A New Burr Design

Background: One of the great limitations in spine surgery is the difficulty with removing bone without damaging adjacent soft structures (such as the spinal cord, nerves, and durra). This difficulty has significantly restricted the ability to do effective endoscopic surgery around the spine. Shielding of the cutting tool makes the tool too large to work in the limited space given, and makes the tool too dangerous and inefficient. Using any of the current cutting tools without complete visualization and control is unacceptably risky. Technology: University of California researchers have addressed these issues with a new burr design which discriminates between hard and soft tissues. As such no protective shield is necessary, it can be used closer to sensitive structures (such as the spinal durra), and powered endoscopic tools are much more possible. Because the burr is much safer near soft tissues, it can be used where there is not complete visualization (such as in endoscopic procedures). By adding steerablity to the burr, even blind foraminal decompressions are reasonably safely possible

Type of Offer: Licensing



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