Surgical Access Tube

摘要

Implementations of the present disclosure provide an access tube including a wall structure and an optional handle extending from the wall structure. Selectively weakened areas facilitate selective resection of the wall structure to reveal windows that accommodate lateral intrusions by surrounding anatomical structures and/or provide increased access to an intervertebral disc. For example, a first distal weakened portion is configured to form a first window to afford lateral intrusion of a spinous process. A second distal weakened portion is configured to form a second window to afford lateral intrusion of facet. A proximal weakened portion is configured to afford additional angular access on a proximal end of the tube.

主权项

1. A tube for facilitating access to an anatomical structure through intervening and adjacent anatomical structures, the tube comprising:
a wall structure of material sufficiently stiff to define and hold open a tube opening to the anatomical structure through intervening anatomical structure; the wall structure including a proximal edge and a distal edge and a length extending therebetween; at least one selectively weakened distal portion extending from the distal edge of the wall structure, the selectively weakened distal portion configured for separation from a remainder of the wall structure to form a window shaped to accommodate medial or lateral intrusion into the tube opening of at least one of the anatomical structures.