Surgical access system and related methods
First Claim
1. A retractor blade for use in a system for accessing a surgical target site, the retractor blade comprising:
- an elongated retractor blade extending from a proximal end that is dimensioned to couple to a mounting structure to a distal end that is spaced longitudinally from the proximal end, wherein the retractor blade includes a first edge extending between the proximal end and the distal end, a second edge extending between the proximal end and the distal end, an inner face defined by the retractor blade between the first and second edges, and an outer face defined by the retractor blade between the first and second edges, wherein the inner face of the retractor blade defines an engagement groove dimensioned to couple to an engagement portion of a connectable element, wherein the engagement groove is defined by the inner face of the retractor blade between a first ridge extending along a first portion of the engagement groove proximate the first edge of the retractor blade and a second ridge extending along a second portion of the engagement groove proximate the second edge of the retractor blade, and wherein the inner face of the retractor blade defines at least one recess dimensioned to receive a displaceable engagement member of the connectable element so as to hold the connectable element in place with respect to the retractor blade.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
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.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A retractor blade for use in a system for accessing a surgical target site, the retractor blade comprising:
an elongated retractor blade extending from a proximal end that is dimensioned to couple to a mounting structure to a distal end that is spaced longitudinally from the proximal end, wherein the retractor blade includes a first edge extending between the proximal end and the distal end, a second edge extending between the proximal end and the distal end, an inner face defined by the retractor blade between the first and second edges, and an outer face defined by the retractor blade between the first and second edges, wherein the inner face of the retractor blade defines an engagement groove dimensioned to couple to an engagement portion of a connectable element, wherein the engagement groove is defined by the inner face of the retractor blade between a first ridge extending along a first portion of the engagement groove proximate the first edge of the retractor blade and a second ridge extending along a second portion of the engagement groove proximate the second edge of the retractor blade, and wherein the inner face of the retractor blade defines at least one recess dimensioned to receive a displaceable engagement member of the connectable element so as to hold the connectable element in place with respect to the retractor blade. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
12. A retractor blade for use with a system for accessing a surgical target site, the retractor blade comprising:
-
an elongate retractor blade extending from a proximal end that is dimensioned to couple to a mounting structure to a distal end that is spaced longitudinally from the proximal end, wherein the retractor blade includes a first edge extending between the proximal end and the distal end, a second edge extending between the proximal end and the distal end, an inner face defined by the retractor blade between the first and second edges, and an outer face defined by the retractor blade between the first and second edges, wherein the inner face of the retractor blade defines an engagement groove between a first ridge extending along a first portion of the engagement groove proximate the first edge of the retractor blade and a second ridge extending along a second portion of the engagement groove proximate the second edge of the retractor blade, and wherein the inner face of the retractor blade further defines at least one recess dimensioned to receive a displaceable engagement member of the connectable element so as to hold the connectable element in place with respect to the retractor blade; and a shim element connectable to the retractor blade, the shim element having an engagement portion and a displaceable engagement member, the engagement portion including a first engagement ridge dimensioned to engage with the first ridge of the elongated retractor and a second engagement ridge dimensioned to engaged with the second ridge of the elongated retractor such that the engagement portion of the shim is positioned at least partially in the engagement groove, and the displaceable engagement member is dimensioned to be received by the at least one recess so as to hold the shim element in place with respect to the retractor blade. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification