A dilator assembly includes a blade, a tubular member defining a passage extending along a longitudinal axis, a guide needle received within the passage, a first link having a first end pivotally coupled to the tubular member and a second end pivotally coupled to the blade, and a second link having a first end pivotally coupled to the tubular member and a second end pivotally coupled to the blade.

A method includes tracking one or more of a plurality of bones of a patient, adjusting a relationship between the plurality of bones to a desired rotation between the plurality of bones, and creating an implant placement plan based on the relationship. The implant placement plan includes a placement of a plate across the plurality of bones. The method also includes robotically assisting preparation of the plurality of bones to receive the plate in accordance with the implant placement plan.

Articulated instruments that include tools for disrupting and/or distracting tissue, and methods of using the same.

A tubular retractor securement frame is disclosed including a mounting bracket, two flexor arms, and a device emplacement oriented to receive and hold in-place a surgical tool. The mounting bracket includes an elastically deformable plate, rails extending about orthogonal from the elastically deformable plate and about parallel to one another, and receptacles facing one another in the rails which are arranged to receive a retractor arm extending from a tubular retractor at a fixed angle. The flexor arms extend from the mounting bracket adjacent to the rails. The flexor arms are positioned so as not to occlude visualization through the tubular retractor and such that applying pressure to flex the flexor arms toward one another shifts the rails to accept or remove the retractor arm into or from the receptacles, and releasing the pressure reverts the rails so as to inhibit the retractor arm from being inserted or removed.

A method for performing an orthopaedic surgical procedure on a knee joint of a patient includes resecting a proximal end of a patient's tibia to create a resected surface of the patient's tibia and positioning a tibial paddle of a sensor module on the proximal end of the patient's tibia. The tibial paddle includes a sensor array generating sensor signals indicative of the joint force of the patient's knee joint. The method also includes performing a number of orthopaedic surgical steps while monitoring a display of the sensor module that provides a visual indication of the medial-lateral balance of the joint force of the patient's knee joint.

A method facilitates the treatment of the spine of a patient by providing simultaneous access through at least a first opening and a second opening formed in the patient. For example, the method can include the acts of positioning the patient on a surgical table, providing the first opening into a posterior portion of the patient, providing the second opening into a lateral portion of the patient, inserting a first device through the first opening into the patient to contact the spine in a first direction that is transverse to the coronal plane of the patient, and inserting a second device through the second opening into the patient to contact the spine in a second direction that is transverse to the sagittal plane of the patient, where the first and second openings are accessible simultaneously, and, when the first and second devises are inserted into the patient, the position of the patient is stationary with respect to a portion of the table.

An assembly for remotely manipulating a patient's spine. A compressor/distractor mechanism attaches to spinal anatomy or vertebral screws on adjacent vertebrae at a spinal surgical site on a patient's spine. A flexible cable is operatively connected to the compressor/distractor mechanism and to a control mechanism. The control mechanism manipulates the flexible cable, controlling the compressor/distractor mechanism to compress or distract the vertebrae. A rotatable surgical table with a remote control can be used in place of the compressor/distractor mechanism and the control mechanism. The rotatable surgical table can rotate the patient to place the spinal surgical site in a desired compressed or distracted position, and to place the patient in a desired orientation with respect to a horizontal reference plane. The assembly permits manipulation of the spine at the surgical site via a posterior approach, while the surgeon can also manipulate the spine at the surgical site via an anterior, lateral or oblique approach.

The present invention provides an expandable fusion device capable of being installed inside an intervertebral disc space to maintain normal disc spacing and restore spinal stability, thereby facilitating an intervertebral fusion. The fusion device described herein is capable of being installed inside an intervertebral disc space at a minimum to no distraction height and for a fusion device capable of maintaining a normal distance between adjacent vertebral bodies when implanted.

A distractor system for use in a joint between two bone surfaces of an anatomical structure includes, for example, distractor and at least one detachable tool comprising a body having a proximal portion and a distal portion, said proximal portion being releasably attachable to at least one of a first end of the distractor and/or a second end of the distractor. The distal portion of the detachable tool being operably positionable in the joint between the two bone surfaces of the anatomical structure. The detachable tools may include a detachable paddle.

A method for creating space in a joint formed at the convergence of two bones, the method comprising: applying force to a body part so as to separate the two bones from one another by a distance which is greater than the distance that they are normally separated from one another when the joint is in a healthy state, whereby to distract the joint and create an intrajoint space; inserting an assembly of three balloons into the intrajoint space while the assembly of three balloons is in a contracted condition; expanding the assembly of three balloons within the intrajoint space; and reducing the force applied to the body part so that the joint is supported on the assembly of three balloons, with the two bones remaining separated from one another by a distance which is greater than the distance that they are normally separated from one another when the joint is in a healthy state.