System and method for providing surgical access to a spine

A system comprising:

• a targeting post, with a distal end for insertion within a patient to a reference location near a spine, a proximal end of the targeting post connected to an instrument support arm;
• a curved penetrating guide member with a proximal end and a distal end;
• a guide arm having a distal end with a latching assembly configured for detachably attaching to the proximal end of the curved penetrating guide member;
• a proximal end configured for connection via a rotatable attachment to the proximal end of the targeting post such that the guide arm and attached curved penetrating guide member may rotate relative to the proximal end of the targeting post to move the distal end of the curved penetrating guide member in a curved path to a target location at a known position relative to the reference location occupied by the distal end of the targeting post;
• thus occupying a curved path from outside the patient to the target location;
• and
• a plurality of curved cannulas, including a main cannula and at least one intermediate cannula, wherein the curved penetrating guide member and the intermediate cannula are configured such that the intermediate cannula can be inserted over the proximal end of the curved penetrating guide member toward the distal end of the curved penetrating guide member, and wherein the main cannula and the intermediate cannula are configured such that the main cannula can be inserted over the proximal end of the intermediate cannula toward the distal end of the intermediate cannula.

A system comprising:

• a targeting post, with a distal end for insertion within a patient to a reference location near a spine, a proximal end of the targeting post connected to an instrument support arm;
• a curved penetrating guide member with a proximal end and a distal end;
• a guide arm having a distal end with a latching assembly configured for detachably attaching to the proximal end of the curved penetrating guide member;
• a proximal end configured for connection via a rotatable attachment to the proximal end of the targeting post such that the guide arm and attached curved penetrating guide member may rotate relative to the proximal end of the targeting post to move the distal end of the curved penetrating guide member in a curved path to a target location at a known position relative to the reference location occupied by the distal end of the targeting post;
• thus occupying a curved path from outside the patient to the target location;
• a second targeting post, with a distal end for insertion within the patient to a second reference location adjacent to the spine and outside of bone, a proximal end of the second targeting post connected to a second instrument support arm;
• a second curved penetrating guide member with a proximal end and a distal end;
• a second guide arm having a distal end with a latching assembly configured for detachably attaching to the proximal end of the second curved penetrating guide member, and a proximal end configured for connection via a rotatable attachment to the proximal end of the second targeting post such that the second guide arm and attached second curved penetrating guide member may rotate relative to the proximal end of the second targeting post to move the distal end of the second curved penetrating guide member in a curved path to a second target location a second known position relative to the second reference location occupied by the distal end of the second targeting post, thus occupying a second curved path from outside the patient to the second target location such that two curved paths may be created;
• a first curved cannula, wherein the curved penetrating guide member and the curved cannula are configured such that the first curved cannula can be inserted over the proximal end of the curved penetrating guide member toward the distal end of the curved penetrating guide member;
• and
• a second curved cannula, wherein the second curved penetrating guide member and the second curved cannula are configured such that the second curved cannula can be inserted over the proximal end of the second curved penetrating guide member toward the distal end of the second curved penetrating guide member.

A system comprising:

• a targeting post, with a distal end for insertion within a patient to a reference location near a spine, a proximal end of the targeting post connected to an instrument support arm;
• a curved penetrating guide member with a proximal end and a distal end;
• a guide arm having a distal end with a latching assembly configured for detachably attaching to the proximal end of the curved penetrating guide member;
• a proximal end configured for connection via a rotatable attachment to the proximal end of the targeting post such that the guide arm and attached curved penetrating guide member may rotate relative to the proximal end of the targeting post to move the distal end of the curved penetrating guide member in a curved path to a target location at a known position relative to the reference location occupied by the distal end of the targeting post;
• thus occupying a curved path from outside the patient to the target location;
• a second targeting post, with a distal end for insertion within the patient to a second reference location adjacent to the spine and outside of bone, a proximal end of the second targeting post connected to a second instrument support arm;
• a second curved penetrating guide member with a proximal end and a distal end;
• a second guide arm having a distal end with a latching assembly configured for detachably attaching to the proximal end of the second curved penetrating guide member, and a proximal end configured for connection via a rotatable attachment to the proximal end of the second targeting post such that the second guide arm and attached second curved penetrating guide member may rotate relative to the proximal end of the second targeting post to move the distal end of the second curved penetrating guide member in a curved path to a second target location a second known position relative to the second reference location occupied by the distal end of the second targeting post, thus occupying a second curved path from outside the patient to the second target location such that two curved paths may be created;
• a first plurality of curved cannulas, including a first main cannula and at least one first intermediate cannula, wherein the curved penetrating guide member and the first intermediate cannula are configured such that the first intermediate cannula can be inserted over the proximal end of the curved penetrating guide member toward the distal end of the curved penetrating guide member, and wherein the first main cannula and the first intermediate cannula are configured such that the first main cannula can be inserted over the proximal end of the first intermediate cannula toward the distal end of the first intermediate cannula;
• and
• a second plurality of curved cannulas, including a second main cannula and at least one second intermediate cannula, wherein the second curved penetrating guide member and the second intermediate cannula are configured such that the second intermediate cannula can be inserted over the proximal end of the second curved penetrating guide member toward the distal end of the second curved penetrating guide member, and wherein the second main cannula and the second intermediate cannula are configured such that the second main cannula can be inserted over the proximal end of the second intermediate cannula toward the distal end of the second intermediate cannula.

A system comprising:

• a targeting post, with a distal end for insertion within a patient to a reference location near a spine, a proximal end of the targeting post connected to an instrument support arm;
• a curved penetrating guide member with a proximal end and a distal end;
• a guide arm having a distal end with a latching assembly configured for detachably attaching to the proximal end of the curved penetrating guide member;
• and
• a proximal end configured for connection via a rotatable attachment to the proximal end of the targeting post such that the guide arm and attached curved penetrating guide member may rotate relative to the proximal end of the targeting post to move the distal end of the curved penetrating guide member in a curved path to a target location at a known position relative to the reference location occupied by the distal end of the targeting post;
• thus occupying a curved path from outside the patient to the target location;
• wherein the curved penetrating guide member comprises a plurality of attachment recesses at the proximal end of the curved penetrating guide member;
• and wherein the latching assembly comprises a sliding latch bar with a keyhole opening and a tab, the keyhole opening having a rounded lobe disposed toward the tab, and an ovoid lobe opposite the tab, the rounded lobe being sized to fit around the proximal end of the curved penetrating guide member, the ovoid lobe being sized to hold the attachment recesses of the curved penetrating guide member.