(i9) United States
(12) Patent Application Publication
Assell et al.
(54) GUIDE PIN INTRODUCER FOR GUIDING
INSTRUMENTATION THROUGH SOFT
TISSUE TO A POINT ON THE SPINE
(75) Inventors: Robert L. Assell, Wilmington, NC
(US); Stephen D. Ainsworth,
Wilmington, NC (US); Andrew H.
Cragg, Edina, MN (US); Eugene A.
Dickhudt, St. Paul, MN (US)
Correspondence Address:
KNOBBE MARTENS OLSON & BEAR LLP
2040 MAIN STREET
FOURTEENTH FLOOR
IRVINE, CA 92614 (US)
(73) Assignee: TRANS1 INC., Wilmington, NC (US)
(21) Appl. No.: 11/940,265
(22) Filed: Nov. 14, 2007
Related U.S. Application Data
(62) Division of application No. 10/971,779, filed on Oct. 22, 2004.
(60) Provisional application No. 60/513,899, filed on Oct. 23, 2003.
Publication Classification
(51) Int. CI.
A61B 17/58 (2006.01)
(52) U.S. CI 606/96
(57) ABSTRACT
Disclosed are surgical tools, tool sets and methods for percutaneously accessing and preparing treatment sites within the spine for subsequent treatment procedures. The treatment site may be an inter-vertebral motion segments in the lumbar and sacral regions of the spine. The tool set may comprise introducer tools and bone dilators for accessing and tapping into a targeted site, such as, for example, the anterior surface of the SI vertebral body. The tool set may also comprise cutters and extractors for preparing the treatment site for subsequent treatment procedures. The tool set may additionally comprise a bone graft inserter, an exchange system, and/or a temporary distraction tool for further preparing the treatment site for subsequent treatment procedures.
