Patent ID: 8915846

Claim:
An assembly for accessing a spinal disc of a lumbar spine through an operative corridor of accessing a surgical target site, comprising: first and second retractor blades each having a proximal connector region and an elongate blade body extending distally from the proximal connector region, the elongate blade bodies of the first and second retractor blades being configured to maintain an operative corridor along a lateral, trans-psoas path to a lumbar spine when the first and second retractor blades are delivered to the lumbar spine, the elongate blade body of the first retractor blade being the same shape and size as the elongate blade body of the second retractor blade, the elongate blade body of the first retractor blade defining a single tubular passageway fixedly positioned relative to the proximal connector region of the first retractor blade and configured to slidably receive a first spine penetration member, and the elongate blade body of the second refractor blade also defining a single tubular passageway fixedly positioned relative to the proximal connector region of the second retractor blade and configured to slidably receive a second spine penetration member; a blade holder apparatus that is configured to receive and lock with the proximal connector regions of the first and second retractor blades after the plurality of retractor blades engage with the blade holder apparatus, wherein the elongate blade bodies of the first and second retractor blades are positioned directly opposite from one another when the proximal connector regions of the first and second refractor blades are locked with the blade holder apparatus; and an elongate inner member configured to be delivered toward a spinal disc along the lateral, trans-psoas path to the lumbar spine, and a first dilator configured to be delivered to the spinal disc along the lateral, trans-psoas path to the lumbar, the first dilator having a lumen configured to slidably receive the elongate inner member, wherein at least one instrument from the group consisting of the elongate inner member and the first dilator includes a stimulation electrode to deliver electrical stimulation for nerve monitoring when said stimulation electrode is positioned in the lateral, trans-psoas path to the lumbar spine.