Patent ID: 8827900
Filing Date: 2014-09-09
Classification: A61B,A61M

Abstract:
1. A method of accessing a targeted intervertebral disc of the lumbar spine, comprising the steps of: advancing a sequential dilation system along a lateral, trans-psoas path to a lateral aspect of the targeted intervertebral disc, the sequential dilation system comprising a plurality of dilators of increasing width, wherein at least one of the plurality of dilators includes a stimulation electrode along a distal end region and wherein an electrical stimulation is delivered to the stimulation electrode when the stimulation electrode is positioned in the lateral, trans-psoas path to detect the proximity of one or more nerves relative to the stimulation electrode; advancing three blades of a three-bladed retractor assembly over an outer dilator of the sequential dilation system along the lateral trans-psoas path to the lateral aspect of the targeted intervertebral disc of the lumbar spine, wherein the three blades of the retractor assembly are oriented such that one of the retractor blades is a posterior blade, one is a caudal-most blade, and one is a cephalad-most blade, wherein the posterior blade includes a pressure sensor situated thereon; operating the retractor assembly to move distal ends of the cephalad-most and caudal most retractor blades away from the posterior retractor blade to retract body tissue away from the lateral trans-psoas path and form a lateral trans-psoas operative corridor along the lateral trans-psoas path to lateral aspect of the targeted intervertebral disc of the lumbar spine; and determining the pressure exerted on the body tissue adjacent the posterior retractor blade; and selectively adjusting the size of the lateral trans-psoas operative corridor based on the determined pressure to control the retraction stress applied to the retracted body tissue adjacent the lateral trans-psoas operative corridor.