Patent ID: 11950790
Assignee: MISONIX, LLC
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 12:
13. A surgical method comprising:
conducting a surgical procedure on a patient to enable access to a spinal disc space adjacent two spinal vertebrae;
inserting a distal end portion of a plasma jet instrument into the spinal disc space;
prior to the inserting of said distal end portion of said plasma jet instrument into said spinal disc space, operating said plasma jet instrument to direct a plasma jet towards an outer surface of a spinal disc in said spinal disc space between said adjacent spinal vertebrae;
by the operating of said plasma jet instrument to direct said plasma jet towards said outer surface of said spinal disc, forming at least one incision in said spinal disc, thereby enabling the inserting of said distal end portion of a plasma jet instrument into said spinal disc space; and
operating said plasma jet instrument to ablate tissue and spinal disc material in said spinal disc space.