APPARATUS AND PROCEDURE FOR ANTERIOR CERVICAL MICRODISKECTOMY

摘要

A method is provided to perform an anterior cervical microdiskectomy toremove at least one bone spur on a pair of adjacent vertebrae in a spinalcolumn thatincludes a posterior longitudinal ligament. Each vertebra contacts a diskpositionedtherebetween. The disk includes an annulus and a nucleus. The method comprisesthe steps of removing a portion of the annulus of the disk; removing thenucleus of thedisk; removing the vertebral plates with a first burr; removing a portion ofthe bone spurwith a second burr having a spherically shaped abrading head; and, providing athirdburr. The third burr comprises an elongate shaft having a distal end and aproximateend; and, a head attached to and extending outwardly from the distal end ofthe shaft.The head includes a smooth end surface; and, a smooth rounded peripheral edgecircumscribing the end surface. The end surface and rounded peripheral edgeareshaped and dimensioned to contact rotatably the posterior longitudinalligament withoutcutting or puncturing the ligament. The head also includes an abrading surfaceextending away from the smooth end surface and from the smooth roundedperipheraledge and inwardly toward the shaft. The method also includes the steps ofrotating thethird burr; contacting the posterior longitudinal ligament with at least aportion of thesmooth end surface and the smooth rounded peripheral edge, and, contacting thebonespur with the abrading surface.