Surgical access system and related methods
First Claim
1. A system for accessing a surgical target site, the system comprising:
- a retractor assembly comprising;
a first retractor blade having a first proximal end and a first distal end;
a second retractor blade having a second proximal end and a second distal end;
a third retractor blade having a third proximal end and a third distal end;
a fourth retractor blade having a fourth proximal end and a fourth distal end; and
a blade holder apparatus comprising a mounting structure comprising first, second, third, and fourth support portions, wherein the first support portion is connected to ends of the second and fourth support portions, wherein the second support portion is connected to ends of the first and third support portions, wherein the third support portion is connected to ends of the second and fourth support portions, and wherein the fourth support portion is connected to ends of the third and first support portions such that the first, second, third, and fourth support portions define a mounting structure hole,wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth retractor blades are connectable to the mounting structure at the first, second, third, and fourth proximal ends, respectively, such that the first, second, third, and fourth proximal ends are positioned at least partially in the mounting structure hole and the first, second, third, and fourth distal ends extend distally away from the mounting structure so as to define an operative corridor between the first, second, third, and fourth retractor blades that aligns with the mounting structure hole,wherein at least two of the first, second, third, and fourth retractor blades are hingedly connected to the blade holder apparatus such that at least two of the first, second, third, and fourth distal ends can be independently angled outward with respect to the operative corridor, andwherein all of the first, second, third, and fourth retractor blades are slidably connected to the blade holder apparatus such that the first, second, third, and fourth distal ends can be independently slid inward and/or outward with respect to the operative corridor;
wherein the mounting structure has a substantially square shape, with the first support portion being positioned opposite and substantially parallel to the third support portion and with the second support portion being positioned opposite and substantially parallel to the fourth support portion.
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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.
347 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A system for accessing a surgical target site, the system comprising:
a retractor assembly comprising; a first retractor blade having a first proximal end and a first distal end; a second retractor blade having a second proximal end and a second distal end; a third retractor blade having a third proximal end and a third distal end; a fourth retractor blade having a fourth proximal end and a fourth distal end; and a blade holder apparatus comprising a mounting structure comprising first, second, third, and fourth support portions, wherein the first support portion is connected to ends of the second and fourth support portions, wherein the second support portion is connected to ends of the first and third support portions, wherein the third support portion is connected to ends of the second and fourth support portions, and wherein the fourth support portion is connected to ends of the third and first support portions such that the first, second, third, and fourth support portions define a mounting structure hole, wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth retractor blades are connectable to the mounting structure at the first, second, third, and fourth proximal ends, respectively, such that the first, second, third, and fourth proximal ends are positioned at least partially in the mounting structure hole and the first, second, third, and fourth distal ends extend distally away from the mounting structure so as to define an operative corridor between the first, second, third, and fourth retractor blades that aligns with the mounting structure hole, wherein at least two of the first, second, third, and fourth retractor blades are hingedly connected to the blade holder apparatus such that at least two of the first, second, third, and fourth distal ends can be independently angled outward with respect to the operative corridor, and wherein all of the first, second, third, and fourth retractor blades are slidably connected to the blade holder apparatus such that the first, second, third, and fourth distal ends can be independently slid inward and/or outward with respect to the operative corridor;
wherein the mounting structure has a substantially square shape, with the first support portion being positioned opposite and substantially parallel to the third support portion and with the second support portion being positioned opposite and substantially parallel to the fourth support portion.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
Specification