Patent ID: 8092488
Filing Date: 2012-01-10
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A bone retractor tool for opening access to a joint space or bone cut, comprising: a pair of arms pivotably connected to one another intermediate the upper and lower ends thereof, said pair of arms pivotable between open and a closed positions; a pair of tissue engagement plates each having forward and rearward portions, each of said pair of tissue engagement plates mounted on said upper end of one of said pair of arms and extending generally parallel with one another when said pair of arms are in said closed position such that said tissue engagement plates do not contact each other in said open or closed position; forward bone engagement spikes mounted on and extending forwards from said forward portions of said pair of tissue engagement plates for insertion into the bone outside, on either side of, the joint space or bone cut and opening access thereto when said arms are in the closed position; a releasable securement mechanism mounted on at least one of said pair of arms for releasably retaining said pair of arms in a selected position relative to one another; and a tensioning device mounted on at least one of said pair of arms for tensioning said lower ends of said pair of arms away from one another thereby forcing said pair of tissue engagement plates towards one another upon said securement mechanism being released.