space through the guard and insert the spinal implant through the guard into the implantation space, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,155 filed Feb. 27, 1995, incorporated herein by reference. The disc penetrating extensions can have either parallel or angled upper and lower surfaces in contact with the adjacent vertebral bodies to place the adjacent vertebral bodies parallel to one another or at an angle to one another. The disclosed disc penetrating extensions are rigid.
To obtain a particular orientation between the adjacent vertebral bodies a surgeon selects a guard having a predetermined orientation between the upper and lower surfaces of the disc penetrating extensions. In the case of disc penetrating extensions that have upper and lower surfaces diverging from one another as would be useful for posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF), so as to be higher at the insertion or distal end than at the trailing or proximal end of the extensions, a tapered leading end is used to facilitate insertion of the disc penetrating extensions into the disc space. Such a configuration allows for lordosis of the lumbar segment of a spine to be operated upon from a posterior approach. For extensions that have diverging upper and lower surfaces, additional force is required to drive the guard and extensions into place. Then, after an implant is inserted, it may be difficult to remove a distractor element such as a guard having disc penetrating extensions having a maximum height greater then the height of the disc space posterior height.
Present methods of forming the implantation space between adjacent vertebral bodies generally include the use of one or more of the following: hand held biting and grasping instruments known as rongeurs; drills and drill guides; rotating burrs driven by a motor; and osteotomes and chisels. Applicant has taught various novel instruments to mill out the recipient fusion site across the height of the disc space including various cutting/milling frames and various novel cutters as disclosed in applicant's U.S. application Ser. No. 08/688,758, incorporated herein by reference.
The surgeon must work upon the adjacent end plates of the adjacent vertebrae to access the vascular, cancellous bone that is best suited for participating in the fusion and causing active bone growth, and also to attempt to obtain an appropriately shaped surface in the vertebral bodies to receive the implant. Because the end plates of the adjacent vertebrae are not flat, but rather have a complex biological as opposed to geometrical curved shape, it is necessary to conform the vertebrae to the shape of the implant to be received therebetween.
There is a need for a guard for use in posterior lumbar surgery to create an interbody implantation space while providing for spinal lordosis and while being easily and safely inserted and as easily and safely removed.