Surgical Access System and Related Methods
First Claim
1. A system for accessing a spinal disc of a lumbar spine through an operative corridor, comprising:
- a distraction assembly to create a tissue distraction corridor to a lumbar spine, wherein said distraction assembly comprises an elongate stimulation member deliverable to a spinal disc along a lateral, trans-psoas path to the lumbar spine such that a distal tip region of the elongate stimulation member penetrates into an annulus of a spinal disc in the lumbar spine, the distal tip region of the elongate stimulation member including a stimulation electrode that delivers electrical stimulation for nerve monitoring during advancement of the elongate stimulation member along the lateral, trans-psoas path to the lumbar spine, the distraction assembly further comprising a dilator system comprising at least one dilator that slidably engages an exterior of the elongate stimulation member, the at least one dilator being deliverable to the spinal disc along the lateral, trans-psoas path to the lumbar spine; and
a retraction assembly comprising a plurality of retractor blades that enlarge the tissue distraction corridor to thereby form an operative corridor along the lateral, trans-psoas path to the lumbar spine when the plurality of retractor blades are delivered to the lumbar spine, wherein one of the refractor blades is a posterior-most retractor blade when the plurality of retractor blades are delivered to the lumbar spine, the retraction assembly further comprising a locking member that releasably and slidably engages with the posterior-most retractor blade so that a distal portion of the locking member extends distally from the posterior-most retractor blade, wherein the distal portion of the locking member anchors into the spinal disc between adjacent vertebral bodies and secures the posterior-most retractor blade relative to the adjacent vertebral bodies when the plurality of retractor blades are delivered to the lumbar spine,wherein when the plurality of retractor blades enlarge the tissue distraction corridor to form the operative corridor along the lateral, trans-psoas path to the lumbar spine, the operative corridor is dimensioned so as to pass an implant through the operative corridor along the lateral, trans-psoas path to the lumbar spine.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for accessing a surgical target site and related methods, involving an initial distraction system for creating an initial distraction corridor, and an assembly capable of distracting from the initial distraction corridor to a secondary distraction corridor and thereafter sequentially receiving a plurality of retractor blades for retracting from the secondary distraction corridor to thereby create an operative corridor to the surgical target site, both of which may be equipped with one or more electrodes for use in detecting the existence of (and optionally the distance and/or direction to) neural structures before, during, and after the establishment of an operative corridor to a surgical target site.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for accessing a spinal disc of a lumbar spine through an operative corridor, comprising:
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a distraction assembly to create a tissue distraction corridor to a lumbar spine, wherein said distraction assembly comprises an elongate stimulation member deliverable to a spinal disc along a lateral, trans-psoas path to the lumbar spine such that a distal tip region of the elongate stimulation member penetrates into an annulus of a spinal disc in the lumbar spine, the distal tip region of the elongate stimulation member including a stimulation electrode that delivers electrical stimulation for nerve monitoring during advancement of the elongate stimulation member along the lateral, trans-psoas path to the lumbar spine, the distraction assembly further comprising a dilator system comprising at least one dilator that slidably engages an exterior of the elongate stimulation member, the at least one dilator being deliverable to the spinal disc along the lateral, trans-psoas path to the lumbar spine; and a retraction assembly comprising a plurality of retractor blades that enlarge the tissue distraction corridor to thereby form an operative corridor along the lateral, trans-psoas path to the lumbar spine when the plurality of retractor blades are delivered to the lumbar spine, wherein one of the refractor blades is a posterior-most retractor blade when the plurality of retractor blades are delivered to the lumbar spine, the retraction assembly further comprising a locking member that releasably and slidably engages with the posterior-most retractor blade so that a distal portion of the locking member extends distally from the posterior-most retractor blade, wherein the distal portion of the locking member anchors into the spinal disc between adjacent vertebral bodies and secures the posterior-most retractor blade relative to the adjacent vertebral bodies when the plurality of retractor blades are delivered to the lumbar spine, wherein when the plurality of retractor blades enlarge the tissue distraction corridor to form the operative corridor along the lateral, trans-psoas path to the lumbar spine, the operative corridor is dimensioned so as to pass an implant through the operative corridor along the lateral, trans-psoas path to the lumbar spine. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification