Patent ID: 8512235

Claim:
A system for accessing a spinal disc of a lumbar spine through an operative corridor, comprising: an elongate stimulation member configured to advance to a targeted spinal disc along a lateral, trans-psoas path to the lumbar spine, a distal tip region of the elongate stimulation member including a stimulation electrode configured to deliver electrical stimulation away from the distal tip region for nerve monitoring when the elongate stimulation member is positioned in the lateral, trans-psoas path; a plurality of dilators of sequentially larger diameter deliverable to the targeted spinal disc along the lateral, trans-psoas path; and a retraction assembly comprising a blade holder apparatus and a plurality of retractor blades releasably attachable to said blade holder apparatus, wherein the plurality of retractor blades of the retraction assembly are configured to maintain an operative corridor along the lateral, trans-psoas path to the lumbar spine after advancement of the elongate stimulation member and the plurality of dilators along the lateral, trans-psoas path to the lumbar spine, wherein the retraction assembly further comprises a fixation element that is releasably attachable to a first retractor blade of the plurality of retractor blades such that a distal penetration portion of said fixation element extends distally of a distal end of the said first retractor blade and is configured to penetrate into the lumbar spine for affixing the first retractor blade to the lumbar spine, said fixation element including a proximal portion having a width that is greater than a maximum width of said distal penetration portion of said fixation element, wherein a second retractor blade of the plurality of retractor blades is movable away from the first retractor blade, wherein the retractor blades of the retraction assembly are configured to maintain the operative corridor at a size so as to receive an implant through the operative corridor along the lateral, trans-psoas path to the lumbar spine.