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Surgical access system and related methods

  • US 8,114,019 B2
  • Filed: 12/30/2009
  • Issued: 02/14/2012
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2003
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A system for forming an operating corridor to a lumbar spine, comprising:

  • an initial guidewire deliverable along a selected path through bodily tissue toward a targeted intervertebral disc of a lumbar spine;

    a plurality of sequential dilators of increasing diameters to create a tissue distraction corridor along the selected path through the bodily tissue toward the targeted intervertebral disc of the lumbar spine, the plurality of dilators comprising;

    an initial dilator configured to slidably engage with an exterior of the initial guidewire and configured to engage the lumbar spine, and at least a second dilator configured to slidably advance over an exterior of the initial dilator and configured to engage the lumbar spine, wherein at least one dilator of the plurality of sequential dilators includes markings indicative of a depth distance between a distal end of the at least one dilator and a skin location;

    a three-bladed retractor tool slidable over an outer dilator of the plurality of sequential dilators toward the lumbar spine to enlarge the tissue distraction corridor and thereby form an operative corridor along the selected path through the bodily tissue toward the targeted intervertebral disc of the lumbar spine, the three-bladed refractor tool including;

    a external assembly and first, second, and third retractor blades that extend generally perpendicularly relative to arm portions of the external assembly,wherein the three-bladed retractor tool is adjustable from a closed position in which the first, second, and third refractor blades are adjacent to one another and slidable over the outer dilator of the plurality of sequential dilators to an opened position in which the first, second, and third retractor blades are spaced apart from one another to thereby form the operative corridor along the selected path through the bodily tissue toward the targeted intervertebral disc of the lumbar,at least one shim member to releasably engage with an engagement slot along an inner facing surface of a corresponding retractor blade of the first, second, and third retractor blades so that a distal portion of the shim member extends distally from the corresponding retractor blade, the shim member having a rearwardly extending tab to engage with a mating recess formed along the inner facing surface of the corresponding retractor blade to lock the position of the shim member relative to the corresponding retractor blade, anda fiber optic cable to couple with one of the first, second, and third retractor blades and emit light toward the targeted intervertebral disc of the lumbar spine when the three-bladed retractor tool forms the operative corridor; and

    wherein when the three-bladed retractor tool is adjusted to the opened position to form the operative corridor along the selected path through the bodily tissue toward the targeted intervertebral disc of the lumbar spine, the operative corridor is dimensioned so as to pass an implant through the operative corridor along the selected path toward the targeted intervertebral disc of the lumbar spine.

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