Method and apparatus for laterally accessing an intervertebral disc space

摘要

A method for laterally accessing a lumbosacral intervertebral disc space of a patient includes positioning the patient laterally and making an incision to provide lateral access to the patient's iliac crest. A bracket (24) may be placed on the iliac crest and a retractor (28) may be attached to the bracket such that a distal end of the retractor is positioned over the lumbosacral intervertebral disc space while a proximal end of the retractor provides an entry space for a surgeon to insert at least one tool (90). The surgeon may perform a surgical procedure on the lumbosacral intervertebral disc space through a channel (49) defined by the retractor.

主权项

1. A surgical kit for laterally accessing a lumbosacral intervertebral disc space by engaging an iliac crest of a patient, the kit comprising:
a bracket including a pair of laterally spaced plates, each of the pair of laterally spaced plates defining an inner surface that faces the inner surface of the other of the pair of laterally spaced plates, the pair of laterally spaced plates defining a receiving space between the inner surfaces, the receiving space sized and configured to receive the iliac crest so as to mount the bracket onto the iliac crest, and each of the pair of laterally spaced plates including a top portion and a bottom portion, wherein the top portions of each of the pair of laterally spaced plates are connected such that the receiving space between the inner surfaces of the top portions is fixed, and the bottom portions are movable relative to one another such that the receiving space between the inner surfaces of the bottom portions is adjustable; a refractor defining a channel that is elongate in a longitudinal direction, the retractor including a proximal end defining a first opening that is open to the channel, the retractor further including a distal end opposite the proximal end, the distal end defining a second opening that is open to the channel, such that when the retractor is attached to the bracket and the bracket is mounted to the iliac crest, 1) the channel extends toward and is aligned with the lumbrosacral intervertebral disc space along the longitudinal direction such that the second opening faces the lumbosacral disc space, 2) at least one of the pair of laterally spaced plates overlaps at least a portion of the first opening along the longitudinal direction, and 3) the at a least a portion of the first opening is positioned between the at least one of the pair of laterally spaced plates and the second opening with respect to the longitudinal direction; wherein the retractor defines an inner dimension measured across the channel in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and the retractor is movable between a retracted position and a distracted position, whereby the inner dimension is larger when the retractor is in the distracted position than when the retractor is in the retracted position.