Devices and systems for surgical retraction

US10980528B2 · US · B2

Patent metadata
FieldValue
Publication numberUS-10980528-B2
Application numberUS-201916364438-A
CountryUS
Kind codeB2
Filing dateMar 26, 2019
Priority dateAug 18, 2015
Publication dateApr 20, 2021
Grant dateApr 20, 2021

How to read this patent

A practical reading order for non-experts. Skip the full description unless you need deep technical detail.

  1. Title

    What the patent document calls the invention.

  2. Abstract

    A short plain-language summary of the technical disclosure.

  3. Assignees and inventors

    Who owns or filed the patent and who is credited as inventor.

  4. Key dates

    Filing, priority, publication, and grant dates set the timeline.

  5. First independent claim

    The legal scope of protection — read this for what is actually claimed.

  6. CPC / IPC classifications

    Technology tags used to group this patent with similar filings.

  7. Citations and related patents

    Prior art links and similar publications in this corpus.

Abstract

Official abstract text for this publication.

Retractor blade assemblies, retractors, kits, and methods of using the same. The retractor blade assembly may include a retractor blade, a pedicle screw, and a screw mount that connects the pedicle screw to the retractor blade. The retractor blade may have a proximal end configured to engage a retractor body and a distal end configured to retract soft tissue. The pedicle screw may have a head portion removably connected to the distal end of the retractor blade and a shaft portion configured to engage the pedicle of a vertebra. The screw mount couples the pedicle screw to the retractor blade.

First claim

Opening claim text (preview).

What is claimed is: 1. A method of connecting a retractor blade to a pedicle, the method comprising: connecting a driver to a screw mount, the screw mount including an extension portion and a head portion, the head portion having a concave internal wall and the extension portion including a moveable retaining member with a free end that extends into the head portion such that a concave surface of the retaining member is opposed to the concave internal wall to define a chamber; positioning a head of a pedicle screw within the chamber; moving a locking member to a locked position wherein a portion of the locking member engages the retaining member and prevents the retaining member from moving radially outwardly; attaching the pedicle screw to a pedicle of a vertebra; sliding a retractor blade having a proximal portion and a distal portion down the driver and onto the screw mount such that the distal portion of the retractor blade connects to the screw mount; and removing the driver. 2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the driver includes at least one track portion configured to engage an outside surface on the extension portion of the screw mount. 3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the retaining member includes a lip configured to engage a corresponding slot in the retractor blade. 4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the slot has an axial length and movement of the lip within the slot over the axial length defines a range of motion of the retractor blade relative to the screw mount. 5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the retaining member is biased radially inward to a retaining position. 6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the locking member is slidable relative to the extension portion between the locked position wherein the retaining member is locked in the retaining position and an unlocked position wherein the retaining member is free to move radially outwardly. 7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the locking member includes an engaging portion which engages the retaining member in the locked position and is aligned with a notch in the retaining member in the unlocked position. 8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the driver includes at least one biased tab configured to engage an opening in the extension portion to releasably retain the driver connected with the screw mount. 9. A method of connecting a retractor blade to a pedicle and retracting tissue, the method comprising: connecting a driver to a screw mount, the screw mount including an extension portion defining at least one blade mounting assembly and a head portion defining a chamber, the head portion having a concave internal wall and the extension portion including a moveable retaining member with a free end that extends into the head portion such that a concave surface of the retaining member is opposed to the concave internal wall, the driver including at least one biased tab configured to engage an opening in the extension portion to releasably retain the driver when connected with the screw mount; positioning a head of a pedicle screw within the chamber; moving a locking member to a locked position wherein a portion of the locking member engages the retaining member and prevents the retaining member from moving radially outwardly; attaching the pedicle screw to a pedicle of a vertebra; sliding a retractor blade down the driver and onto the screw mount such that the retractor blade connects to the screw mount; removing the driver; and moving the retractor blade to retract soft tissue. 10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the extension portion includes at least one track configured to slidably engage at least one corresponding rail on the retractor blade. 11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the retaining member includes a lip configured to engage a corresponding slot in the retractor blade. 12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the slot has an axial length and movement of the lip within the slot over the axial length defines a range of motion of the retractor blade relative to the screw mount. 13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the retaining member is biased radially inward to a retaining position. 14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the locking member is slidable relative to the extension portion between the locked position wherein the retaining member is locked in the retaining position and an unlocked position wherein the retaining member is free to move radially outwardly. 15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the locking member includes an engaging portion which engages the retaining member in the locked position and is aligned with a notch in the retaining member in the unlocked position. 16. A method of connecting a retractor blade to a pedicle, the method comprising: connecting a driver to a screw mount, the driver includes at least one track portion, the screw mount includes an extension portion and a head portion defining a chamber, the extension portion including a moveable retaining member with a free end that extends into the head portion, wherein the at least one track portion of the driver engages an outside surface on the extension portion of the screw mount; positioning a head of a pedicle screw within the chamber; moving a locking member to a locked position wherein a portion of the locking member engages the retaining member; and sliding a retractor blade having a proximal portion and a distal portion down the driver and onto the screw mount such that the distal portion of the retractor blade connects to the screw mount. 17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the retaining member includes a lip configured to engage a corresponding slot in the retractor blade. 18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the slot has an axial length and movement of the lip within the slot over the axial length defines a range of motion of the retractor blade relative to the screw mount. 19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the retaining member is biased radially inward to a retaining position. 20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the locking member is slidable relative to the extension portion between the locked position wherein the retaining member is locked in the retaining position and an unlocked position wherein the retaining member is free to move radially outwardly.

Assignees

Inventors

Classifications

  • Screws or hooks, wherein a rod-clamping part and a bone-anchoring part can pivot relative to each other · CPC title

  • with a frangible part, e.g. by reduced diameter · CPC title

  • Coupling (A61B2017/0046 takes precedence) · CPC title

  • with tubular extensions coaxially mounted on the bone anchors · CPC title

  • A61B17/025Primary

    Joint distractors · CPC title

Patent family

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External sources

Frequently asked questions

Answers are generated from the same data shown on this page.

What does patent US10980528B2 cover?
Retractor blade assemblies, retractors, kits, and methods of using the same. The retractor blade assembly may include a retractor blade, a pedicle screw, and a screw mount that connects the pedicle screw to the retractor blade. The retractor blade may have a proximal end configured to engage a retractor body and a distal end configured to retract soft tissue. The pedicle screw may have a head p…
Who is the assignee on this patent?
Globus Medical Inc, Global Medical Inc
What technology area does this patent fall under?
Primary CPC classification A61B17/025. Mapped technology areas include Human Necessities.
When was this patent published?
Publication date Tue Apr 20 2021 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) (B2). Legal status and post-grant events are not shown on this page.
What related patents are in patentsdb?
We list 2 related publications on this page (citations in our corpus or others sharing the same primary CPC).