Patent ID: 8133173
Filing Date: 2012-03-13
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A method for accessing a spinal disc of a lumbar spine of a patient, comprising: (a) sequentially inserting a plurality of sequentially larger diameter dilators into said patient along a lateral, trans-psoas path to create a distraction corridor along said lateral, trans-psoas path, wherein each of said plurality of sequentially larger diameter dilators comprises a stimulation electrode and is inserted under conditions wherein an electrical stimulation is delivered to said stimulation electrode for nerve monitoring when said stimulation electrode is positioned in said lateral, trans-psoas path, (b) advancing a plurality of retractor blades of a retractor assembly along said lateral, trans-psoas path and over an exterior of the outermost dilator of said plurality of sequentially larger diameter dilators inserted in step (a), said retractor assembly comprising a retractor blade holder and said plurality of retractor blades attached to said retractor blade holder, (c) moving at least one of said plurality of retractor blades in a direction away from at least one other of said plurality of retractor blades to create an operative corridor along said lateral, trans-psoas path, wherein said operative corridor is dimensioned so as to pass a spinal implant through said operative corridor along said lateral, trans-psoas path to the lumbar spine, (d) removing said plurality of sequentially larger diameter dilators from said patient, and (e) maintaining said operative corridor along said lateral, trans-psoas path using said retractor assembly to deliver said spinal implant to the lumbar spine, wherein, during delivery of said spinal implant, said operative corridor is maintained by a posterior-most retractor blade of said retractor assembly, an anterior-most retractor blade of said refractor assembly, a caudal-most retractor blade of said retractor assembly, and a cephalad-most retractor blade of said retractor assembly.