US 7,513,869 B2
Instruments and methods for minimally invasive tissue retraction and surgery
Charles L. Branch, Advance, N.C. (US); Eric C. Lange, Germantown, Tenn. (US); and Jonathan Dewey, Memphis, Tenn. (US)
Assigned to Warsaw Orthopedic, Inc., Warsaw, Ind. (US)
Filed on Mar. 03, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/792,358.
Application 10/792358 is a continuation in part of application No. 10/180658, filed on Jun. 26, 2002, granted, now 6,945,933.
Prior Publication US 2004/0176665 A1, Sep. 09, 2004
Int. Cl. A61B 1/32 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 600—210  [600/214; 600/215; 600/233] 44 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A retractor assembly for percutaneous surgery in a patient, comprising:
a first retractor portion having a proximal end and a distal end and being positionable in an incision;
a second retractor portion having a proximal end and a distal end and being positionable in the incision opposite said first retractor portion, said first and second retractor portions defining an axis extending therebetween;
a separation instrument coupled between said proximal ends of said first and second retractor portions and being offset to one side of said axis, said separation instrument being operable to move said first and second retractor portions along said axis from an insertion configuration wherein said first and second retractor portions are adjacent one another to a second configuration wherein said first and second portions are separated from one another; and
an intermediate retractor assembly removably mountable to said separation instrument, said intermediate retractor assembly including a linking arm extending from said separation instrument toward said first and second retractor portions to a retractor blade, said retractor blade being transversely oriented to said linking arm and being positionable in the incision between said first and second retractor portions wherein:
said first retractor portion and said second retractor portion each includes an engagement member extending laterally therefrom for engagement by said separation instrument;
one of said engagement members of said first retractor portion and said retractor second portion includes at least one alignment member extending toward said engagement member of the other of said first retractor portion and said second retractor portion; and
said engagement member of the other of said first retractor portion and said second retractor portion includes at least one receptacle for receiving said at least one alignment member.