Patent ID: 8864785

Claim:
A surgical access system for accessing a surgical target site within a spine, comprising: a retractor having a distal end and a proximal end and including at least one retraction element, the retraction element having a generally concave inner face and a generally convex exterior face, the retraction element having a closed configuration defining a lumen having an internal circumference, and an open configuration in which the internal circumference, at least at the distal end, is enlarged relative to said closed configuration, the open configuration creating and maintaining an operative corridor to said target site with a field of view, wherein the field of view is at least substantially the same as that of an inner diameter of the retractor; and an elongated element adapted to be releasably coupled to an interior wall of the retractor, the elongated element including a contiguous extension dimensioned to extend distal of the distal end of the retraction element into the surgical target site, wherein the elongated element and the extension are formed of a single, monolithic structure, wherein the elongated element is configured such that when coupled to the retractor, the elongated element covers a body structure at the target site without substantially reducing the field of view through the retractor and without blocking access to the operative corridor for insertion of additional surgical instruments through the retractor to the target site.