US 12,318,087 B2
Vertebral disc auger
David T. Mehl, Lake in the Hills, IL (US)
Assigned to Life Spine, Inc., Huntley, IL (US)
Filed by Life Spine, Inc., Huntley, IL (US)
Filed on Jul. 26, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/785,405.
Application 18/785,405 is a continuation of application No. 18/113,819, filed on Feb. 24, 2023, abandoned.
Prior Publication US 2024/0382195 A1, Nov. 21, 2024
Int. Cl. A61B 17/068 (2006.01); A61B 17/02 (2006.01); A61B 17/064 (2006.01); A61B 17/072 (2006.01); A61B 17/32 (2006.01); A61B 17/16 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/068 (2013.01) [A61B 17/025 (2013.01); A61B 17/064 (2013.01); A61B 17/072 (2013.01); A61B 17/32002 (2013.01); A61B 17/1615 (2013.01); A61B 17/1617 (2013.01); A61B 17/320016 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A medical instrument for removing vertebral disc material from a vertebral disc in a vertebral disc space of a spine during a surgical spine procedure, the medical instrument comprising:
a shaft having a proximal shaft end, a distal shaft end, and a first diameter;
a handle receptor at the proximal shaft end and having a second diameter that is greater than the first diameter of the shaft, the handle receptor configured for reception of a handle; and
an auger at the distal shaft end, the auger extending from a radially outward tapered neck at the distal shaft end that terminates at a third diameter that is greater than the first diameter of the shaft, the auger having three helical cutting flutes configured to shave and collect vertebral disc material from a vertebral disc in a vertebral disc space of a spine through rotation of the shaft, each one of the three helical cutting flutes having a cutting apex that all together define a cutting tip, each one of the three helical cutting flutes extending from the third diameter of the shaft to the cutting tip in a 120° rotation, with each one of the three helical cutting flutes having a radially inward helical slot that collectively define an internal cavity in the auger for collection of cut vertebral disc material.