A surgical retractor for retracting body tissue in a therapeutic procedure includes a blade having a body portion and a plurality of elongate elements extending from the body portion. The plurality of elongate elements is separated a distance from one another along a length of the body portion and form one or more gaps therebetween. The plurality of elongate elements is connected by one or more cross connectors transverse to the plurality of elongate elements. The retractor blade is configured to permit movement of a lung being retracted.

A surgical retractor assembly is provided that can assume both open and closed positions, and is easily convertible from one position to the other. The retractor assembly involves an arcuate frame member that can be engaged to an arcuate connector, which together form a generally circular or elliptical retractor frame assembly. The frame member has a groove for the insertion of one or more mobile carriages that hold retractor blade posts and allow the posts to move in multiple directions. The carriages may be locked to prevent movement in one or more directions, as well.

A system for stabilizing a cervical spine segment utilizing uncinate joint stabilization, includes a stabilizing bridge for bridging across intervertebral disc space of the cervical spine segment to mechanically couple between a pair of uncinate joint stabilizers positioned in a respective pair of uncinate joints of the cervical spine segment. A method for stabilizing a cervical spine segment utilizing uncinate joint stabilization includes (a) positioning a pair of uncinate joint stabilizers in respective uncinate joints of the cervical spine segment to stabilize the uncinate joints and thereby stabilize the cervical spine segment (b) and implanting, in intervertebral disc space of the cervical spine segment, a stabilizing bridge that mechanically couples between the uncinate joint stabilizers across intervertebral disc space of the cervical spine segment.

Systems and methods are described for correcting sagittal imbalance in a spine including instruments for performing the controlled release of the anterior longitudinal ligament through a lateral access corridor and hyper-lordotic lateral implants.

A device for minimally invasive, inter-layer surgical procedures advantageously forms a wedge for advancing between adjacent tissue layers and provides a jaw that can be actuated to create a working space for a cutting tool and other instruments within a plane between the tissue layers. The device may also usefully employ an open or wireframe structure for the opposing jaws to preventing tissue or fluid accumulation between the jaws and maximize visibility around the surgical site.

A method of surgical stapling that uses a surgical instrument operable to compress, staple, and cut tissue. The instrument includes a body, a shaft, and an end effector with a pair of jaws. A placement tip extends distally from one of the jaws of the end effector. The method includes positioning the end effector at a desired site for surgical stapling. The method also includes controlling one or more of the jaws of the end effector to place the end effector in an open position. The method also includes positioning the end effector such that tissue is located between the jaws. The method also includes clamping the tissue between the jaws by moving at least one of the jaws toward the other jaw. The method also includes advancing a firing beam of the apparatus from a proximal position to a distal position.

A pair of partitioning elements located in a duodenum, sealably isolates a first portion of the duodenum, in which a minimally invasive procedure is to be carried out from a proximal second portion and a distal third portion of the duodenum to allow insufflating of the first portion only. The first partitioning element located between the first and second portions of the duodenum comprises a tubular carrier element and an isolating membrane secured to the carrier element. The carrier element is radially expandable from a compressed first state to a second state with the isolating membrane sealably isolating the first portion from the second portion. A communicating opening through the isolating membrane accommodates an endoscope therethrough into the first portion. The communicating opening is omitted from the second partitioning element.

The present technology relates to a hemostasis sealing device having a device enclosure with a first seal portion for a medical device and a second seal portion for guide wire sealing. The device enclosure can be generally configured for compressive communication with a housing. The second seal portion can define a split that is in compressive communication with structural elements of the hemostasis sealing device, which can simultaneously provide sealing functionality and allow passage of relatively large-bore devices.

An access device for accessing an intervertebral disc having an outer shield comprising an access shield with a larger diameter (˜16-30 mm) that reaches from the skin down to the facet line, with an inner shield having a second smaller diameter (˜5-12 mm) extending past the access shield and reaches down to the disc level. This combines the benefits of the direct visual microsurgical/mini open approaches and the percutaneous, “ultra-MIS” techniques.

Intrauterine devices and methods for facilitating deployment thereof using a bumper are disclosed. In one embodiment, an intrauterine device comprises a structure including a first central support member and a deployment mechanism coupled to the first central support member. The intrauterine device further comprises a bumper positioned at a distal end of a second central support member and at a more distal position relative to a distal end of the structure so as to prevent the distal end of the structure from contacting the fundus of the uterus of a patient during deployment of the deployment mechanism. In another embodiment, the intrauterine device comprises a bumper coupled to the deployment mechanism and configured to move from a more distal to a more proximal position relative to a distal end of the structure.