US 12,256,916 B2
Surgical retractor system and methods of use
Leonel A. Hunt, San Diego, CA (US); Gabriel E. Hunt, San Diego, CA (US); Drew Schifle, San Diego, CA (US); Greg Causey, San Diego, CA (US); and Alan Burkholder, San Diego, CA (US)
Assigned to NuVasive, Inc., San Diego, CA (US)
Filed by NuVasive, Inc., San Diego, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 18, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/179,194.
Application 17/179,194 is a continuation of application No. 16/237,247, filed on Dec. 31, 2018, granted, now 10,952,715.
Application 16/237,247 is a continuation of application No. 14/239,528, granted, now 10,166,018, issued on Jan. 1, 2019, previously published as PCT/US2012/051480, filed on Aug. 17, 2012.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/532,751, filed on Sep. 9, 2011.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/525,646, filed on Aug. 19, 2011.
Prior Publication US 2021/0169460 A1, Jun. 10, 2021
Int. Cl. A61B 17/02 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01); A61B 17/28 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/025 (2013.01) [A61B 17/0206 (2013.01); A61B 17/282 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00915 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0092 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0256 (2013.01); F04C 2270/0421 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A two-blade surgical retractor system comprising:
an elongate element comprising an elongate element distal end and an elongate element proximal end with a length therebetween, the elongate element defining an operational axis along the length thereof;
an arm extending laterally from the elongate element and including a rotatable gear engageable with the elongate element;
a first blade having a first upper portion secured to the elongate element distal end and a first blade portion comprising a substantially flat first blade face;
a second blade having:
a second upper portion secured to the arm; and
a second blade portion having a substantially flat second blade face that faces the first blade face, wherein the arm is positioned along the length of the elongate element at a position between the elongate element proximal end and the first blade, the arm being configured to move along the length of the elongate element, wherein, when the two-blade surgical system is in an insertion position, a central region of the substantially flat second blade face is in contact with a central region of the substantially flat first blade face,
wherein the first blade defines a first reference point located thereon,
wherein the second blade defines a second reference point located thereon,
wherein an axis of movement is defined through the first reference point and the second reference point that is parallel to the operational axis,
wherein a movement of the position of the arm along the length of the elongate element moves one or both of the first reference point and the second reference point in a linear direction along the axis of movement and orthogonal to the second blade face, and
wherein the rotatable gear includes a drive feature on an upper surface of the arm and adapted to detachably receive a driver for rotation of the rotatable gear to translate the arm along the elongate element.