Patent ID: 6790210
Filing Date: 2004-09-14
Classification: A61B,A61F,A61N,Y10S

Abstract:
A method for providing access to a series of adjacent vertebrae located within a human lumbar and sacral spine having an anterior aspect, a posterior aspect and an axial aspect, wherein the axial aspect is curved in the posterior-anterior plane due to curvature of the spinal column, the vertebrae separated by intact or damaged spinal discs, the method comprising the steps of:accessing an anterior or posterior sacral target point of a sacral vertebra in alignment with a visualized, curved axial instrumentation/fusion line extending in said axial aspect through the series of adjacent vertebral bodies; and from the accessed sacral target point, boring a curved trans-sacral axial bore in alignment with said axial instrumentation/fusion line cephalad and axially through the vertebral bodies of said series of adjacent vertebrae and any intervertebral spinal discs; wherein the boring step further comprises the steps of: providing a boring assembly comprising a boring head capable of being imaged at the distal end of a flexible boring drive shaft and a directional control mechanism for adjusting a boring angle of the boring head; imaging the boring head and the vertebrae; while observing the imaged boring head and vertebrae, advancing the boring head from the anterior or posterior target point through the vertebral bodies and any intervening discs; and during advancement, adjusting the boring angle of the boring head to form a curve in the axial bore; wherein the step of adjusting the boring angle includes advancing or retracting a sheath relative to said boring head.