A covered foam bolster is in the shape of a truncated pyramid specialized for use with a spinal surgery frame on an inclined table for supporting the chest, shoulders and arms of the patient only. The truncated pyramid has cutout portions for supporting the arms of the patient and provides increasing support to the chest of the patient as the weight of the patient is increased.

An improved microknife for use in spinal surgery is disclosed which simplifies the procedure for performing an anterior cervical discectomy, while reducing the possibility of penetrating the dural sac or injuring the spinal cord.

An improved four-legged distractor with multiplanar adjustability facilitates intervertebral bone grafting. The legs are slidably fixed to a rectangular frame so that the space between opposing legs and the space between adjacent legs may be varied. The bottom portion of each leg is offset so that a large space is created between the top portion of the legs to permit easy access to the operating space.

A surgical instrument specifically designed to facilitate the separation of the Ligamentum Flavum from its vertebral attachments is disclosed. The instrument has an angulated semispherical solid ovoid tip with sharp edges along its top flat surface.

An improved spinal retractor frame having detachable pairs of blade sets is disclosed in which the blades are self-engaging, automatically aligning, and rapidly attaching. The spinal retractor has a pair of arms which engage blades along the sides of the arms. The blades have a U shaped opening at their upper portions for aligning and engaging with the arms of the retractor as the arms are separated by a ratcheting mechanism.

A radiographically opaque spinal marker needle having a lower portion consisting of a small bore hollow needle and an upper portion having a larger outside diameter. An intermediate penetration restriction member fixed to and surrounding the marker needle at a point proximate the junction of the upper portion and the lower portion limits the depth of penetration of the hollow needle into the patient or tissue, provides stability, and forms a large observable mass on an X-ray. In an alternative e...

An improved surgical armboard attachment device permitting enhanced adjustability of a conventional surgical armboard is disclosed. The attachment device permits adjustment of the armboard in three planes, and can be used as an adaptor to an existing armboard, or incorporated as a component of a new armboard structure.

The present invention is an orthopedic support frame for use during orthopedic surgery. The frame provides increased stability of the patient during surgery in the modified knee-chest position with better control of flexion and extension. The frame comprises two triangular shaped brackets, each having a first and second frame members disposed at right angles to each other and having a third frame member extending from the end of the first member to the end of the second member. The mounting brac...

An improved ring currette for the removal of pathological body tissues is disclosed.

An improved paper clip is disclosed consisting of a single piece of wire bent so as to have a straight top spine portion, two straight side leg portions substantially perpendicular to each end of the top spine portion and bent portions extending from, each side leg portion diagonally at approximately 45 degrees in the direction of the top spine portion. Each bent end portion extends from more than 1/2 the diagonal distance from the end of the side leg portion to the top spine portion.