Surgical retractor and method of use

Abstract

A surgical retractor includes a first member defining a longitudinal axis. The first member includes a blade disposed in spaced apart relation relative to the longitudinal axis and a grip surface. A second member has a blade disposed in spaced apart relation relative to the longitudinal axis and a grip surface. The grip surfaces are configured to be drawn together along the longitudinal axis such that the blades are engageable with tissue and connected with the grip surfaces such that the grip surfaces provide a tactile feedback of the tissue engagement. Systems and methods of use are disclosed.

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A method of treating a spine, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a surgical retractor comprising a first member defining a longitudinal axis and including a blade disposed in spaced apart relation relative to the longitudinal axis and a grip surface; and a second member including a blade disposed in spaced apart relation relative to the longitudinal axis and a grip surface, wherein the grip surface of the second member includes a first portion and a second portion spaced apart from the first portion;   disposing a first finger into engagement with the first portion and a second finger into engagement with the second portion;   disposing a third finger into engagement with the grip surface of the first member; and   compressing the grip surfaces to draw the grip surfaces together such that the blades space apart to engage tissue, wherein the grip surfaces provide tactile feedback to the fingers of the tissue engagement.   
     
     
         20 . A method as recited in  claim 19 , further comprising the step of rotating at least one of the blades about an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis in selected angular increments. 
     
     
         21 . A method as recited in  claim 19 , wherein compressing the grip surfaces comprises the third finger applying a first force in a first direction and the first and second fingers applying a second force in an opposite second direction. 
     
     
         22 . A method as recited in  claim 19 , wherein compressing the grip surfaces comprises the third finger applying a force to the grip surface of the first member and the first and second fingers applying a counter pressure to the grip surface of the second member. 
     
     
         23 . A method as recited in  claim 19 , wherein compressing the grip surfaces comprises moving the first and second fingers toward the third finger. 
     
     
         24 . A method as recited in  claim 19 , wherein drawing the grip surfaces together moving the grip surfaces toward one another such that the grip surface of the first member directly engages the grip surface of the second member. 
     
     
         25 . A method as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the grip surfaces are disposed in a configuration to conform to natural hand strength. 
     
     
         26 . A method as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the first, second and third fingers are part of a first hand. 
     
     
         27 . A method as recited in  claim 26 , further comprising pivoting a lever of the surgical retractor from a locking configuration to a non-locking configuration using a second hand prior to compressing the grip surfaces, wherein a shaft of the first member is fixed relative to a housing of the second member when the surgical retractor is in the locking configuration and the shaft is movable relative to the housing when the surgical retractor is in the non-locking configuration. 
     
     
         28 . A method as recited in  claim 27 , wherein the grip surface of the second member comprises a gap between the first portion and the second portion, a portion of the lever being positioned in the gap when the surgical retractor is in the locking configuration. 
     
     
         29 . A method as recited in  claim 26 , further comprising pivoting a lever of the surgical retractor from a non-locking configuration to a locking configuration using a second hand after compressing the grip surfaces, wherein a shaft of the first member is movable relative to a housing of the second member when the surgical retractor is in the non-locking configuration and the shaft is fixed relative to the housing when the surgical retractor is in the locking configuration. 
     
     
         30 . A method as recited in  claim 29 , wherein the grip surface of the second member comprises a gap between the first portion and the second portion, a portion of the lever being positioned in the gap when the surgical retractor is in the non-locking configuration. 
     
     
         31 . A method as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the first member comprises a first arm that defines a first axis and the second member comprises a second arm that defines a second axis, the blade of the first member being coupled to the first arm and the blade of the second member being coupled to the second arm, the method further comprising:
 rotating the first arm about the first axis to rotate the blade of the first member; and   rotating the second arm about the second axis to rotate the blade of the second member.   
     
     
         32 . A method as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the first member comprises a shaft that extends through the grip surface of the second member. 
     
     
         33 . A method as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the first member comprises a shaft that extends through the grip surface of the second member and a housing of the second member, the second member including an arm comprising a shaft that is fixed to the housing and a tubular portion that is rotatable relative to the shaft of the second member, the blade of the second member being coupled to the tubular portion such that the blade of the second member is rotatable relative to the shaft of the second member about an axis defined by the shaft of the second member. 
     
     
         34 . A method as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the grip surface of the second member is fixed to the housing. 
     
     
         35 . A method as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the first portion comprises a first hole extending through a thickness of the grip surface of the second member and the second portion comprises a second hole extending through the thickness of the grip surface of the second member. 
     
     
         36 . A surgical method comprising:
 engaging spaced apart first and second blades of a surgical retractor with tissue;   disposing a first finger of a hand into engagement with a first portion of a first grip surface and a second finger of the hand into engagement with a second portion of the first grip surface;   disposing a third finger of the hand into engagement with a second grip surface that is spaced apart from the first grip surface; and   compressing the grip surfaces to draw the grip surfaces together such that the first grip surface directly engages the second grip surface and the blades space apart tissue to create a surgical pathway to a surgical site.   
     
     
         37 . A surgical method comprising:
 pivoting a lever of a surgical retractor from a locking configuration to a non-locking configuration using a first hand;   engaging spaced apart first and second blades of the surgical retractor with tissue;   disposing a first finger of a second hand into engagement with a first portion of a first grip surface and a second finger of the second hand into engagement with a second portion of the first grip surface;   disposing a third finger of the second hand into engagement with a second grip surface that is spaced apart from the first grip surface; and   compressing the grip surfaces to draw the grip surfaces together such that the first grip surface directly engages the second grip surface and the blades space apart tissue to create a surgical pathway to a surgical site   pivoting the lever from the non-locking configuration to the locking configuration using the first hand,   wherein the first blade is coupled to a shaft and the second blade is coupled to a housing, the shaft being relative to the housing when the surgical retractor is in the locking configuration and the shaft is movable relative to the housing when the surgical retractor is in the non-locking configuration.