Patent ID: 7670354

Claim:
A device for retracting tissue to provide access to a spinal surgical location within a patient, said device comprising: an elongate body having a proximal portion and a distal portion and defining a length between the proximal and distal portions such that the distal portion can be positioned posteriorly through the back of the patient adjacent the surgical location; the elongate body having a first configuration sized for insertion to the surgical location and an expanded second configuration; the elongate body in at least the second configuration providing an access path through the elongate body between the proximal and distal portions, the access path being sized such that more than one surgical instrument can be positioned and manipulated within the access path simultaneously; and wherein the elongate body is actuatable between the first configuration sized for insertion into the patient and the second configuration such that a transverse dimension at a first location is greater than a transverse dimension at a second location, the first location being distal to the second location; a manual leveraged expander for at least partially moving the elongate body from the first configuration to the second configuration; and wherein the elongate body is structured such that when moved to the expanded configuration by the manual leveraged expander, the elongate body remains in the expanded configuration upon removal of the expander, thereby providing an expanded working area at the spinal surgical location.