Oval dilator and retractor set and method
AssigneeSDGI Holdings, Inc.
InventorsThomas E. Roehm, III, William B. Null
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Access to a greater area of surgical site with minimally invasive procedure is obtained by using two sets of sequentially placed tissue dilators oriented with their axes in a plane parallel to the spinal axis and a final non-circular dilator encompassing the two sets, followed by a non-circular tubular retractor providing a working channel extending longitudinally of the spine.
Claims29
A dilator for use in soft tissue of a human body to provide an access channel to a planned surgery site adjacent the spine and comprising:
- a tube having a proximal end and a distal end and a longitudinal axis;
- and
- said tube including an external surface and a channel extending between said proximal and distal ends along said longitudinal axis, each of said external surface and said channel having a non-circular cross-sectional shape in a plane perpendicular to said longitudinal axis at a first location proximate said distal end, wherein the cross-sectional shape of said channel differs from the cross-sectional shape of said external surface and said external surface includes parallel sides and circular ends extending between said parallel sides at least adjacent said distal end of said tube and, wherein said cross-sectional shapes of said channel and said external surface extend from said first location proximate said distal end to a second location at least eighty percent of the distance from said distal end to said proximal end.
A dilator for use in soft tissue of a human body to provide an access channel to a planned surgery site adjacent the spine, comprising:
- a tube having a proximal end and a distal end and extending along a longitudinal axis;
- and
- said tube defining an external surface and an internal channel each having a non-circular cross-sectional shape in a plane perpendicular to said longitudinal axis, said external surface being defined by a pair of opposite parallel sides connected by curved ends, said parallel sides and curved ends providing an outer surface profile from said distal end to a first location adjacent said proximal end said tube, wherein the cross-sectional shape of said channel differs from the cross-sectional shape of said external surface.
A dilator for use in soft tissue of a human body to provide an access channel to a planned surgery site adjacent the spine, comprising:
- a tube having a proximal end, a distal end, an internal channel and an external surface extending along a longitudinal axis, said internal channel opening at said proximal and distal ends;
- and
- said external surface and said internal channel each having a non-circular cross-sectional shape in a plane perpendicular to said longitudinal axis, said external surface being defined by a pair of opposite parallel sides connected by circular ends extending between said parallel sides, said parallel sides and circular ends providing a constant, uninterrupted outer surface profile from said distal end to a first location adjacent said proximal end, wherein the cross-sectional shape of said channel differs from the cross-sectional shape of said external surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.