Dynamic expanding pathway cannula

A dynamically expanding cannula for insertion of a spinal implant comprising:

• a slide assembly for providing a guide way for an implant, the slide assembly including a control block, the control block constructed and arranged for securing a backing assembly to the slide assembly, the control block including a control slot, a lever, a pivot pin and a control pin extending across said lever and positioned to follow the contours of the control slot, the lever operational to position the pivot pin and the control pin within the contours of the control slot for controlling the expansion of a flexible expansion member;
• a backing assembly removably secured to the slide assembly;
• and
• a flexible expansion assembly including said flexible expansion member that is adapted to expand in an area around the implant as the implant is progressed through the dynamically expanding cannula from a first end of the dynamically expanding cannula to a second end of the dynamically expanding cannula wherein the flexible expansion member is constructed from a metal material having a temper and hardness sufficient to dynamically open a pathway through the tissue of the patient as an implant is traversed along the slide assembly, returning to a smaller profile after passage of the implant, the flexible expansion assembly positioned between the slide assembly and the backing assembly for insertion into a surgical site.