| abstract |
The present invention discloses an access device for accessing an intervertebral disc, the access device having an outer shroud and an inner shroud, the outer shroud including an access device having a larger diameter (about 16mm to 30mm) from the skin down to the facet joint line A shroud, the inner shroud having a smaller second diameter (about 5mm to 12mm) extending past the access shroud and down to the level of the disc. This combines the advantages of direct vision microsurgery/microport approaches and percutaneous "super-MIS" techniques. |