Surgical access system and related methods

US8182423B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• NuVasive, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Patrick Miles · San Diego, US
• Scot Martinelli · San Diego, US
• Eric Finley · San Diego, US
• James Gharib · San Diego, US
• Allen Farquhar · Portland, US
• Norbert Kaula · Arvada, US
• Jeffrey J. Blewett · San Diego, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 30, 2009
• Grant date: May 22, 2012
• Expiry date: Dec 24, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61B2017/0262
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A system for accessing a surgical target site and related methods, involving an initial distraction system for creating an initial distraction corridor, and an assembly capable of distracting from the initial distraction corridor to a secondary distraction corridor and thereafter sequentially receiving a plurality of retractor blades for retracting from the secondary distraction corridor to thereby create an operative corridor to the surgical target site, both of which may be equipped with one or more electrodes for use in detecting the existence of (and optionally the distance and/or direction to) neural structures before, during, and after the establishment of an operative corridor to a surgical target site.