Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

A chisel with distal cutting edges, used to form channels in adjacent vertebrae, includes a shank having a longitudinal axis and a cutting head coupled to the distal end of the shank. The cutting head includes distal cutting edges, which may be linear, arcuate, or V-shaped, and a guide member, which may be hollow or formed as two spaced members, to guide the chisel into the disc space to uniformly chisel both adjacent vertebrae simultaneously to partially form a channel in the vertebrae. The guide member and cutting head may have openings for distributing cut debris to the top and bottom surfaces of the head. The guide member may also include distal transverse, longitudinal side and/or vertical cutting edges, some of which may be in stepped relationship, for further cutting the endplates and removing disc material from between adjacent vertebrae, and for scraping of endplates. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim