Patents by Inventor Troy D. Woolley

Troy D. Woolley has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Surgical access system and related methods
    Patent number: 9486133
    Abstract: A surgical access system comprising a tissue dilation assembly and a tissue retraction assembly, both of which may be equipped with one or more electrodes for use in detecting the existence of (and optionally the distance and/or direction to) neural structures. A retractor assembly for creating an operative corridor to a spinal surgical target site is disclosed, comprising: a retractor body and a plurality retractor blades extending generally perpendicularly to the retractor body, the retractor body being operable to separate the at plurality of retractor blades relative to each; and a supplemental retractor blade assembly attachable to at least two of the plurality of retractor blades, the supplemental retractor blade assembly comprising an elongated supplemental retractor blade and a crossbar connector, the crossbar connector configured to be attached to said at least two retractor blades while engaging the supplemental retractor blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: NUVASIVE, INC.
    Inventors: James Coleman Lee, Benjamin VerHage, Michael Serra, Troy D. Woolley, Brian Snider, Matthew Schwartz
  • SURGICAL ACCESS SYSTEM AND RELATED METHODS
    Publication number: 20140135584
    Abstract: A surgical access system comprising a tissue dilation assembly and a tissue retraction assembly, both of which may be equipped with one or more electrodes for use in detecting the existence of (and optionally the distance and/or direction to) neural structures. A retractor assembly for creating an operative corridor to a spinal surgical target site is disclosed, comprising: a retractor body and a plurality retractor blades extending generally perpendicularly to the retractor body, the retractor body being operable to separate the at plurality of retractor blades relative to each; and a supplemental retractor blade assembly attachable to at least two of the plurality of retractor blades, the supplemental retractor blade assembly comprising an elongated supplemental retractor blade and a crossbar connector, the crossbar connector configured to be attached to said at least two retractor blades while engaging the supplemental retractor blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: NUVASIVE, INC.
    Inventors: James Coleman Lee, Benjamin VerHage, Michael Serra, Troy D. Woolley, Brian Snider, Matthew Schwartz