Abstract: A porous metal intervertebral spacer having at least one angled through hole extending from the side of the implant to a surface which interfaces with a vertebral body end plate such that an interference screw may be driven through the implant and into the bone, thereby securing the implant from undesired motion. In particular, the through holes are tapered to receive a screw and coupling element therethrough such that once fully seated, the screw is locked to the implant by virtue of a coupling element-through hole mutually tapered nesting. The head of the screw is round, as is the interior of the coupling element, thereby allowing the screw to be inserted at various angles relative to the hole without interfering with the proper seating of the coupling element in the through hole.

Abstract: A surgical treatment for restoring proper anatomical spacing and alignment to vertebral bones including: determining an angular misalignment associated with adjacent vertebral bones; sequentially inserting and removing a series of progressively wider cylindrical spacer elements into the corresponding intervertebral space between the adjacent vertebral bones until the proper anatomical spacing between the adjacent vertebral bones is restored; for each intervertebral space, inserting a diametrically tapered cylindrical porous spacer element into the intervertebral space between the corresponding adjacent vertebral bones; rotating the diametrically tapered cylindrical porous spacer element such that the rotational orientation of the tapered cylindrical porous spacer element introduces the appropriate counter offset to the intervertebral space of the previously misaligned scoliotic vertebral bones, thereby restoring the proper anatomical alignment of the vertebral bones; and stabilizing the adjacent vertebral bon

Abstract: A spinal stimulation electrode assembly includes at least one wire lead having a proximal end adapted to couple to an electrical signal generator; a lamina hook having a blade hooking in a hooking direction; an electrode adapted to telescope from the blade in the hooking direction and having at least one electrical contact formed thereon that is electrically coupled to the wire lead; such that when the hook is disposed on a lamina of a spine and the electrode is telescoped from the blade, the electrical contact is positioned adjacent the spinal cord and an application of an electrical signal to the proximal end of the wire lead causes an electric potential to be applied to the spinal cord.

Abstract: An intervertebral spacer device having a pair of opposing plates for seating against opposing vertebral bone surfaces, separated by at least one force restoring element. The preferred force restoring mechanism is a spiral-shaped radially diminishing amplitude wave washer.

Abstract: A modular pedicle screw and rod implant assembly includes a shant screw, a rod holding element, a locking member, a rod, and a nut. The shant screw has a lower threaded shaft portion for insertion into the pedicle and a top shaft portion which is unthreaded, a portion of which is tapered. The locking member has a threaded upper portion and a smoothly tapered lower portion. It further includes an axial bore which is similarly tapered at the bottom for seating on the upper portion of the shant screw. This tapered bottom portion is slotted so that it may be expanded or compressed in accordance with a radial force applied thereto. The rod holding element includes two through holes; one for receiving the rod, and the other, transverse to the rod receiving hole, which is tapered. The two holes are overlapping so that when the rod is seated in the first hole and the tapered portion of the locking member is in the second hole the surfaces of the rod and the locking member are in contact.

Abstract: An instrument for insertion, implanting, and removing a cylindrical inter vertebral spacer member having a deep circumferential groove, including: a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end forming a handle and the distal end forming a spacer member engaging subassembly; said spacer member engaging subassembly including at least one selectively expanding and contracting enclosure into which a central core of the spacer member may be introduced when the engaging subassembly is in the expanded state, and which holds the spacer member so that it cannot move when the selectively expanding and contracting enclosure is rendered into the contracted state; and an actuating mechanism, extending from the proximal end to the distal end, by which the spacer member engaging subassembly may be selectively expanded and contracted.

Abstract: An intervertebral space distraction and implantable device assembly provides sequentially axially wider spacers that are to be sequentially inserted into and removed from an intervertebral space to widen the space until a desired anatomical spacing of the adjacent vertebral bones is restored. The set of spacers includes a porous spacer that is as wide as the spacer that restores the desired anatomical spacing. The porous spacer can therefore be left implanted in the intervertebral space to promote fusion of the adjacent vertebral bones.

Abstract: An intervertebral spacer device having a pair of opposing plates for seating against opposing vertebral bone surfaces, separated by at least one force restoring element. The preferred force restoring mechanism is a wave washer. In a first embodiment the wave washer is ring-shaped. In a second embodiment the wave washer is spiral-shaped.

Abstract: An assembly for securing an electrode lead within a burr hole formed in a patient's skull and couples it to a coupling lead which extends to a remote signal generator. The securing assembly has three separate components. The first is a bone port which seats within a preformed burr hole in the skull. The bone port is a cylindrical shaped short tube with central axial hole having electrical contacts formed on the inner surface. These electrical contacts are connected to corresponding contacts in a circumferential groove formed in the upper surface of the port for receiving the proximal end of the stimulation electrode. The second component is a docking element which seats in the port. The docking element has corresponding electrical contacts on the exterior surface thereof, which connect to terminal pads in an axial bore formed therein. The coupling lead is inserted into the bore and is thereby connected to the stimulation electrode by virtue of the contacts made between the port and the docking element.

Abstract: A combined deep brain stimulation electrode and microelectrode recording probe are provided to reduce the tedium and difficulty associated with the localization of electrical stimulation leads, thereby promoting neurosurgeons to use the most sophisticated methods of electrode placement. The invention includes a deep brain stimulator having an elongate elastomeric sheath which encases a series of individually wound wires extending from one end of the electrode to the other, and terminating in a corresponding series of electrically isolated contact pads. The interior of the elongate sheath is a central channel which is open at both ends. The microelectrode probe is advanced through the central channel and provides one pole of an electrical stimulator tip. One of the deep brain stimulator contact pads serves as the other pole for the microelectrode recording process.

Abstract: A spinal electrode for use in spinal cord stimulation having portions which are specifically provided for coupling the electrode to the adjacent spinal tissue so that displacement of the electrode cannot easily occur by normal bodily motion as is a failure mechanism of prior electrode designs. The distal end of the electrode which includes the electrical contacts also includes at least one laterally extending non-electrical portion. The extending portions are provided for receiving a suture or wire therethrough. The laterally extending portions may include a readily identifiable distinguishing feature, such as a color dye or a textural difference, so that it can be readily seen as a safe region through which a suture may be passed. Alternatively (or in addition), the laterally extending portions may include a through hole so that the tip of the electrode may be tied to the spinous process (or other spinal bone) by a wire.

Abstract: A method for treating psychological disorders such as obsessive compulsive disorder, Tourette's syndrome, depression, bipolar disorder, panic attacks, schizophrenia, and attention deficit disorder by stimulation of the thalamus, and in particular regions within the anterior and intralaminar nuclei of the thalamus. The method includes the steps of determining a common group of patients, each suffering from a common specific diagnosis for a psychological disorder; determining which common region of the patients' thalami are involved in carrying the pathological electrical signals which may otherwise be generated in dissimilar and disparate regions of the brains of the patients; surgically implanting an electrode and electrical signal generating device such that the electrode is positioned within the region of the thalamus identified as the common nexus; and selectively adjusting the level of electrical stimulation in accordance with the specific effect of the stimulation of the patient.

Abstract: A spinal electrode for use in spinal cord stimulation included in a laminar hook so that displacement of the electrode cannot easily occur by normal bodily motion as is a failure mechanism of prior electrode designs. The electrical contacts of the electrode are disposed on the underside of the blade portion of the hook. The head of the hook, which seats above the lamina, is coupled either to the spinous process, or to the head of a hook which is positioned in an opposing orientation. The head of the hook in one embodiment includes a hole through which a wire may be passed to tie the hook to the spinous process, or to the other hook. In a second embodiment, the head of the hook has a notch formed in it so that it may receive an elastomeric band which is used to couple the head of the hook to the spinous process, or to another hook.

Abstract: A polyaxial pedicle screw for use with rod implant apparatus includes a rod receiving body, a screw having a curvate head, a compression element, and a means for loosely and reversibly maintaining a coupled relationship between the compression element and the screw head during angulation thereof relative to the rod receiving body, while still permitting compressive locking of the assembly in a specific orientation by means of a compressive force applied by a rod onto the compression element and the head of the screw.

Abstract: An intervertebral spacer device having a pair of opposing plates for seating against opposing vertebral bone surfaces, separated by at least one spring mechanism. The preferred spring mechanism is a belleville washer. In a first embodiment there are two belleville washers which are oriented in opposite directions such that the narrow ends thereof are in contact with each other and the wider ends are in contact with the respective end plates. In a second embodiment there is a single belleville washer which is modified to mount onto a ball-shaped head. The lower plate of this embodiment includes a post extending upwardly from the inner surface of the plate, the post including a ball-shaped head. The modified belleville washer is lockably mounted to the head such that the wider portion of the washer seats against the upper plate.

Abstract: A surgical instrument is provided which is formed of a semiconductor substrate material having at least one anisotropically etched sharpened edge and a heating circuit disposed on the substrate. The heating circuits generate heat by means of resistive elements interposed along the circuit path. The substrate material itself may serve as the resistive elements, or resistive layers may be used in the alternative. The resistive heating may be used to heat the sharpened edge directly, or the heating may be thermally isolated from the sharpened edge. The heating circuit may also include a thermal sensor which may be used to control the generation of heat and/or detect damage to the instrument itself. The conformation of the instrument may include a variety of different shapes, including central recesses and windows. The recesses may further include ribs or support members. The substrate may further a suction mechanism for removing fluid which may build up in the vicinity of the surgery.

Abstract: A rod, screw, and staple assembly for use in conjunction with anterior or lateral spinal rod implant apparatus includes a vertebral body screw which has a shaft which is insertable into a vertebral bone, a tapered neck, and a head portion which includes a rod receiving channel and an annular recess. The vertebral body staple includes a flat portion which has a hole through it. The hole has a slotted rim which is downwardly sloped so that it may permit the expansion of the hole when a force is applied to it. The screw is advanced into the hole in the staple until the tapered neck thereof snaps through the hole and the rim seats in the annular recess of the screw. This permits the screw and staple to rotate relative to one another, but not to translate axially relative to one another. The staple also includes several barbs which independently hold the staple to the bone surface to which it is to be affixed.

Abstract: A cross-linking member for rigidly coupling interbody fusion devices such that they have reduced tendencies to dislocate subsequent to implantation as well as an interbody fusion assembly which includes at least two interbody fusion devices rigidly coupled together by a cross-linking member.

Abstract: A rod, screw, and staple assembly for use in conjunction with anterior or lateral spinal rod implant apparatus includes a screw having a vertebral body screw which has a shaft which is insertable into a vertebral bone and a head portion which includes a rod receiving channel and a radially extending flange. The vertebral body staple includes a flat portion which has a hole through it. The hole has a rim which is upwardly extending and a concave recess formed in the underside of the flat portion around the hole. The staple also includes several barbs which independently hold the staple to the bone surface to which it is to be affixed. The screw is first inserted into the vertebral bone, and then the staple is mounted over the head portion of the screw, such that the head extends above the annular rim. The rod is then inserted into the rod receiving channel and seats against the uppermost surface of the annular rim.

Abstract: A polyaxial pedicle screw device for use with rod implant apparatus, which utilizes a rod mounted ferrule, includes a screw having a curvate head and a rod receiving body. The body has a rod receiving channel and an axial bore into which the head of the screw is inserted. The interior surface of the bore is inwardly curvate at the lower end thereof to form a socket for polyaxially retaining the curvate head of the screw. In an initial position the screw head remains polyaxially free with respect to the body. The rod mounted ferrule seats into a small curvate recess in the upper portion of the screw head such that the rod may enter the body at a variety of angles while maintaining a secure seating against the head of the screw. The insertion of a top set screw compresses down on the ferrule, locking the rod in position, and onto the screw head, locking it and the body in position, thus completely securing the assembly.