# US 10,369,336 B2 · Expandable tissue dilator for dilating tissue around a spinal column > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,369,336 B2 - Document ID: US10369336B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/050,547 - Filed: 2016-02-23 - Published: 2017-08-24 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-02-23 - Assignees: Globus Medical, Inc. - Applicants: Globus Medical, Inc. - Inventors: Andrew Berkowitz - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10369336B2 ## CPC - A61M 29/02: Dilators made of swellable material {(balloon catheters for angioplasty A61M25/104)} - A61B 17/3421: {Cannulas} - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract An expandable tissue dilator for dilating tissue around a spinal column includes a housing and a shaft at least partially positioned distally of the housing and adapted to pierce a tissue around the spinal column. An expandable member attached to the housing expands around a portion of the shaft to dilate the pierced tissue in a single-pass dilation resulting in a reduction of any traumatic impingement of nerves or muscle tissue and reduction in procedure time. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An expandable tissue dilator for dilating tissue around a spinal column, comprising: a housing; a shaft adapted to be at least partially disposed distally of the housing and sufficiently stiff to pierce a tissue disposed around the spinal column; an expandable member attached to the housing and adapted to be expandable around a portion of the shaft which has pierced the tissue, the expandable member further comprising an inflation channel and an occlusion switch disposed in a proximal section of the housing and operable to occlude the inflation channel; and an occluding ball disposed over an inflation channel, wherein the occlusion switch has an inclined inner surface relative to a longitudinal axis of the inflation channel and is adapted to slide over the occluding ball such that the inner surface presses on the occluding ball to occlude the inflation channel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The expandable tissue dilator of claim 1, wherein the expandable member includes a balloon attached to an outer surface of the shaft. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The expandable tissue dilator of claim 2, wherein the tapered tip section includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced tapered flaps that define an end opening through which the shaft extends, the distal ends of the flaps being positioned over the expandable member and sufficiently flexible to radially outwardly move as the expandable member expands. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The expandable tissue dilator of claim 3, wherein the distal ends of the flaps are radiused to provide a smooth transition between the flaps and the expandable member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The expandable tissue dilator of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a tapered tip section having a distal end positioned over the expandable member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The expandable tissue dilator of claim 1, wherein the housing has a longitudinal recess, further comprising: an inner sheath surrounded by the shaft, wherein the expandable member is attached over the inner sheath and underneath the shaft; a sliding switch attached to the shaft and operable to slide along the longitudinal recess to retract the shaft to expose the expandable member. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The expandable tissue dilator of claim 6, further comprising a locking mechanism that locks the sliding switch to the housing such that the shaft covers the expandable member. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The expandable tissue dilator of claim 7, wherein locking mechanism includes: a protrusion extending from the sliding switch; a hook adapted to mate with the protrusion to lock the sliding switch; and a release button attached to the housing and coupled to the hook such that depression of the release button unlocks the sliding switch from the housing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The expandable tissue dilator of claim 1, wherein the expandable member is a balloon and the inflation channel is in fluid communication with the balloon. ### Claim 10 An expandable tissue dilator for performing spinal surgery, comprising: an elongate housing; an inner sheath at least partially disposed in the housing and having a distal portion that extends distally of the housing, the inner sheath being sufficiently stiff to pierce a muscle tissue around a spinal column; an expandable member attached around an outer surface of the inner sheath and being expandable to radially push the pierced muscle tissue, the expandable member further comprising an inflation lumen and an occlusion switch disposed in a proximal section of the housing and operable to occlude the inflation lumen; and an occluding ball disposed over an inflation lumen, wherein the occlusion switch has an inclined inner surface relative to a longitudinal axis of the inflation lumen and is adapted to slide over the occluding ball such that the inner surface presses on the occluding ball to occlude the inflation lumen; and a retractable outer sheath surrounding the inner sheath and configured to be in an extended state to surround the expandable member and a retracted state to expose the expandable member for expansion against the pierced muscle tissue. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The expandable tissue dilator of claim 10, wherein the expandable member includes a balloon attached to an outer surface of the inner sheath. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The expandable tissue dilator of claim 10, wherein the housing includes a tapered tip section having a distal end positioned over the expandable member. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The expandable tissue dilator of claim 12, wherein the housing tip section includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced tapered flaps that define an end opening through which the inner sheath extends, the distal ends of the flaps being positioned over the expandable member and sufficiently flexible to radially outwardly move as the expandable member expands. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The expandable tissue dilator of claim 13, wherein the distal ends of the flaps are radiused to provide a smooth transition between the flaps and the expandable balloon. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The expandable tissue dilator of claim 10, wherein the housing has a longitudinal recess, further comprising a sliding switch attached to the outer sheath and operable to slide along the longitudinal recess to retract the outer sheath to expose the expandable member. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The expandable tissue dilator of claim 15, further comprising a locking mechanism that locks the sliding switch to the housing such that the outer sheath is in the extended state. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The expandable tissue dilator of claim 16, wherein locking mechanism includes: a protrusion extending from the switch; a hook adapted to mate with the protrusion to lock the sliding switch; and a release button attached to the housing and coupled to the hook such that depression of the release button unlocks the sliding switch from the housing. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The expandable tissue dilator of claim 10, wherein the expandable member is a balloon and the inflation lumen in fluid communication with the balloon.