Surgical access system and method of using the same
AssigneeZimmer Spine, Inc.
InventorsHugh D. Hestad, Rajesh Dwarakanath, Daniel Robbins
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A surgical access system includes retractor for creating an access path between an incision site and a surgical site. The retractor includes a frame having a base member and a pair of generally curved rails extending therefrom. A tubular member is coupled to the frame and includes first and second blade portions that are capable of relative movement with respect to each other by movement on the curved rails. A method of inserting the retractor into a patient includes inserting a guide rod over a guide wire, locating an obturator in the retractor, inserting the obturator and retractor over the guide rod, and removing both the guide rod and obturator to leave the retractor in the body to provide the access path.
Claims19
A surgical retractor for creating an access path between an incision site and a surgical site during a surgical procedure, comprising:
- a frame having a base member, a cross member, and a pair of generally parallel curved rails extending between said base member and said cross member, said rails being fixedly attached to both said base member and said cross member such that the base member and cross member are not moveable relative to each other;
- a tubular member coupled to said frame and having a first blade portion and a second blade portion, said first blade portion removably secured directly to said base member, said second blade portion secured to a sliding member configured to slide along said rails, said first and second blade portions capable of relative movement with respect to each other from a first contracted position to an expanded position by movement of said second blade portion along said rails, and
- a lock mechanism disposed on said sliding member, said lock mechanism pivotable between an open position in which the sliding member moves along said rails, and a locked position in which movement of the sliding member relative to the rails is prevented, wherein the lock mechanism is biased in the locked position;
- wherein said first and second blade portions define at least in part an access path extending between the incision site and the surgical site.
A surgical retractor for creating an access path between an incision site and a surgical site during a surgical procedure, comprising:
- a frame having a base member, a sliding member, a cross member, and a pair of generally parallel curved rails, wherein said base member is fixed to a first end of said rails and said cross member is fixed to a second end of said rails, and said sliding member is disposed on said rails such that the sliding member may slide on the rails between the base member and the cross member;
- a tubular member coupled to said frame and having a first blade portion and a second blade portion, said first blade portion removably secured directly to said base member and said second blade portion removably secured directly to said sliding member, said first and second blade portions capable of relative movement with respect to each other from a first contracted position to an expanded position by movement of at least one of said blade portions along said rails;
- and
- a lock mechanism disposed on said sliding member, said lock mechanism pivotable between an open position in which the sliding member moves along said rails, and a locked position in which movement of the sliding member relative to the rails is prevented, wherein the lock mechanism is biased in the locked position and is configured such that moving the sliding member away from the base member automatically pivots the lock mechanism into the open position, and when the sliding member stops moving away from the base member, the locking mechanism automatically returns to the biased locked position;
- wherein said first and second blade portions define at least in part an access path extending between the incision site and the surgical site.
A surgical retractor for creating an access path between an incision site and a surgical site during a surgical procedure, comprising:
- a frame having a base member, a cross member, a sliding member, and a pair of generally parallel curved rails extending between said base member and said cross member, said rails being fixedly attached to both said base member and said cross member;
- a tubular member coupled to said frame and having a first blade portion and a second blade portion, said first blade portion removably secured directly to said base member, said second blade portion secured to said sliding member, said first and second blade portions capable of relative movement with respect to each other from a first contracted position to an expanded position by movement of at least one of said blade portions along said rails, and
- a lock mechanism disposed on said sliding member, said lock mechanism pivotable between an open position in which the sliding member moves along said rails, and a locked position in which movement of the sliding member relative to the rails is prevented, wherein the lock mechanism is biased in the locked position;
- wherein said first and second blade portions define at least in part an access path extending between the incision site and the surgical site;
- wherein said first and second blade portions define a gap along opposed edges thereof when in the expanded position, the retractor further comprising at least one side plate rotatably connected to at least one of said rails in the gap between said first and second blade portions, said at least one side plate having a first free end and a second end rotatable about the rail to which it is connected from a first position in which the free end is substantially aligned with said first and second blade portions to a second position in which the free end is angled away from the first and second blade portions, said at least one side plate adapted to reduce the encroachment of tissue into the access path through the gap.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.