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Abstract

Methods and apparatus for providing percutaneous access to the human sacral and lumbar vertebrae in alignment with a visualized, trans-sacral axial instrumentation/fusion (TASIF) line in a minimally invasive, low trauma, manner are disclosed. A number of related TASIF methods and surgical tool sets are provided by the present invention that are employed to form a percutaneous pathway from an anterior or posterior skin incision to a respective anterior or posterior target point of a sacral surface. The percutaneous pathway is generally axially aligned with an anterior axial instrumentation/fusion line (AAIFL) or a posterior axial instrumentation/fusion line (PAIFL) extending from the respective anterior or posterior target point through at least one sacral vertebral body and one or more lumbar vertebral body in the cephalad direction and visualized by radiographic or fluoroscopic equipment. The anterior or posterior percutaneous pathway so formed enables introduction of further tools and instruments for boring one or more respective anterior or posterior TASIF bore in the cephalad direction through the one or more vertebral bodies and intervening discs, if present. A single anterior or posterior TASIF bore is preferably aligned axially with the respective visualized AAIFL or PAIFL, and plural anterior or posterior TASIF bores are preferably aligned in parallel with the respective visualized AAIFL or PAIFL. Introduction of spinal implants and instruments is enabled by the provision of the percutaneous pathway in accordance with the present invention and formation of the anterior or posterior TASIF bore(s).

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First Claim