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Surgical Access System and Related Methods

  • US 20090259108A1
  • Filed: 04/22/2009
  • Published: 10/15/2009
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2002
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A system for accessing a surgical target site, comprising:

  • an initial distraction system for creating an initial distraction corridor, wherein said initial distraction assembly includes a K-wire and at least one dilator capable of being slidably passed over said K-wire to perform said initial distraction;

    an assembly capable of being guided to said targeted surgical site along said at least one dilator of said initial distraction assembly and distracting from said initial distraction corridor to a secondary distraction corridor and thereafter sequentially receiving a plurality of retractor blades for retracting from said secondary distraction corridor to thereby create an operative corridor to said surgical target site;

    wherein at least one of said initial distraction system and one of said retractor blades includes at least one stimulation electrode; and

    a control unit capable of electrically stimulating said at least one stimulation electrode, sensing a response of a nerve depolarized by said stimulation, determining at least one of nerve proximity and nerve direction from at least one of said initial distraction system and one of said retractor blades to the nerve based upon the sensed response, and communicating at least one of visual indicia and audio communications to a user representing at least one of said nerve proximity and said nerve direction.

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