Patent ID: 8535320

Claim:
A hoop shim for use with a surgical tissue retractor system, the hoop shim comprising: a shim portion having at least one feature configured to releasably couple to a retractor blade of the surgical retractor system, the shim portion having a first longitudinal axis extending between a distal end and a proximal end; and a hoop portion slidably engaged with the shim portion, the hoop portion having a hoop member configured to releasably couple to the head of a bone anchor and having an unlocked position which allows passage of the bone anchor head and a locked position which prevents passage of the bone anchor head, the hoop member extending from the shim portion orthogonally to the first longitudinal axis and defining an aperture therethrough having a second longitudinal axis, wherein the second longitudinal axis is parallel to the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis is offset from the first longitudinal axis, the hoop portion including a first flange extending from the hoop member that slides within a recess formed in the back of the shim portion and a second flange extending from the hoop member that also slides within the recess formed in the back of the shim member, the first flange having a wing extension along at least portion of the first flange extending beyond a perimeter of the recess in the back of the shim portion, the wing extension being receivable within a track groove of the retractor blade, the second flange having a proximal portion with a first width and an intermediate portion with a second width greater than the first width, the intermediate portion residing outside the recess when the hoop portion is in the unlocked position and residing in the recess when the hoop portion is in the locked position, wherein the intermediate portion has a sloped upper surface that engages a knob situated at an entrance of the recess such that second flange deflects toward the first flange when the hoop portion slides into the recess.