A retractor includes retractor blades and one or more shims coupled to one or more of the retractor blades. The shims can include features configured to fasten the shim to vertebral anatomy. Such features can facilitate the use a K-wire or barbed features. Example disclosed shim designs include those featuring a K-wire feature, a barbed feature, and a K-wire with barb design.

A surgical system comprises at least one implant support including a first implant support that is engageable with a receiver of a first fastener having a shaft fixed with vertebral tissue. At least one adaptor includes a first adaptor extending longitudinally along and being engageable with the first implant support. The first adaptor is rotatable relative to the first implant support to connect the first implant support with a surgical instrument to manipulate the vertebral tissue. Surgical instruments, constructs, implants and methods are disclosed.

A multi-stage dilator and cannula assembly for use in surgical procedures, including minimally invasive surgical procedures, to provide tissue dilation and opening of a portal to enable the surgeon to access and provide treatment to anatomical feature of interest.

The present invention provides a compression and distraction shaft assembly used to apply compression and distraction to bones including vertebrae. Shaft A assembly and shaft B assembly are attached together via a polyaxial fulcrum. The polyaxial fulcrum allows all rotational degrees of freedom between shaft A assembly and shaft B assembly. Such fulcrum, during compression and distraction, does not impart ancillary stresses or motion to vertebrae. An hourglass-shaped bore for engaging pliers is formed in approximately middle of both the shaft A assembly and the shaft B assembly. Distraction pliers having cylindrical tips are used to apply distraction to vertebrae. Once handles are pressed to impart an appropriate amount of distraction to the vertebrae, they are locked in this position. Compression pliers having cylindrical tips are used to apply compression to vertebrae. Once handles are pressed to impart an appropriate amount of compression to the vertebrae, they are locked in this position.

A retractor system and related methods for use in spinal surgery procedures, including but not limited to fusing or repairing damaged or deteriorated intervertebral discs or vertebral bodies in the lower lumbar levels. The retractor system includes a plurality of blade assemblies coupled to a handle assembly, wherein each of the blade assemblies may be independently adjusted (e.g. length blade and/or blade angulation and/or blade rotation relative to the handle assembly) to provide unprecedented customization of an operative corridor extending to the surgical target site of the patient such that any number of spinal surgery procedures may be undertaken by a surgeon, including but not limited to spinal fusion procedures at the L5-81 disc space.

Systems and methods are disclosed for treating back pain associated with a vertebral body of a patient. The system may include an external energy source configured to be positioned at a location external to the body of the patient, a linear configured to drive translation of the external source in one or more axes, a computer coupled to the external source and linear drive and programming executable on said computer for determining a target treatment site within or near the vertebral body based on acquired imaging data, positioning a focal point of the external energy source to substantially coincide with the target treatment site, and delivering a treatment dose of therapeutic energy at said target treatment site, wherein the treatment dose is configured to modulate a nerve within or near the vertebral body.

A non-intrusive bone anchor for attachment to vertebral laminar processes with a main body which has a lower fixed jaw; a connecting portion to said lower fixed jaw, a bore hole providing basis for an axis from one side of said connecting portion to the other, and a threaded two ring clamp where each ring has an inner threaded surface with a threaded axis; An externally threaded shaft with a first and second end, where said first end has an internal torquing indent and a portion adjacent thereto for a locking mechanism to engage the outer portion of the clamping ring and said first end has a fixation protuberance. An upper jaw that cooperates with said externally threaded shaft and engages bone between said upper jaw and said lower fizzed jaw forming a diagonal across a clamped bone body; and an inter-anchor connector comprising an axis with a first connector end and a second connector end where said first connector end has a rod portion and said second end has a tulip rod fixer portion.

A vertebral end plate processing device includes a handle, a vertical opening mechanism, a horizontal expansion mechanism and a processing mechanism. When the processing device is in a non-working state, the vertical opening mechanism and the horizontal expansion mechanism maintain a contracted state, and a processing portion is located within a vertical space between opening members. When the processing device is in a working state, the opening members of the vertical opening mechanism are in contact with a bone surface of a vertebral body and vertically open same. An arc-shaped expansion block of the horizontal expansion mechanism drives a conveying member for horizontal expansion so that the processing portion is horizontally removed from the vertical space of the opening members and is in contact with the bone surface of the vertebral body. A control portion controls the conveying member to move.

An endoscopic portal protective shield assembly has an elongate portal shaft and an elongated protective shield. The elongate portal shaft has a viewing portal. The shaft has a slotted tubular body with interior surfaces. The shaft has a distal end and a proximal end and a slotted opening at the distal end extending partially along the slotted tubular body toward the proximal end. The elongated protective shield has a longitudinal shield body, a proximal end and a distal end. The protective shield is configured to be slid into the slotted opening of the tubular body with an interior portion of the longitudinal shield body being inserted inside the tubular body while maintaining the viewing portal open.

This application describes surgical instruments and implants for building a posterior fixation construct across one or more segments of the spinal column. More specifically, the application describes instruments and methods for building a posterior fixation construct across one or more segments of the spinal column in a minimally invasive fashion.