Patent ID: 7651499

Claim:
A working channel for separating paraspinal muscles and minimizing muscle trauma during spinal surgery comprising: a fixed in shape elongate body having a free distal end for inserting into a patient, the elongate body having a length along a longitudinal axis of the working channel, a free proximal end for receiving surgical equipment and an interior lumen traversing through the elongate body, the distal and proximal ends of the elongate body generally corresponding to a distal and proximal end of the working channel respectively, at least a portion of the elongate body having marquise-shaped inner and outer cross-sections, the marquise-shaped inner and outer cross-sections being taken generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and having a width and length that are each less than the length of the elongate body, the marquise-shaped inner and outer cross-sections include first and second opposing and generally pointed corners for separating muscle fibers and first and second convex portions extending between the first and second corners, the inner and outer cross-sections being dimensionally matched at each point along the longitudinal axis.