Surgical access system and related methods
DCFirst Claim
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1. A surgical access system for accessing a surgical target site in a patient, said system comprising:
- a retractor assembly having;
a retractor body including a first arm having a distal end with a first blade connector and a first longitudinal axis extending through the distal end, a second arm having a distal end with a second blade connector and a second longitudinal axis extending through the second distal end, and a third arm having a distal end with a third blade connector and a third longitudinal axis extending through the distal end, wherein the third arm is situated between the first arm and the second arm;
a first retractor blade releasably coupled to the first blade connector of the first arm, a second retractor blade releasably coupled to the second blade connector of the second arm, and a third retractor blade releasably coupled to the third blade connector of the third arm, the first, second, and third retractor blades capable of simultaneous advancement over a tissue dilator to the surgical target site while in a closed position and thereafter selectively opened to create an operative corridor to the surgical target site, wherein when positioned at the surgical target site the first retractor blade is a caudal-most retractor blade, the second retractor blade is a cephalad-most retractor blade, and the third retractor blade is a posterior retractor blade;
wherein the retractor body is operable to;
move the first retractor blade away from the second and third retractor blades in a first caudal direction;
move the second retractor blade away from the first and third retractor blades in a second cephalad direction;
linearly translate the third retractor blade relative to the first and second retractor blades in a third direction in a line transverse to the first and second directions;
rotate the first retractor blade about the first longitudinal axis to move a distal end of the first retractor blade relative to a proximal end of the first retractor blade; and
rotate the second retractor blade about the second longitudinal axis to move a distal end of the second retractor blade relative to a proximal end of the second retractor blade; and
a supplemental retractor blade assembly attachable to each of the first retractor blade and second retractor blade, the supplemental retractor blade assembly including an elongated supplemental retractor blade and a crosslink, the crosslink slidably engageable with a first holding element that extends distally relative to the retractor body from the first retractor blade and a second holding element that extends distally relative to the retractor body from the second retractor blade, and the supplemental retractor blade including a blade surface, a handle, and an engagement region between the blade surface and handle that engages with the crosslink.
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Abstract
A surgical access system comprising a tissue dilation assembly and a tissue retraction assembly, 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.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A surgical access system for accessing a surgical target site in a patient, said system comprising:
a retractor assembly having; a retractor body including a first arm having a distal end with a first blade connector and a first longitudinal axis extending through the distal end, a second arm having a distal end with a second blade connector and a second longitudinal axis extending through the second distal end, and a third arm having a distal end with a third blade connector and a third longitudinal axis extending through the distal end, wherein the third arm is situated between the first arm and the second arm; a first retractor blade releasably coupled to the first blade connector of the first arm, a second retractor blade releasably coupled to the second blade connector of the second arm, and a third retractor blade releasably coupled to the third blade connector of the third arm, the first, second, and third retractor blades capable of simultaneous advancement over a tissue dilator to the surgical target site while in a closed position and thereafter selectively opened to create an operative corridor to the surgical target site, wherein when positioned at the surgical target site the first retractor blade is a caudal-most retractor blade, the second retractor blade is a cephalad-most retractor blade, and the third retractor blade is a posterior retractor blade; wherein the retractor body is operable to; move the first retractor blade away from the second and third retractor blades in a first caudal direction; move the second retractor blade away from the first and third retractor blades in a second cephalad direction; linearly translate the third retractor blade relative to the first and second retractor blades in a third direction in a line transverse to the first and second directions; rotate the first retractor blade about the first longitudinal axis to move a distal end of the first retractor blade relative to a proximal end of the first retractor blade; and rotate the second retractor blade about the second longitudinal axis to move a distal end of the second retractor blade relative to a proximal end of the second retractor blade; and a supplemental retractor blade assembly attachable to each of the first retractor blade and second retractor blade, the supplemental retractor blade assembly including an elongated supplemental retractor blade and a crosslink, the crosslink slidably engageable with a first holding element that extends distally relative to the retractor body from the first retractor blade and a second holding element that extends distally relative to the retractor body from the second retractor blade, and the supplemental retractor blade including a blade surface, a handle, and an engagement region between the blade surface and handle that engages with the crosslink. - 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, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
Specification