Erasmo Lopez,Amie Borgstrom,SeungKyu Daniel Kwak,John Riley Hawkins,Charles M. Bartish, Jr.
申请号：
US11277725
公开号：
US08137404B2
申请日:
2006.03.28
申请国别(地区):
US
年份:
2012
代理人:
摘要：
Methods and devices are provided for replacing a spinal disc. In an exemplary embodiment, artificial disc replacements and methods are provided wherein at least a portion of a disc replacement can be implanted using a posterolateral approach. With a posterolateral approach, the spine is accessed more from the side of the spinal canal through an incision formed in the patients back. A pathway is created from the incision to the disc space between adjacent vertebrae. Portions of the posterolateral annulus, and posterior lip of the vertebral body may be removed to access the disc space, leaving the remaining annulus and the anterior and posterior longitudinal ligaments in tact. The disc implant can be at least partially introduced using a posterolateral approach, yet it has a size that is sufficient to restore height to the adjacent vertebrae, and that is sufficient to maximize contact with the endplates of the adjacent vertebrae.
