US Patent 8043376 Percutaneous posterior lateral in-situ cage

Implants, tools and techniques facilitate a percutaneous posterior lateral approach to the placement of an in-situ cage, and an inventive cage design to meet this objective. In terms of apparatus, the invention includes a laterally expandable cage, including a locking gate, enabling the system to be introduced into an intradiscal space through a minimally invasive percutaneous posteo-lateral approach. In addition to the cage designs, adapted to hold bone graft and/or other biologic materials, the invention includes other novel instruments, including an introducer associated with cage placement, deployment and closure.