Patent ID: 7985218

Claim:
A device suitable for providing access through an incision in the skin of a patient to a spinal location within the patient, the device comprising: an elongate body having a proximal end and a distal end sized and adapted for insertion through the incision in the skin and to provide access through the incision to the spinal location, the proximal and distal ends defining a length between the proximal and distal ends such that the proximal end can be positioned outside the patient and the distal end can be positioned inside the patient adjacent the spinal location; wherein the elongate body is expandable from a contracted configuration to an expanded configuration such that a transverse dimension at a first location is greater than a transverse dimension at a second location, wherein the first location is distal to the second location; wherein, the elongate body provides an access path through the incision to the spinal location, wherein the elongate body is lockable in its expanded configuration; wherein the elongate body comprises a slot and a guide member disposed in the slot, the guide member being movable from a first end of the slot toward a second end of the slot to enable the transverse dimension of the first location to increase, wherein the slot extends in a circumferential direction from the first end to the second end, the slot including a stop portion extending transverse to the circumferential direction, the elongate body having a stop engageable with the guide member to define a retaining mechanism and resist movement of the guide member from the second end of the slot toward the first end of the slot, thereby resisting movement of the elongate body from the expanded condition towards the contracted condition.