Expandable tissue dilator for dilating tissue around a spinal column

1. An expandable tissue dilator for dilating tissue around a spinal column, comprising:

a housing;

a shaft adapted to be at least partially disposed distally of the housing and sufficiently stiff to pierce a tissue disposed around the spinal column;

an expandable member attached to the housing and adapted to be expandable around a portion of the shaft which has pierced the tissue, the expandable member further comprising an inflation channel and an occlusion switch disposed in a proximal section of the housing and operable to occlude the inflation channel; and

an occluding ball disposed over an inflation channel, wherein the occlusion switch has an inclined inner surface relative to a longitudinal axis of the inflation channel and is adapted to slide over the occluding ball such that the inner surface presses on the occluding ball to occlude the inflation channel.

2. The expandable tissue dilator of claim 1 , wherein the expandable member includes a balloon attached to an outer surface of the shaft.

3. The expandable tissue dilator of claim 2 , wherein the tapered tip section includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced tapered flaps that define an end opening through which the shaft extends, the distal ends of the flaps being positioned over the expandable member and sufficiently flexible to radially outwardly move as the expandable member expands.

4. The expandable tissue dilator of claim 3 , wherein the distal ends of the flaps are radiused to provide a smooth transition between the flaps and the expandable member.

5. The expandable tissue dilator of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a tapered tip section having a distal end positioned over the expandable member.

6. The expandable tissue dilator of claim 1 , wherein the housing has a longitudinal recess, further comprising:

an inner sheath surrounded by the shaft, wherein the expandable member is attached over the inner sheath and underneath the shaft;

a sliding switch attached to the shaft and operable to slide along the longitudinal recess to retract the shaft to expose the expandable member.

7. The expandable tissue dilator of claim 6 , further comprising a locking mechanism that locks the sliding switch to the housing such that the shaft covers the expandable member.

8. The expandable tissue dilator of claim 7 , wherein locking mechanism includes:

a protrusion extending from the sliding switch;

a hook adapted to mate with the protrusion to lock the sliding switch; and

a release button attached to the housing and coupled to the hook such that depression of the release button unlocks the sliding switch from the housing.

9. The expandable tissue dilator of claim 1 , wherein the expandable member is a balloon and the inflation channel is in fluid communication with the balloon.

10. An expandable tissue dilator for performing spinal surgery, comprising:

an elongate housing;

an inner sheath at least partially disposed in the housing and having a distal portion that extends distally of the housing, the inner sheath being sufficiently stiff to pierce a muscle tissue around a spinal column;

an expandable member attached around an outer surface of the inner sheath and being expandable to radially push the pierced muscle tissue, the expandable member further comprising an inflation lumen and an occlusion switch disposed in a proximal section of the housing and operable to occlude the inflation lumen; and

an occluding ball disposed over an inflation lumen, wherein the occlusion switch has an inclined inner surface relative to a longitudinal axis of the inflation lumen and is adapted to slide over the occluding ball such that the inner surface presses on the occluding ball to occlude the inflation lumen; and

a retractable outer sheath surrounding the inner sheath and configured to be in an extended state to surround the expandable member and a retracted state to expose the expandable member for expansion against the pierced muscle tissue.

11. The expandable tissue dilator of claim 10 , wherein the expandable member includes a balloon attached to an outer surface of the inner sheath.

12. The expandable tissue dilator of claim 10 , wherein the housing includes a tapered tip section having a distal end positioned over the expandable member.

13. The expandable tissue dilator of claim 12 , wherein the housing tip section includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced tapered flaps that define an end opening through which the inner sheath extends, the distal ends of the flaps being positioned over the expandable member and sufficiently flexible to radially outwardly move as the expandable member expands.

14. The expandable tissue dilator of claim 13 , wherein the distal ends of the flaps are radiused to provide a smooth transition between the flaps and the expandable balloon.

15. The expandable tissue dilator of claim 10 , wherein the housing has a longitudinal recess, further comprising a sliding switch attached to the outer sheath and operable to slide along the longitudinal recess to retract the outer sheath to expose the expandable member.

16. The expandable tissue dilator of claim 15 , further comprising a locking mechanism that locks the sliding switch to the housing such that the outer sheath is in the extended state.

17. The expandable tissue dilator of claim 16 , wherein locking mechanism includes:

a protrusion extending from the switch;

a hook adapted to mate with the protrusion to lock the sliding switch; and

a release button attached to the housing and coupled to the hook such that depression of the release button unlocks the sliding switch from the housing.

18. The expandable tissue dilator of claim 10 , wherein the expandable member is a balloon and the inflation lumen in fluid communication with the balloon.