Patent ID: 9615818
Date: 2017-04-11
CPC Classifications: A61B

Claim:
1. A retractor configured to retract tissue, comprising: a first arm comprising a proximal portion and a distal portion spaced from the proximal portion along a first axis; a first retractor member configured to be supported by the distal portion of the first arm, the first retractor member defining a proximal end, a distal end spaced from the proximal end along a distal direction, a plurality of indentations disposed between the proximal and distal ends, and a distal wall spaced from all of the plurality of indentations toward the distal end in the distal direction, the first retractor member further defining an inner surface and an outer surface opposite the inner surface, wherein the distal wall projects from the inner surface in a first direction that is generally perpendicular to the distal direction, and the plurality of indentations extend into the inner surface along a second direction that is opposite the first direction; and a second arm comprising a proximal portion and a distal portion spaced from the proximal portion along a second axis, the distal portion of the second arm configured to retain a second retractor member, the distal portion of the second arm configured to rotate relative to the proximal portion of the second arm about the second axis such that rotation of the distal portion of the second arm about the second axis causes the second retractor member to move relative to the first retractor member when the second retractor member is coupled to the second arm; a disc anchor that is permanently attached to the first retractor member and that is movably supported on the inner surface such that the disc anchor is movable in the distal direction from a retracted position to an extended position that is spaced from the retracted position along the distal direction so that the disc anchor is insertable into an intervertebral disc space, and the disc anchor is further movable in the distal direction from the extended position whereby the disc anchor includes an engagement member that is received in a respective one of the plurality of indentations, to a cleaning position whereby the engagement member of the disc anchor is out of engagement with all of the plurality of indentations and is disposed along the inner surface at a location that is spaced in the distal direction from all of the plurality of indentations to facilitate cleaning of the disc anchor, wherein the disc anchor abuts the distal wall when the disc anchor is in the cleaning position, such that the distal wall inhibits the disc anchor from moving further in the distal direction when in the cleaning position.