US2020214685A1PendingUtilityA1

Technique and system for lateral lumbar spine fusion

62
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Dec 1, 2015Filed: Mar 17, 2020Published: Jul 9, 2020
Est. expiryDec 1, 2035(~9.3 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Seth K. Williams
A61B 5/389A61B 5/4893A61B 2090/036A61B 17/025A61B 2505/05A61B 5/6847A61B 2017/0262A61B 2017/0256A61B 5/0488
62
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Claims

Abstract

A method of making a retractor blade attachment system includes forming a probe such that a shaft of the probe includes a pointed tip. The pointed tip is configured to puncture tissue in a disk space of a disk and anchor the probe to the tissue. The method further includes forming a retractor blade that includes an end portion and a slot. The slot is formed to receive at least a portion of the shaft of the probe, and at least a portion of the end portion is designed to rest upon the disk when the retractor blade is mounted on the probe.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of making a retractor blade attachment system, the method comprising:
 forming a probe such that a shaft of the probe includes a pointed tip, wherein the pointed tip is configured to puncture tissue in a disk space of a disk and anchor the probe to the tissue; and   forming a retractor blade that includes an end portion and a slot, wherein the slot is formed to receive at least a portion of the shaft of the probe, and wherein at least a portion of the end portion is designed to rest upon the disk when the retractor blade is mounted on the probe.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 forming a collar such that the collar slidably mounts to the shaft of the probe; and   mounting the collar to the shaft of the probe using a fastener that is configured to secure the collar to the shaft, wherein at least a portion of the end portion of the retractor blade is designed to rest upon one or more of the collar and the disk when the retractor blade is mounted on the probe.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein mounting the collar comprises mounting the collar such that it acts as a stop to control a distance through which the shaft of the probe traverses the tissue. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the retractor blade includes forming the end portion as a convex shape. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the retractor blade includes forming the end portion as a concave shape. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the slot of the retractor blade is formed as a tubular slot. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein forming the retractor blade comprises forming the tubular slot within a wall of the retractor blade. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the retractor blade comprises forming the slot partially anterior to a blade of the retractor blade. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the retractor blade comprises forming the slot completely anterior to a blade of the retractor blade. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the retractor blade comprises forming the slot partially posterior to a blade of the retractor blade. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the retractor blade comprises forming the slot completely posterior to a blade of the retractor blade. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the slot of the retractor blade is formed as a partially open slot. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising forming the pointed tip of the probe such that the pointed tip includes teeth which anchor the probe in the disk space. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the teeth are retractable teeth that can be extended from and retracted into the probe. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the teeth comprise fixed teeth. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the probe is formed to have a diameter of between 2-3 millimeters. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising mounting an electrical stimulator to the probe such that the probe can deliver electrical stimulation. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising mounting an attachment to the probe, wherein the attachment includes an opening. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the opening in the attachment comprises a threaded opening that is configured to receive a threaded handle. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the opening in the attachment is designed to receive a component of an expandable retractor system.

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