US5620458A — Surgical instruments useful for endoscopic spinal…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 160 words

An endoscopic surgical instrument for spreading vertebrae comprising: a handle portion including a manually operable member; an elongated endoscopic portion connected to said handle portion and extending distally therefrom, said endoscopic portion defining a longitudinal axis and having proximal and distal end portions; a vertebrae spreading mechanism movably mounted with respect to said endoscopic portion, said vertebrae spreading mechanism including first and second vertebrae spreading arm members; an actuation mechanism at least partially housed within said endoscopic portion and movable in response to movement of said manually operable member, said actuation mechanism including at least one camming element engageable with said first and second arm members to move said arm members from a closed to an open position, said first and second arm members deployable in a general transverse direction with respect to said longitudinal axis in response to movement of said manually operable member such that said first and second arm members remain in general parallel relation during deployment.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 160 words

An endoscopic surgical instrument for spreading vertebrae comprising: a handle portion including a manually operable member; an elongated endoscopic portion connected to said handle portion and extending distally therefrom, said endoscopic portion defining a longitudinal axis and having proximal and distal end portions; a vertebrae spreading mechanism movably mounted with respect to said endoscopic portion, said vertebrae spreading mechanism including first and second vertebrae spreading arm members; an actuation mechanism at least partially housed within said endoscopic portion and movable in response to movement of said manually operable member, said actuation mechanism including at least one camming element engageable with said first and second arm members to move said arm members from a closed to an open position, said first and second arm members deployable in a general transverse direction with respect to said longitudinal axis in response to movement of said manually operable member such that said first and second arm members remain in general parallel relation during deployment.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 42 words

An endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 1 wherein said actuation mechanism includes a rod member coaxially mounted within said endoscopic portion and reciprocally movable therewithin, said at least one camming element being positioned at a distal end of said rod member.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 38 words

An endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 2 wherein said first and second vertebrae spreading arm members include camming surfaces on an interior surface thereof, said camming surfaces configured to interfit with said at least one camming element.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 23 words

An endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 2 wherein said first and second vertebrae spreading arm members include substantially planar tissue contacting surfaces.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 75 words

An endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 4, wherein said tissue contacting surfaces of said first and second vertebrae spreading arm members extend in first and second planes respectively, said first and second planes being in general parallel relation to each other when the vertebrae spreading mechanism is in said closed position; wherein during deployment of said vertebrae spreading mechanism said first and second planes remain substantially mutually parallel between said closed and open positions.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 47 words

An endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 5 wherein said first and second arm members include camming surfaces on interior surfaces thereof, said camming surfaces configured to interfit with said at least one camming element for movement of said arm members between said closed and open positions.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 22 words

An endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 1 wherein said first and second vertebrae spreading arm members include curved tissue contacting surfaces.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 21 words

An endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 1 wherein said vertebrae spreading arm members include means for enhancing engagement with tissue.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 23 words

An endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 8 wherein said means for enhancing engagement is in the form of ridges, knurling, and serrations.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 130 words

An endoscopic surgical instrument for spreading vertebrae, which comprises: an elongated frame defining a longitudinal axis and having proximal and distal end portions; at least first and second vertebrae spreading arm members mounted to the distal end portion of the elongated frame, the first and second arm members moveable between a closed approximated position and an open spread position, and defining first and second outer tissue contacting surfaces, the first and second tissue contacting surfaces being in substantial parallel relation during movement of the first and second arm members between the closed and open positions and having structure to facilitate engagement with the vertebrae; and camming means operatively engageable with the first and second arm members and actuable to move the spreading arm members between the closed and open positions.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 130 words

An endoscopic surgical instrument for spreading vertebrae, which comprises: an elongated frame defining a longitudinal axis and having proximal and distal end portions; at least first and second vertebrae spreading arm members mounted to the distal end portion of the elongated frame, the first and second arm members moveable between a closed approximated position and an open spread position, and defining first and second outer tissue contacting surfaces, the first and second tissue contacting surfaces being in substantial parallel relation during movement of the first and second arm members between the closed and open positions and having structure to facilitate engagement with the vertebrae; and camming means operatively engageable with the first and second arm members and actuable to move the spreading arm members between the closed and open positions.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 20 words

The surgical instrument according to claim 10 wherein the camming means is actuable by a proximally positioned manually operable member.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 49 words

The surgical instrument according to claim 11 including an actuating rod operatively connected to the manually operable member, the actuating rod moveable in response to corresponding movement of the manually operable member to actuate the camming means to thereby move the arm members between the closed and open positions.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 17 words

The surgical instrument according to claim 12 wherein the manually operable member is adapted for rotational movement.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 24 words

The surgical instrument according to claim 12 wherein the structure of the tissue contacting surfaces are in the form of ridges, knurling or serrations.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 18 words

The surgical instrument according to claim 12 wherein the first and second tissue contacting surfaces are substantially planar.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 42 words

The surgical instrument according to claim 15 wherein the first and second tissue contacting surfaces are in general parallel relation with the longitudinal axis of the frame during movement of the first and second arm members between the closed and open positions.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 144 words

An endoscopic surgical instrument for distracting vertebrae, which comprises: an elongated frame defining a central longitudinal axis and having proximal and distal end portions; at least two vertebrae spreading members mounted to the distal end portion of the elongated frame, at least one spreading member adapted for displacing movement relative to the other spreading member between a closed approximated position and an open spread position, the spreading members defining outer tissue contacting surfaces having structure to enhance engagement with the vertebrae, the tissue contacting surfaces being equidistally spaced with respect to the central longitudinal axis when in the open spread position; a camming mechanism operatively engageable with the spreading members and having at least one camming element, the camming element moveable to move the spreading members between the closed and open positions; and a proximally positioned manually operable member for actuating the camming mechanism.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 144 words

An endoscopic surgical instrument for distracting vertebrae, which comprises: an elongated frame defining a central longitudinal axis and having proximal and distal end portions; at least two vertebrae spreading members mounted to the distal end portion of the elongated frame, at least one spreading member adapted for displacing movement relative to the other spreading member between a closed approximated position and an open spread position, the spreading members defining outer tissue contacting surfaces having structure to enhance engagement with the vertebrae, the tissue contacting surfaces being equidistally spaced with respect to the central longitudinal axis when in the open spread position; a camming mechanism operatively engageable with the spreading members and having at least one camming element, the camming element moveable to move the spreading members between the closed and open positions; and a proximally positioned manually operable member for actuating the camming mechanism.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 33 words

The surgical instrument according to claim 17 wherein each vertebrae spreading member is adapted for movement in a general transverse direction relative to the central longitudinal axis between the closed and open positions.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 35 words

The surgical instrument according to claim 18 wherein the tissue contacting surfaces are configured and dimensioned to be equidistally spaced with respect to the central longitudinal axis during movement between the closed and open positions.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 14 words

The surgical instrument according to claim 19 wherein the tissue contacting surfaces are curved.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 14 words

The surgical instrument according to claim 19 wherein the tissue contacting surfaces are planar.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 193 words

An endoscopic surgical instrument for spreading vertebrae, which comprises: a handle portion having a manually operable actuating member; an endoscopic portion connected to the handle portion and extending distally therefrom, the endoscopic portion including: an outer sleeve defining a longitudinal axis and having proximal and distal end portions; and an actuating rod disposed within the outer sleeve and reciprocally movable therein in response to movement of the manually operable member; at least a pair of vertebrae spreading members mounted to the distal end portion of the outer sleeve, the vertebrae spreading members extending in a general longitudinal direction and being in general parallel relation with the central longitudinal axis, the vertebrae spreading members adapted for relative movement to be displaced in a general transverse direction relative to the longitudinal axis while maintaining their parallel relation, the spreading members having outer contacting surfaces with structure to enhance engagement with the vertebrae; and a camming mechanism including at least one camming element operatively engageable with the vertebrae spreading members and actuable in response to movement of the actuating rod to move the spreading members between a generally closed approximated position and an open spread position.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 193 words

An endoscopic surgical instrument for spreading vertebrae, which comprises: a handle portion having a manually operable actuating member; an endoscopic portion connected to the handle portion and extending distally therefrom, the endoscopic portion including: an outer sleeve defining a longitudinal axis and having proximal and distal end portions; and an actuating rod disposed within the outer sleeve and reciprocally movable therein in response to movement of the manually operable member; at least a pair of vertebrae spreading members mounted to the distal end portion of the outer sleeve, the vertebrae spreading members extending in a general longitudinal direction and being in general parallel relation with the central longitudinal axis, the vertebrae spreading members adapted for relative movement to be displaced in a general transverse direction relative to the longitudinal axis while maintaining their parallel relation, the spreading members having outer contacting surfaces with structure to enhance engagement with the vertebrae; and a camming mechanism including at least one camming element operatively engageable with the vertebrae spreading members and actuable in response to movement of the actuating rod to move the spreading members between a generally closed approximated position and an open spread position.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 18 words

The surgical instrument according to claim 22 wherein the outer contacting surfaces of the spreading members are arcuate.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 19 words

The surgical instrument according to claim 22 wherein the outer contacting surfaces of the spreading members are substantially planar.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2000-04-14	2000-10-14	2001-04-15	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2004-04-14	2004-10-14	2005-04-15	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2008-04-14	2008-10-14	2009-04-15	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Surgical instruments useful for endoscopic spinal procedures

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