A surgical retractor includes a first member defining a longitudinal axis. The first member includes a blade disposed in spaced apart relation relative to the longitudinal axis and a grip surface. A second member has a blade disposed in spaced apart relation relative to the longitudinal axis and a grip surface. The grip surfaces are configured to be drawn together along the longitudinal axis such that the blades are engageable with tissue and connected with the grip surfaces such that the grip surfaces provide a tactile feedback of the tissue engagement. Systems and methods of use are disclosed.

A balloon dilator device, comprising an annularly shaped, cylindrical type structure having walls that are expandable from a radially collapsed state to a radially expanded state by inflation of a balloon inserted within the annular structure. Once the walls have been expanded, they remain in the expanded state even if the balloon is deflated, because the radially expanded state is a state of minimum mechanical potential energy, and in order to return to the collapsed state, the structure would have to pass a state of higher potential energy. The device walls require sufficient stiffness in their longitudinal direction to enable the device to be pushed into a minimally invasive incision made in the subject. This device stiffness can be achieved either by its mechanical material properties, or by its substantially closed wall structure, or by use of a stiff protector sheath used to protect the walls during insertion.

A balloon dilator device, comprising an annularly shaped, cylindrical type structure having walls that are expandable from a radially collapsed state to a radially expanded state by inflation of a balloon inserted within the annular structure. Once the walls have been expanded, they remain in the expanded state even if the balloon is deflated, because the radially expanded state is a state of minimum mechanical potential energy, and in order to return to the collapsed state, the structure would have to pass a state of higher potential energy. The device walls require sufficient stiffness in their longitudinal direction to enable the device to be pushed into a minimally invasive incision made in the subject. This device stiffness can be achieved either by its mechanical material properties, or by its substantially closed wall structure, or by use of a stiff protector sheath used to protect the walls during insertion.

A surgical retractor is disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a surgical retractor includes a body extending from a proximal end to a distal end and having a first portion coupled to a second portion via a hinged connection, wherein the first and second portions are configured to rotate about a body axis; a first radiolucent tip coupled to a distal portion of the first portion; a second radiolucent tip coupled to a distal portion of the second portion; a holder coupled to one of the first or second portions; and a deformable member extending through the holder, wherein the deformable member is configured to be deformed to facilitate fixation of the surgical retractor at a desired location.

A spinal implant system is provided for bridging an intervertebral space between vertebral bodies bordering the intervertebral space. The spinal implant system includes at least one adjustable end cap and a spinal implant. The end cap can be used with additional end caps and/or the spinal implant. Multiple end caps can be stacked on top of one another, and one end cap can be attached to a first end of the spinal implant, and another end cap can be attached to a second end of the spinal implant. Thus, one or more of the end caps can be attached to either end of the spinal implant.

A surgical retractor includes a part defining a longitudinal axis. A first radiolucent blade is connected with the part. A second radiolucent blade is connected with the part. The blades are independently translatable relative to the part. At least one of the blades includes spaced apart arms that are connected via a member. The member and the arms are relatively disposed in a configuration to guide at least one surgical instrument in a selected orientation relative to a surgical site. Surgical systems, instruments, constructs, implants and methods are disclosed.

A method is provided for determining the shape of a surgical linking device that is to be attached to a bony body structure such as the spinal column based on digitized locations of a plurality of attachment elements engaged to the bony structure. The method is implemented by a computer system through a GUI to generate an initial bend curve to mate with the plurality of attachment elements. The initial bend curve may be simplified based on user input to the GUI to reduce the number of bends necessary to produce a well-fitting linking device and may be altered to help obtain the goals of surgery.

A method is provided for determining the shape of a surgical linking device that is to be attached to a bony body structure such as the spinal column based on digitized locations of a plurality of attachment elements engaged to the bony structure. The method is implemented by a computer system through a GUI to generate an initial bend curve to mate with the plurality of attachment elements. The initial bend curve may be simplified based on user input to the GUI to reduce the number of bends necessary to produce a well-fitting linking device and may be altered to help obtain the goals of surgery.

A tissue traction device, system, and method presenting a grasping rail for coupling with a portion of a target tissue at a treatment site to apply a force, such as traction, to the grasped tissue, such as to facilitate performance of a procedure on the target tissue. A tissue traction device, system, and method having a distal support element, a proximal support element, and at least one expansion element extending therebetween. The at least one expansion element is extendable to define a working area for a procedure to be formed on target tissue at a treatment site. Two or more expansion elements may define a working area unimpeded by the expansion elements. The distal support element may be expandable to anchor the tissue traction device with respect to tissue.

Systems, methods, and devices for planning a path are provided. A work volume and one or more no-fly zones may be mapped. The work volume may define a volume in which a robot may access and each of the one or more no-fly zones may define at least one volume in which a robot is restricted from accessing. Information may be received about a position of at least one instrument and a void volume may be calculated based on the position of the at least one instrument. The work volume may be updated to include the void volume to yield an updated work volume. A path may be calculated for a robotic arm of a robot from outside a patient anatomy to within the patient anatomy that is within the updated work volume and avoids the one or more no-fly zones.