US 20120232658A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2012/0232658 A1 Morgenstern Lopez et al. (43) Pub. Date: Sep. 13, 2012 (54) METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR Publication Classi?cation MINIMALLY INVASIVE INSERTION OF (51) Int. Cl. INTERVERTEBRAL IMPLANTS A61F 2/44 (2006.01) A61B 17/16 (2006.01) (75) Inventors: Rudolf Morgenstern Lopez, A61B 17/66 (2006.01) Barcelona (ES); Robert Flower, (52) US. Cl. ......................... .. 623/17.16; 606/90; 606/79 Sun City, CA (US); Christopher (57) ABSTRACT Warren, Aliso Viejo, CA (US) A dilation introducer for orthopedic surgery is provided for (73) Assignee: INTERVENTIONAL SPINE, minimally invasive access for insertion of an intervertebral INC., Irvine, CA (US) implant. The dilation introducer may be used to provide an access position through Kambin’s triangle from a posterolat (21) Appl. No.: 13/245,130 eral approach. A ?rst dilator tube With a ?rst longitudinal axis is provided. A second dilator tube may be introduced over the ?rst, advanced along a second longitudinal axis parallel to but (22) Filed: Sep. 26, 2011 offset from the ?rst. A third dilator tube may be introduced over the second, advanced along a third longitudinal axis Related US. Application Data parallel to but offset from both the ?rst and the second. An (60) Provisional application No. 61/530,031, ?led on Sep. access cannula may be introduced over the third dilator tube. 1, 2011, provisional application No. 61/504,120, ?led With the ?rst, second, and third dilator tubes removed, surgi on Jul. 1, 2011, provisional application No. 61/471, cal instruments may pass through the access cannula to oper 030, ?led on Apr. 1, 201 1, provisional application No. ate on an intervertebral disc and/or insert an intervertebral implant. 61/451,379, ?led on Mar. 10,2011. Patent Application Publication Sep. 13, 2012 Sheet 1 0f 56 US 2012/0232658 A1 Patent Application Publication Sep. 13, 2012 Sheet 2 0f 56 US 2012/0232658 A1 2.] 22 27 FIG. 2 Patent Application Publication Sep. 13, 2012 Sheet 3 0f 56 US 2012/0232658 A1 Patent Application Publication Sep. 13, 2012 Sheet 4 0f 56 US 2012/0232658 A1 50 ELI F4IAG. 1 /4/ Patent Application Publication Sep. 13, 2012 Sheet 5 0f 56 US 2012/0232658 A1 Patent Application Publication Sep. 13, 2012 Sheet 6 0f 56 US 2012/0232658 A1 EU (.DmE | \u i Patent Application Publication Sep. 13, 2012 Sheet 7 0f 56 US 2012/0232658 A1 F5IGB. Patent Application Publication Sep. 13, 2012 Sheet 8 0f 56 US 2012/0232658 A1 r\/ /( PUSH Patent Application Publication Sep. 13, 2012 Sheet 9 0f 56 US 2012/0232658 A1 F6IGB.