Systems and methods that facilitate minimally invasive spine surgery

1. A system that facilitates spinal rod placement, comprising:

sequential cannulated dilators that create a portal along a working axis;

a hinged retractor placed over the cannulated dilators that exposes a working area, the hinged retractor including (i) an upper cylinder having a proximal end, a distal end, and first and second handles operatively connected to the proximal end, (ii) a lower cylinder having a proximal end, a distal end, and a handle operatively connected to the proximal end, wherein the first handle of the upper cylinder facilitates an angled expansion, and the second handle facilitates a symmetric expansion, of the upper cylinder relative to the lower cylinder, and (iii) two hinges operatively connected to the proximal end of the upper cylinder that facilitate the angled expansion of the upper cylinder relative to the lower cylinder;

screw preparation instruments that create a path along the working axis, each of the screw preparation instruments including a targeted guide with a laser oriented along a central axis thereof and attached to a fluoroscope;

at least one anchor device;

a T-handle alignment guide to facilitate insertion of the at least one anchor device within the spine along the working axis, the at least one anchor device having a head that accommodates the T-handle alignment guide;

an alignment marker sleeve that fits within an inner cylindrical chamber of the T-handle alignment guide; and

a flexible alignment marker that fits within a cannula of the alignment marker sleeve such that the tip of the flexible alignment marker rests near the center of the at least one anchor device.

2. The system of claim 1 , the hinged retractor further comprising:

a first position wherein the proximal and distal ends of the upper and lower cylinder are operatively touching;

a second position wherein the upper and lower cylinders are expanded equally at respective proximal and distal ends;

a third position wherein the distal end of the upper cylinder is expanded and the proximal end of the upper cylinder is operatively touching the lower cylinder; and

a fourth position wherein the upper and lower cylinders are expanded equally at both the proximal and distal ends and the distal end of the upper cylinder is expanded.

3. The system of claim 1 , the screw preparation instruments comprising at least an awl, a hand-held drill or tap, a ball-tipped probe, a depth gauge ruler, and a hexagonal screwdriver.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a template rod that connects a series of the flexible alignment markers.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the top of the flexible alignment marker has a polyaxial head that accommodates the template rod.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the screw preparation instruments are cannulated to allow for passage over a guide pin or wire.

7. The system of claim 1 , the targeted guide is oriented along respective central axes of the screw preparation instruments.

8. The system of claim 1 , the T-handle alignment guide includes two alignment windows to facilitate fluoroscopic assessment of orientation of the T-handle alignment guide during surgery.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the anchor device is a transconnecting tower having an upper level fitted with alignment holes that include at least one rod-guidance entry funnel and at least one alignment guide hole and a lower level that includes rod-guidance entry funnels, the upper level accommodating a connecting rod and the lower level accommodating a spinal rod.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a set screw that seats a connecting rod to a rod locking bolt and the rod locking bolt to the spinal rod.

11. The system of claim 1 , the anchor device is a polyaxial screw with a rod guidance funnel face attached to its head.

12. A method that facilitates spinal rod guidance, comprising: finding a working axis using laser-guided fluoroscopy; making an incision in a patient;

inserting a guide pin through the incision along the working axis;

creating a working portal using sequential cannulated dilators;

defining a working area using a targeted guide laser attached to a fluoroscope, the

targeted guide laser is oriented along a central axis of a screw preparation instrument

locating an entry point on the spine using the laser-guided fluoroscopy;

creating a screw path along the working axis;

placing a first polyaxial screw along the screw path;

securing a first T-handle alignment guide on the first polyaxial screw;

assessing orientation of the T-handle alignment guide using fluoroscopy;

selectively placing the first polyaxial screw within the spine;

placing a second polyaxial screw along the screw path;

securing a second T-handle alignment guide on the second polyaxial screw;

selectively placing the second polyaxial screw within the spine; and

placing at least one transconnecting tower along the screw path between the first and second polyaxial screws, the at least one transconnecting tower having an upper level fitted with alignment holes that include at least one rod-guidance entry funnel and at least one alignment guide hole and a lower level that contain at least one rod-guidance entry funnel.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

placing a first alignment marker sleeve within the first T-handle alignment guide; inserting a first flexible alignment marker within a cannula of the first alignment marker sleeve;

placing a second alignment marker sleeve within the second T-handle alignment guide; and

inserting a second flexible alignment marker within a cannula of the second alignment marker sleeve.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising connecting the first and second flexible alignment markers with a template rod.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising exposing the defined working area using a hinged cylinder retractor placed over the cannulated dilators.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

directing a spinal rod through the lower level of the at least one transconnecting tower; and

directing a connecting rod through the upper level of the upper level of the transconnecting tower.

17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

contouring a spinal rod to match the tips of the first alignment marker and the second alignment marker.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

directing the spinal rod through respective rod-guidance entry funnels of the first polyaxial screw and the second polyaxial screw with bimanual control.

19. A system that facilitates spinal rod placement, comprising:

means for placing transconnecting towers along a rod path prior to or following spinal rod placement, each transconnecting tower having an upper level fitted with alignment holes that include at least one rod-guidance entry funnel and at least one alignment guide hole and a lower level that includes at least one rod-guidance entry funnel;

means for directing a connecting rod through the entry funnels of the upper level of the transconnecting towers; and

means for directing a spinal rod through the entry funnels of the lower level of the transconnecting towers.