Surgical access system and related methods
First Claim
1. A system for accessing a spinal surgical target site, comprising:
- a retractor assembly having first, second, and third blades and a blade holder assembly, the first, second, and third blades being advanceable to said surgical target site while in a first position in which the first blade is immediately adjacent the second and third blades, the second blade is immediately adjacent the first and third blades, and the third blade is immediately adjacent the first and second blades, and adjustable to a second position in which the first, second, and third blades are separated relative to said first position, said blade holder assembly including first arm having a first longitudinal axis and a second arm having a second longitudinal axis, the first and second arms being coupled about a pivot, said first retractor blade being coupled to said first arm distally to said pivot and said second retractor blade being coupled to said second arm distally to said pivot, wherein adjustment from the first position to the second position includes pivoting movement of the first and second arms about said pivot such that said first longitudinal axis and said second longitudinal axis move away from each other distal of said pivot, said first arm having a first rotatable arm section situated distally to a first static arm section, the first retractor blade being rigidly secured to the first rotatable arm section, said first rotatable arm section rotatable relative to said first static arm section and about said first longitudinal axis to translocate a distal end of said first blade relative to a proximal end of the first blade, said second arm having a second rotatable arm section situated distally to a second static arm section, the second retractor blade being rigidly secured to the second rotatable arm section, said second rotatable arm section rotatable relative to said second static arm section and about said second longitudinal axis to translocate a distal end of said second blade relative to a proximal end of the second blade.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical access system including a tissue distraction assembly 40 and a tissue retraction assembly 10, both of which may be equipped with one or more electrodes 23 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 15 to a surgical target site. The tissue retraction assembly 10 has a plurality of blades 12, 16, 18 which may be introduced while in a closed configuration, after which point they may be opened to create an operation corridor 15 to the surgical target site, including pivoting at least one blade 12, 16, 18 to expand the operative corridor 15 adjacent to the operative site.
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Citations
43 Claims
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1. A system for accessing a spinal surgical target site, comprising:
- a retractor assembly having first, second, and third blades and a blade holder assembly, the first, second, and third blades being advanceable to said surgical target site while in a first position in which the first blade is immediately adjacent the second and third blades, the second blade is immediately adjacent the first and third blades, and the third blade is immediately adjacent the first and second blades, and adjustable to a second position in which the first, second, and third blades are separated relative to said first position, said blade holder assembly including first arm having a first longitudinal axis and a second arm having a second longitudinal axis, the first and second arms being coupled about a pivot, said first retractor blade being coupled to said first arm distally to said pivot and said second retractor blade being coupled to said second arm distally to said pivot, wherein adjustment from the first position to the second position includes pivoting movement of the first and second arms about said pivot such that said first longitudinal axis and said second longitudinal axis move away from each other distal of said pivot, said first arm having a first rotatable arm section situated distally to a first static arm section, the first retractor blade being rigidly secured to the first rotatable arm section, said first rotatable arm section rotatable relative to said first static arm section and about said first longitudinal axis to translocate a distal end of said first blade relative to a proximal end of the first blade, said second arm having a second rotatable arm section situated distally to a second static arm section, the second retractor blade being rigidly secured to the second rotatable arm section, said second rotatable arm section rotatable relative to said second static arm section and about said second longitudinal axis to translocate a distal end of said second blade relative to a proximal end of the second blade.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A system for accessing a spinal surgical target site, comprising:
a retractor assembly having first, second, and third blades and a blade holder assembly, the first, second, and third blades being advanceable to said surgical target site while in a first position in which the first blade is immediately adjacent the second and third blades, the second blade is immediately adjacent the first and third blades, and the third blade is immediately adjacent the first and second blades, and adjustable to a second position in which the first, second, and third blades are separated relative to said first position, said blade holder assembly including first arm having a first longitudinal axis and a second arm having a second longitudinal axis, the first and second arms being coupled about a pivot, said first retractor blade being coupled to said first arm distally to said pivot and said second retractor blade being coupled to said second arm distally to said pivot, said blade holder assembly also including a third translating arm coupled to said third retractor blade, wherein adjustment from the first position to the second position includes both pivoting movement of the first and second arms about said pivot such that said first longitudinal axis and said second longitudinal axis move away from each other distal of said pivot and linearly moving said third retractor blade relative to said first and second retractor blades, said first arm having a first rotatable arm section situated distally to a first static arm section, said first rotatable arm section rotatable relative to said first static arm section and about said first longitudinal axis to translocate a distal end of said first blade relative to a proximal end of the first blade, said second arm having a second rotatable arm section situated distally to a second static arm section, said second rotatable arm section rotatable relative to said second static arm section and about said second longitudinal axis to translocate a distal end of said second blade relative to a proximal end of the second blade.
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31. A method of accessing a surgical target site, comprising the steps of:
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introducing a retractor assembly including first, second, and third retractor blades coupled to a blade holder assembly to a surgical target site while the three retractor blades are in a first position with the first blade being immediately adjacent the second and third blades, the second blade being immediately adjacent the first and third blades, and the third blade being immediately adjacent the first and second blades, said blade holder assembly having a first arm having a first longitudinal axis and second arm having a second longitudinal axis, the first and second arms being coupled about a pivot, the first arm having a first rotating arm section situated distal to a first static arm section, said first rotating arm section being rotatable relative to said first static arm section and around said first longitudinal axis, the second arm having a second rotating arm section situated distal to a second static arm section, the second rotatable arm section being rotatable relative to said second static arm section and around said second longitudinal axis, said blade holder assembly further having a third arm that translates linearly relative to the pivot, wherein the first retractor blade is coupled to the first arm, the second retractor blade is coupled to the second arm, and the third retractor blade is coupled to said third arm; and pivoting said first arm and said second arm around said pivot such that said first said longitudinal axis and said second longitudinal axis move away from each other distal of said pivot and said first retractor blade and said second retractor move away from each other to create an operative corridor to said surgical target site, and further expanding a distal dimension of the operative corridor adjacent the surgical target site by rotating said first rotating arm section to translocate a distal end of said first retractor blade outward relative to a proximal end of the first retractor blade and rotating said second rotating arm section to translocate a distal end of said second retractor blade outward relative to a proximal end of the second retractor blade. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification