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US 2004/0176665 A1Published application
Instruments and methods for minimally invasive tissue retraction and surgery
AssigneeWarsaw Orthopedic, Inc.
InventorsCharles L. Branch, Eric C. Lange, Jonathan Dewey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and devices retract tissue for minimally invasive surgery in a patient. A retractor includes a working channel formed by a first portion and a second portion. The first and second portions are movable relative to one another from a first configuration for insertion that minimizes trauma to skin and tissue to an enlarged configuration after insertion to further retract skin and tissue in a minimally invasive manner. Instruments are engageable to the first and second portions and operable to move the first and second portions relative to one another.
Claims51
A retractor assembly for percutaneous surgery in a patient, comprising:
- a first retractor portion having a proximal end and a distal end and being positionable in an incision;
- a second retractor portion having a proximal end and a distal end and being positionable in the incision opposite said first retractor portion, said first and second retractor portions defining an axis extending therebetween;
- a separation instrument coupled between said proximal ends of said first and second retractor portions and being offset to one side of said axis, said separation instrument being operable to move said first and second retractor portions along said axis from an insertion configuration wherein said first and second retractor portions are adjacent one another to a second configuration wherein said first and second portions are separated from one another;
- and
- an intermediate retractor assembly removably mountable to said separation instrument, said intermediate retractor assembly including a linking arm extending from said separation instrument toward said first and second retractor portions to a retractor blade, said retractor blade being transversely oriented to said linking arm and being positionable in the incision between said first and second retractor portions when said linking arm is mounted to said separation instrument and said first and second retractor portions are in said second configuration.
2 more elements
A retractor assembly for percutaneous surgery in a patient, comprising:
- a first retractor portion having a proximal end and a distal end and being positionable in an incision;
- a second retractor portion having a proximal end and a distal end and being positionable in the incision opposite said first retractor portion, said first and second retractor portions defining a first axis extending therebetween;
- and
- a separation instrument coupled between said proximal ends of said first and second retractor portions and being offset to one side of said first axis, said separation instrument being operable to move said first and second retractor portions away from one another along said first axis, said separation instrument including a first engagement arm extending from said proximal end of said first retractor portion along a second axis transverse to said first axis and a second engagement arm extending from said proximal end of said second retractor portion along a third axis transverse to said first axis, wherein said engagement arms each include a portion adjacent said respective retractor portion that is rotatable about said respective axis thereof to pivot said respective retractor portion engaged thereto about its proximal end.
1 more element
A retractor assembly for percutaneous surgery in a patient, comprising:
- a first retractor portion having a proximal end and a distal end and being positionable in an incision;
- a second retractor portion having a proximal end and a distal end and being positionable in the incision opposite said first retractor portion, said first and second retractor portions defining a first axis extending therebetween;
- and
- a separation instrument coupled between said proximal ends of said first and second retractor portions and being offset to one side of said axis, said separation instrument including a first engagement arm extending from said proximal end of said first retractor portion along a second axis transverse to said first axis and a second engagement arm extending from said proximal end of said second retractor portion along a third axis transverse to said first axis, wherein said engagement arms each include a portion adjacent said respective retractor portion that is rotatable about said respective axis thereof and a lever arm extending from said rotatable portion operable to rotate said rotatable portion and pivot said respective retractor portion engaged thereto about its proximal end.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.