초록 ▼

Method and apparatus for promoting a spinal fusion between neighboring vertebrae are disclosed. Apparatus may be located within the intervertebral disc space and preferably includes a pair of engaging plates for contacting the vertebrae. An alignment device may be used to alter the vertical height b

Method and apparatus for promoting a spinal fusion between neighboring vertebrae are disclosed. Apparatus may be located within the intervertebral disc space and preferably includes a pair of engaging plates for contacting the vertebrae. An alignment device may be used to alter the vertical height between the engaging plates to customize the apparatus to fit a given patient. In one embodiment, the alignment device includes two turnbuckles and two pairs of cam blocks for adjusting the height between the engaging plates.

대표청구항 ▼

Method and apparatus for promoting a spinal fusion between neighboring vertebrae are disclosed. Apparatus may be located within the intervertebral disc space and preferably includes a pair of engaging plates for contacting the vertebrae. An alignment device may be used to alter the vertical height b

Method and apparatus for promoting a spinal fusion between neighboring vertebrae are disclosed. Apparatus may be located within the intervertebral disc space and preferably includes a pair of engaging plates for contacting the vertebrae. An alignment device may be used to alter the vertical height between the engaging plates to customize the apparatus to fit a given patient. In one embodiment, the alignment device includes two turnbuckles and two pairs of cam blocks for adjusting the height between the engaging plates. in the engagement element of the outer locking nut comprises threads formed on the inner surface adjacent to the distal end. 9. The system of claim 7, wherein the driving element of the outer locking nut is formed in the inner surface adjacent to the proximal end. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the driving element of the outer locking nut comprises a female driving element including a plurality of angled sides. 11. The system of claim 7, wherein the inner bore of the outer locking nut includes a minimum diameter sufficiently large to permit a driving tool to extend into the bore to drive the inner set screw. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the minimum diameter is sufficiently large to permit the inner set screw to pass through the inner bore. 13. The system of claim 9, further comprising an outer locking nut driving tool configured to engage the female driving element to drive and thereby tighten the closure device. 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the driving tool defines an inner bore having an inner diameter sufficiently large to permit an inner set screw driving tool to pass through the outer lock nut driving tool so that the outer locking nut and the inner set screw can be tightened at the same time. 15. A system for coupling a spinal fixation element to a patient's spine comprising: a spinal fixation element receiving body having a vertebral coupling element disposed on a first end of the body and a spinal fixation element receiving opening formed on a second end of the body, the body including an outer portion adapted to engage an outer locking nut and an inner portion adapted to receive and engage an inner set screw; a low profile outer locking nut for engaging an outer surface of the spinal fixation element receiving body having: opposed proximal and distal ends; a generally cylindrical, low profile outer surface; an inner surface defining an inner bore; a spinal fixation element closure surface provided on the distal end; and an engagement element formed on the inner surface adjacent the distal end for engaging the outer portion of the spinal fixation element receiving body so as to close the spinal fixation element to the spinal fixation element receiving body upon tightening of the engagement element; and a driving element formed at the proximal end within a periphery defined by the low profile outer surface, the driving element configured to receive a driving tool to tighten the engagement element; and an inner set screw for engaging an inner surface of a spinal fixation element having a body having an outer surface, a proximal end and a distal end; a spinal fixation element closure surface provided on the distal end; an engagement element formed on the outer surface for engaging the inner portion of the spinal fixation element receiving body so as to close the spinal fixation element to the spinal fixation element receiving body upon tightening of the engagement element; and a fastening element formed on the proximal end; wherein when the outer locking nut is engaged to an outer portion of the spinal fixation element receiving body and the inner set screw is engaged to an inner portion of the spinal fixation element receiving body, the fastening element of the inner set screw is accessible through the inner bore of the outer locking nut so that the outer locking nut and the inner set screw are independently tightenable with respect to the spinal fixation element receiving body. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the engagement element of the outer locking nut comprises threads formed on the inner surface adjacent to the distal end. 17. The system of claim 15, wherein the driving element of the outer locking nut is formed in the inner surface adjacent to the proximal end. 18. The system of claim 17, wherein the driving element of the outer locking nut comprises a female driving element including a plurality of angled sides. 19. The system of claim 17, further comprising an outer l ocking nut driving tool configured to engage the female driving element to drive and thereby tighten the outer locking nut to the spinal fixation element receiving body. 20. The system of claim 19, wherein the driving tool defines an inner bore having an inner diameter sufficiently large to permit an inner set screw driving tool to pass through the outer lock nut driving tool so that the outer locking nut and the inner set screw can be tightened at the same time. 21. The system of claim 15, wherein the inner bore of the outer locking nut includes a minimum diameter sufficiently large to permit a driving tool to extend into the bore to drive the inner set screw. 22. The system of claim 21, wherein the minimum diameter is sufficiently large to permit the inner set screw to pass through the inner bore. 23. The system of claim 15, wherein the vertebral coupling element is a pedicle screw. 24. The system of claim 15, wherein the vertebral coupling element is a spinal hook. hinner, and the control section automatically determines a value of the irradiation condition corresponding to hair thickness that is newly detected based on the data stored in the memory so that, when no data on a thickness substantially the same as the newly detected thickness is in the stored data, the irradiation condition value corresponding to the most similar thickness which is thinner than the newly detected thickness is determined. 3. The laser treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the irradiation unit includes a handpiece provided with a part of the irradiation optical system, and the imaging element is provided in the handpiece. 4. The laser treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the irradiation optical system includes an optical member which shapes the treatment laser beam into a small spot on the treatment part and a scanning optical system which scans the treatment laser beam within a predetermined first area, and the imaging element takes an image of a predetermined second area including the first area. 5. A laser treatment apparatus for performing treatment by irradiating a skin of a patient with a laser beam for treatment, the apparatus including: an irradiation unit including a laser source which emits the treatment laser beam and an irradiation optical system which delivers the treatment laser beam from the laser source to a treatment part of the skin to irradiate the part; a skin color detection unit including an imaging element which takes a picture image of the treatment part of the skin to be irradiated and an image processing section which detects a color of the imaged part of the skin; a memory which stores, in a table form, data on a plurality of different darknesses of skin color and data on a plurality of different values of irradiation condition associated on a one to one basis with each other, the irradiation condition including at least one of output power of the treatment laser beam, irradiation time, irradiation density, and irradiation energy; a control section which automatically determines a value of the irradiation condition corresponding to the darkness of the skin color that is newly detected based on the table stored in the memory; and an adjustment unit by which an operator adjusts the irradiation condition value, wherein the control section automatically adjusts the table based on the adjustment by the adjustment unit. 6. The laser treatment apparatus according to claim 1, further including a hair thickness detection unit which detects a thickness of a hair within the treatment part, wherein the memory stores, in a table form, data on a plurality of different hair thicknesses and the data on irradiation condition values associated on a one to one basis with each other, and the control section automatically determines a value of the irradiation condition corresponding to the hair thickness that is newly detected based on the table stored in the memory and automatically adjusts the table based on the adjustment by the adjustment unit.