Nerve surveillance cannulae systems

Abstract

Systems and method for accessing a spinal target site involving a plurality of tissue displacement members configured to be advanced to a spinal target site and moved relative to one another to provide surgical access to the spinal target site, and an expandable member disposed at least partially about at least a portion of the plurality of tissue displacement members and configured to prevent tissue from migrating into the spinal target site during surgical access.

1 . A system for accessing a spinal target site, comprising: 
 a plurality of tissue displacement members configured to be advanced to a spinal target site and moved relative to one another to provide surgical access to said spinal target site; and    an expandable member disposed at least partially about at least a portion of said plurality of tissue displacement members and configured to prevent tissue from migrating into said spinal target site during surgical access.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of tissue displacement members may be at least one of straight and curved in shape.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said expandable member is disposed over at least half of the length of said tissue displacement members.  
   
   
       4 . A method for accessing a spinal target site, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) disposing an expandable member about at least a portion of at least two tissue displacement members;    (b) advancing the at least two tissue displacement members to a spinal target site; and    (c) moving said at least two displacement members to create a surgical access corridor to said spinal target site, wherein said expandable member is configured to prevent tissue from migrating into said spinal target site.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said expandable member is disposed over at least half of the length of said at least two tissue displacement members.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said expandable member is disposed over at least seventy-five percent of the length of said at least two tissue displacement members.