Patent ID: 7946982

Claim:
A minimal incision maximal access minimal invasive surgical spine instrument comprising: a first retractor blade member; a first tilt support attached to said first retractor blade member for supporting said first retractor blade member over a range of angular motion; a first translation support for pivotally supporting said first tilt support; a second retractor blade member; a second tilt support attached to said second retractor blade member for supporting said second retractor blade member over a range of angular motion; a second translation support for pivotally supporting said second tilt support; a main support, for supporting said first and said second translation supports and for enabling controlled movement of said first and said second translation supports over a range of different positions with respect to said main support, wherein said main support includes a first frame member associated with said first translation support and a second frame member associated with said second translation support, and wherein said first frame member is angularly displaceable with respect to said second frame member, said first translation support defining a first plane; and a first translation mechanical linkage further comprising: a first captured threaded member having a first axis, said first captured threaded member rotatable with respect to said first frame member without axial movement with respect to said first frame member, said first axis being coplanar with said first plane; a first internally threaded bore located through a portion of said first translation support; and a first through bore located through a portion of said first frame member, said first captured threaded member being located within said first internally threaded bore and said first through bore, such that rotation of said captured threaded member causes axial translation of said first translation support within said main support.