Flexible intervertebral stabilizer, and method and apparatus for determining or controlling its tension before it is placed on the back bone

Abstract

Abstract An intervertebral stabilizer comprising one or more flexible ligament(s) (1, 1a, 1b), each of which has a device for hooking onto two respective vertebrae and/or is linked to two securing elements (2, 3) such as screws (2, 3) with free heads (4) which can be implanted in respective vertebrae (V1, V2). A method and an apparatus for determining or controlling the tension in an intervetebral stabiliser before it is placed on the backbone are also described. The method, which is carried out after the implantation in each of said vertebrae (V1, V2) of a respective rigid rod extending outside the patient's body, involves, for each pair of neighbouring rods, immobilizing both said rods in an initial position and, if the pain to be eliminated by said stabilizer persists, altering the distance between said rods. Then, said rods are immobilized in their new positions and a new pain test is carried out. These operations may be repeated until said pain disappears, and the correct length of the ligament is deduced from the final distance between said rods.

Inventors

• 👤 Francis Henri Breard
• 👤 Henry Graf

Bibliographic Details