CPC A61F 2/441 (2013.01) [A61B 17/8625 (2013.01); A61B 17/864 (2013.01); A61F 2/447 (2013.01); A61F 2/4611 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30014 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30092 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30136 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30354 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30406 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30583 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30774 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30779 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30886 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30891 (2013.01); A61F 2002/448 (2013.01); A61F 2002/449 (2013.01); A61F 2002/4638 (2013.01); A61F 2310/00017 (2013.01); A61F 2310/00023 (2013.01); A61F 2310/00029 (2013.01)] | 18 Claims |
1. A method of forming a curved passageway in tissue, comprising:
inserting a distal end of a first elongate member having a lumen into a patient body, wherein at least a portion of the first elongate member is generally linear;
moving a second elongate member further into the lumen of the first elongate member such that a distal end of the second elongate member extends distally from the distal end of the first elongate member, wherein the second elongate member includes a tapered distal portion terminating at the distal end and a shaft extending proximally from the tapered distal portion, the shaft including a lumen and a plurality of longitudinally spaced cutting portions to define at least one recess, wherein the distal end of the second elongate member moves from a first configuration to a second configuration when the distal end of the second elongate member extends distally from the distal end of the first elongate member, wherein the first configuration is a generally linear configuration and the second configuration is a curved configuration;
rotating the second elongate member, wherein rotation of the second elongate member is done simultaneously with the distal movement of the second elongate member or is done subsequently to the distal movement of the second elongate member to cut tissue with the cutting portions within an anatomical structure to form the curved passageway in the anatomical structure, wherein the anatomical structure is a first vertebra and the curved passageway includes first and second curved sections, the first curved section extending towards a distal end of the first vertebra and the second curved section extending through a proximal end of the first vertebra and into a second vertebra;
removing the first and second elongate members from the anatomical structure after forming the curved passageway in the anatomical structure;
inserting a flexible implant into the curved passageway formed in the anatomical structure,
wherein a third elongate member is positioned within the lumen of the second elongate member and wherein the third elongate member is flexible and is capable of being moved from the first configuration to the second configuration, and wherein the third elongate member is biased to the second configuration.
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