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:
May. 12, 2015
Filed:
Nov. 15, 2012
Seaspine, Inc., Vista, CA (US);
Gustavo R. Prado, San Diego, CA (US);
Seaspine, Inc., Vista, CA (US);
Abstract
Disclosed is an apparatus and a method for surgical dilation and retraction of tissues during a medical procedure, for example a spinal surgery. The apparatus includes a dilator assembly that includes a plurality of slidingly engaging dilators, wherein at least one dilator includes an outer wall shape different from its inner wall shape. At least one of the dilators may include an eccentrically positioned circular channel, a generally oblong outer wall shape, and a longitudinal gap in a wall. The dilator system may be used in a method that provides off center differential dilation of tissues in one or more preferred directions. A retractor system that may be used with the dilator system is also disclosed.