Patent ID: 6837891

Claim:
A system for providing minimally invasive access to a surgical location on or near the spine of a patient, said system comprising: an elongate body having a proximal end, a distal end, an outer surface, and an inner surface, said inner surface defining a passage extending through the elongate body and through which surgical instruments can be inserted to the surgical location, said elongate body capable of being articulated from a contracted configuration to an expanded configuration wherein the cross-sectional area of said passage at a first location is greater than the cross-sectional area of said passage at a second location, wherein the first location is distal to the second location; a plastic layer coupled extending a majority of the distance between the proximal and distal ends, the plastic layer being coupled with a surface of said elongate body, said plastic layer configured to at least partially limit expansion of said elongate body, said plastic layer configured to be torn at least at the distal end to release the elongate body for expansion to the expanded condition.