Patent ID: 8663100

Claim:
A system for accessing a spinal disc of a lumbar spine through a trans-psoas operative corridor, comprising: an initial dilator configured to advance to a targeted spinal disc along a lateral, trans-psoas path to the lumbar spine, an elongate inner member advanceable through an inner lumen of the initial dilator and being configured to is penetrate into a lateral aspect of a targeted spinal disc along the lateral, trans-psoas path to the lumbar spine, and a plurality of sequential dilators of sequentially larger diameter deliverable to the targeted spinal disc along the lateral, trans-psoas path to the lumbar spine, wherein at least one instrument from a group consisting of the initial dilator, the elongate inner member, and the sequential dilators includes a stimulation electrode at a distal tip region to deliver electrical stimulation for nerve monitoring when the stimulation electrode is positioned in the lateral, trans-psoas path, wherein the elongate inner member has a longitudinal length that is greater than a longitudinal length of the initial dilator, and wherein one or more dilators of the plurality of sequential dilators have an outer diameter that is greater than an outer diameter of the initial dilator; and a trans-psoas retractor assembly comprising a blade holder apparatus and a plurality of retractor blades coupled to said blade holder apparatus, wherein at least two retractor blades of the plurality of retractor blades are releasably attachable to said blade holder apparatus, wherein the plurality of retractor blades of the trans-psoas retractor assembly are configured to maintain a trans-psoas operative corridor along the lateral, trans-psoas path to the lumbar spine after advancement of the plurality of sequential dilators along the lateral, trans-psoas path to the lumbar spine, wherein the blade holder apparatus is configured to retain the plurality of retractor blades in a selected position so that the trans-psoas operative corridor is so dimensioned to pass an implant through the trans-psoas operative corridor along the lateral, trans-psoas path to the lumbar spine.