A surgical treatment system comprises a drill bit extending along a proximo-distal drill bit axis suitable for drilling a hole in the pedicle of a vertebra when the bit is rotated. The bit includes, successively along the drill bit axis, a distal end, a cylindrical drill centred on the drill bit axis for drilling the hole by cutting into and removing bone material from the pedicle to give a distal end portion of the hole a cylindrical shape, and a milling cutter for cutting bone material from the pedicle of the vertebra to give a proximal end portion of the hole a funnel shape gradually widening from the distal end portion of the hole. A pedicle screw extends along a proximo-distal screw axis and is designed to be screwed into the hole by being rotated after the drill bit has drilled the hole and has been removed from this hole.

A method for determining the screw trajectory of a pedicle bone screw comprises: obtaining a CT image of the target bone area intended to receive the pedicle bone screw, establishing an individualized three-dimensional geometric model of the target bone area based on the CT image, accessing a database comprising a three-dimensional bone area model; wherein the bone area model comprises a bone screw insertion surface and a pedicle traversing surface for each pedicle, morphing the bone area model to the geometric model of the target bone area generating a morphed vertebra model with a bone screw insertion surface and the pedicle traversing surface, calculating a maximum of bone density when the bone material is replaced by a bone screw for a bone screw in the morphed vertebra model of the target bone, and outputting the space vector of the screw trajectory for the bone screw together with the length and diameter of the bone screw in the morphed vertebra model of the target bone.

A computer-assisted surgery system may have a robotic arm including a surgical tool and a processor communicatively connected to the robotic aim. The processor may be configured to receive, from a neural monitor, a signal indicative of a distance between the surgical tool and a portion of a patient's anatomy including nervous tissue. The processor may be further configured to generate a command for altering a degree to which the robotic aim resists movement based on the signal received from the neural monitor; and send the command to the robotic arm.

A device for safely approaching vertebral disc space utilizing stereotactic guidance, clearing material from the disc space, a device for expanding the disc space, stereotactic methods for implant planning and monitoring articulating instrument end effectors and a device for implantation into the disc space for the purpose of fusion or disc replacement.

A device configured to provide a faster and more accurate measurement of depths of holes for placement of bone screws and fastener for bone implant fixation procedures. The device includes a combination of a bone probe for physical examination of a hole drilled in a bone and a depth gauge member for determining a depth of the hole and providing digital measurement of the depth via a display on the instrument and/or via a wireless exchange of measurement data to a remote computing device, such as a tablet or smartphone. The device may further be connected to a separate neuromonitoring device and be used for nerve sensing and/or nerve stimulation by way of the bone probe. For example, the bone probe may include a conductive material such that the distal probe tip acts as an extension of the neuromonitoring device and may be used to sense and/or stimulate nerves.

A device configured to provide a faster and more accurate measurement of depths of holes for placement of bone screws and fastener for bone implant fixation procedures. The device includes a combination of a bone probe for physical examination of a hole drilled in a bone and a depth gauge member for determining a depth of the hole and providing digital measurement of the depth via a display on the instrument and/or via a wireless exchange of measurement data to a remote computing device, such as a tablet or smartphone. The device may further be connected to a separate neuromonitoring device and be used for nerve sensing and/or nerve stimulation by way of the bone probe. For example, the bone probe may include a conductive material such that the distal probe tip acts as an extension of the neuromonitoring device and may be used to sense and/or stimulate nerves.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention is an apparatus and operation for the placement of pedicle screws without the use of guide wires. The preferred embodiment of the present invention improves upon previous systems for the placement of pedicle screws by reducing the risks associated with the use of guide wires. The preferred embodiment of the present invention also enables the reduction of steps associated with the surgical procedure to place one or more pedicle screws.

A computer-assisted surgery system may have a robotic arm including a surgical tool and a processor communicatively connected to the robotic aim. The processor may be configured to receive, from a neural monitor, a signal indicative of a distance between the surgical tool and a portion of a patient's anatomy including nervous tissue. The processor may be further configured to generate a command for altering a degree to which the robotic aim resists movement based on the signal received from the neural monitor; and send the command to the robotic arm.

The invention relates to a system for the consolidation of a bone structure, comprising: a system for determining the quality of the bone structure, including a body, first and second electrodes arranged on the body, an electric generator for applying an electric current, a measurement device for measuring the electric current, and a processing device for determining an electrical magnitude representative of the aptitude of the bone structure for allowing electric current to pass therethrough and for delivering a signal representative of the quality of the bone structure, using the determined electrical magnitude; and a device selected from between an electrical stimulation device for applying an electric bone-growth stimulation and a fixation device for immobilizing the bone structure.

A pedicle screw may include an electrically conductive portion formed from a material having a greater electrical conductivity than that of the base material from which the screw is formed. The electrically conductive portion preferentially channels electrical energy supplied by an electrical probe to a location of the electrically conductive portion facing the nerve root. The portion thus provides a sort of electrical highway that helps to focus the electrical energy applied to the pedicle screw in a particular direction, towards the presumed location of the nerve root. As an alternative to placement of the electrically conductive portion in the pedicle screw itself, the electrically conductive portion could be placed within a tap that is used in preparing the pedicle for receipt of the pedicle screw (e.g., in forming the threaded structure in the pedicle bone into which the pedicle screw will then be placed).