Patent ID: 9011323
Filing Date: 2015-04-21
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A method of performing a minimally invasive head or neck surgery on a patient, said method comprising: providing an illuminated soft tissue retractor having a retractor blade, a retractor body and an illumination waveguide, wherein the retractor blade is coupled to the retractor body and the illumination waveguide is coupled to the retractor blade; creating a minimally invasive surgical incision in the head or neck of the patient; inserting the retractor blade into the incision; illuminating the surgical field with light extracted from the illumination waveguide, wherein the light is directed laterally and distally from the illumination waveguide to illuminate the surgical field, wherein the light is transmitted through the illumination waveguide by total internal reflection; counter tracting soft tissue with the retractor blade based on the weight of a proximal projection protruding from a proximal end of the retractor body while illuminating the surgical field thereby counter tracting the soft tissue without requiring squeezing of the retractor body by an operator; and performing the remainder of the head and neck surgery.