A method for treating spinal nerve compression includes sequential dilation to position an instrument cannula along a patient's spine. Instruments can be delivered through the instrument cannula to remove targeted tissue for a decompression procedure. One of the instruments can be a reamer instrument configured to abrade, cut, or otherwise affect tissue along the patient's spine.

An anesthetic syringe comprising a nerve detector and an illuminated indicator. The nerve detector is configured to receive a radiative energy from a nerve in a tissue and send a signal to the illuminated indicator. The illuminated indicator shows a direction to move the syringe to a tissue location proximal to the nerve for injecting a local anesthetic drug. The syringe may accommodate a standard drug cartridge and may provide manual or automatic movement of a plunger.

Systems and methods to assist a practitioner to confirm location of a distal tip of a needle within a patient include confirming tactile feedback from a needle insertion to a point of loss of resistance of fluid flow and by viewing a display showing color of a tissue plane at the distal tip of the needle at the point of loss of resistance.

A needle bending assembly configured to at least temporarily contain a needle can include a first housing section, a second housing section, and a coupling element coupled between the first housing section and the second housing section. The first housing section defines a first cavity configured to at least temporarily contain a first section of the needle. The second housing section defines a second cavity configured to at least temporarily contain a second section of the needle forming a distal tip. The coupling element is configured such that when the needle is contained within the housing sections, movement of the second housing section relative to the first housing section results in a bending of the needle at a location corresponding to the coupling element.

A needle is provided that has terminals located at or near its tip. The terminals are connectable to an impedance calculating circuit configured to enable the impedance calculating circuit to apply an alternating current input electrical signal to the terminals. The terminals are further configured to enable the impedance calculating circuit to measure a resultant electrical signal and calculate an impedance of biological tissue surrounding the tip. The needle may further include light transmitting media, that extends along the needle, and that is connectable to a light circuit. The light circuit may include an emitter/detector pair for transmitting light from the emitter, along the media, and emitting the light from the tip. A reflection of the emitted light may be transmitted from the tip to the detector and the light circuit may calculate the light absorption of the tissue.

A puncture device includes a puncture needle that punctures a puncture site of the living body and supplies thermal energy, a sensor needle having a puncture site temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the puncture site, a holder that holds the puncture needle and the sensor needle, a cartridge that receives the puncture needle, the sensor needle, and the holder, a main body to which the cartridge is attachable, a contacting unit provided with through holes penetrating the front and back surfaces thereof and provided on the surface side thereof with a contacting surface with the surface of the puncture site, and a drive unit that moves the holder such that the puncture needle and the sensor needle are projected and retracted from the contacting surface via the through holes.

A portable and passive safety intraosseous device to allow for direct introduction of medications, etc., within the intermedullary space of a subject patient's bone or, if needed, the removal of certain substances from such a subject patient's bone. Such a device permits direct drilling and placement of a cannula within the subject bone with access external to the subject patient's skin, permitting, as well, connection of a tube for such introduction/removal purposes. The ability to provide a passive safety unit allows for facilitated utilization in, for instance, emergency situations with the entire device provided for utilization thereof. The device includes a drilling component with a permanently attached stylet and a removable cannula, a power supply for a single drilling operation, a mechanism to draw the stylet back into the drill component after use and disengagement from the cannula, and an automatic closure that activates with the separation of the cannula.

A method for implanting a lead includes inserting a needle into the patient; inserting a lead blank through the needle; steering the lead blank to, or near, a lead implantation site; removing the needle from the patient and leaving the lead blank; advancing a flexible sheath over the lead blank after removing the needle; removing the lead blank from the patient and leaving the flexible sheath; inserting a lead through the flexible sheath, after removing the lead blank, and implanting the lead at the lead implantation site; and removing the flexible sheath. The flexible sheath can also be used for explanting a lead and, optionally, implanting a new lead.

A method for treating or repairing a damaged spinal disc of a patient may include inserting, using medical imaging, a shaft with a lumen extending from an exterior of a patient to the damaged spinal disc, dispensing copper particles, using the lumen, to the damaged spinal disc, and removing the hollow shaft from the patient. A system may include a syringe and copper particles in the syringe. A kit may include copper particles, and at least one of a guidewire, one or more dilators, a tubular retractor, a disposable endoscope, a disposable laser fiber; an endoscopic ronjeurs, indigo carmine dye, or a fluid adaptor.

The present invention relates to a flexible surgical system for endoscopic spinal decompression and methods thereof. Various methods of accessing the epidural space with this instrument are described. The system design enables placement of the device through several approaches. It is then advanced under direct visualization or fluoroscopic (X-Ray), for example, into areas of the spine including lumbar (low back), thoracic (mid and upper back) and cervical (neck). The pathologies encroaching upon the spinal space can then be visualized wherein the epidural membrane can optionally be displaced to further aid in visualization. The membrane can be used to protect regions of tissue adjacent the site to tissue removal.