The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 09, 2005
Filed:
Oct. 16, 2001
James F. Zucherman, San Francisco, CA (US);
Ken Y. Hsu, San Francisco, CA (US);
Charles J. Winslow, Walnut Creek, CA (US);
John Flynn, Concord, CA (US);
James F. Zucherman, San Francisco, CA (US);
Ken Y. Hsu, San Francisco, CA (US);
Charles J. Winslow, Walnut Creek, CA (US);
John Flynn, Concord, CA (US);
St. Francis Medical Technologies, Inc., Alameda, CA (US);
Abstract
The present invention generally relates to a dilator with a curved tip. The curved tip is machined through a specific range of diameters so that a physician can establish the diameter of the opening with the dilator inserted. The angle of the dilator also allows the physician to access the interspinous ligament through a minimally invasive opening in the patients back, minimizing the trauma caused to surrounding body tissue.