Back to results
US 2016/0354073 A1Published application
Pedicle mountable retractor system
AssigneeMinimal Invasive Technologies (Pty) Ltd.
InventorsLouis Jacobus Nel, Gert Stephanus Becker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A retractor system 100 comprises a first tower 102 which is mountable on a first surgical screw 12.1. A second tower 104 is mountable on a second surgical screw 12.2. A link 106 extends between the first and second towers. At least a first elongate retractor element 108 for at least one of muscle, tissue and nerve structures is movably mountable on the link.
Claims20
A retractor system comprising:
- a first tower which is mountable on a first surgical screw;
- a second tower which is mountable on a second surgical screw;
- a link extending between the first and second towers;
- and
- at least a first elongate retractor element for at least one of muscle, tissue and nerve structures and which at least first element is movably mountable on the link.
2 more elements
A method of facilitating posterior access to a spinal region of a body of a mammal, the method comprising:
- from posterior the spinal region, securing a first tower to a first vertebra;
- from posterior the spinal region, securing a second tower to a second vertebra;
- externally of the body, linking the first and second towers to one another by a link;
- and
- suspending from the link at least one elongate retractor element.
2 more elements
A releasable surgical screw and tube assembly comprising:
- an elongate screw comprising
- a head having an outer transverse cross-sectional area;
- and
- a threaded shank,
- the screw defining an axial bore extending therethrough;
- and
- a tube which is releaseably engageable with the screw, the tube having a distal end defining a distal opening and a proximal end defining a proximal opening and defining an axial bore extending between the distal opening and the proximal opening;
- the tube, towards the distal end thereof, comprising a screw gripping formation and defining at least first and second slots extending axially from the distal end partially towards the proximal end to form at least first and second axially extending tube parts which are spring biased towards a first configuration to grip the head by pinching the head between them in an assembled configuration of the assembly, and the at least first and second parts of the tube being manipulatable against the bias to a second configuration, to release the head.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.