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Expandable spinal sheath and method of use

  • US 7,951,110 B2
  • Filed: 11/09/2009
  • Issued: 05/31/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2008
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of introducing instruments or implants into a target region proximate the human spinal column, the method comprising the steps of:

  • creating a skin incision at a lateral position on a patient near a level of a spinal region to be treated;

    inserting a guidewire into the skin incision and routing the guidewire to a target region of the spine through a muscle, the muscle comprising one of a Psoras muscle and lumbar muscle;

    inserting a collapsed sheath, with a dilator pre-inserted and an outer pressure jacket, over the guidewire such that the distal end of the collapsed sheath is proximate the target region of the spine;

    radially expanding an expandable region of the sheath with the dilator, to create an expanded sheath, so that the expandable region radially dilates the muscle and forms a channel through the muscle;

    removing the dilator from a remaining lumen of the expanded sheath;

    performing therapy or diagnosis at the target region through the lumen of the expanded sheath;

    pressurizing a space between the outer pressure jacket and expandable region to collapse the expandable region;

    evacuating the space between the outer pressure jacket and collapsed expandable region to draw the outer pressure jacket inward; and

    removing the sheath from the patient.

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