Surgical adaptor and method

1. A surgical adaptor comprising:

a first member attachable to a first surgical instrument, the first surgical instrument having a projection that defines an axis; and

a second member attachable to a second surgical instrument such that the second surgical instrument is movable in at least two degrees of freedom relative to the axis;

wherein the projection is positioned in an opening of the first member and the second surgical instrument is received within a recess of the second member, and

wherein the second member includes a gear surface engageable with a gear surface of the second surgical instrument to dispose the first surgical instrument in a selected orientation relative to the second surgical instrument.

2. A surgical adaptor as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first surgical instrument is a retractor arm and the second surgical instrument is a retractor blade.

3. A surgical adaptor as recited in claim 1 , wherein

the degrees of freedom include rotation in a first direction relative to the axis.

4. A surgical adaptor as recited in claim 1 , wherein

the degrees of freedom include translation along the axis.

5. A surgical adaptor as recited in claim 1 , wherein

the degrees of freedom include translation along the axis, rotation in a first direction relative to the axis and rotation in a second direction relative to the axis.

6. A surgical adaptor as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first member comprises an inner surface that defines the opening, the inner surface and the projection forming a spheroidal joint.

7. A surgical adaptor as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first member comprises an inner surface that defines a passageway, and further comprising a knob having a shaft, the shaft extending through the passageway such that an end of the shaft engages the second member.

8. A surgical adaptor as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first member comprises an inner surface that defines a passageway, and further comprising a knob having a shaft, the shaft extending through the passageway such that threads of the shaft engage threads of the second member.

9. A surgical adaptor as recited in claim 8 , wherein the passageway extends perpendicular to the opening.

10. A surgical adaptor as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first member comprises an inner surface that defines a cavity, the second member being disposed in the cavity.

11. A surgical adaptor as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first member is a collar and the second member is a jaw disposed in a cavity of the collar.

12. A surgical system comprising:

a first surgical instrument having a projection that defines an axis;

a second surgical instrument comprising a first engagement surface; and

an adaptor comprising a first member and a second member, the first member comprising an opening, the projection being positioned in the opening, the second member comprising a recess and a second engagement surface, the second surgical instrument being received within the recess such that the second engagement surface engages the first engagement surface and the second surgical instrument is movable in degrees of freedom relative to the axis, the degrees of freedom including translation along the axis, rotation in a first direction relative to the axis and rotation in a second direction relative to the axis,

wherein the first engagement surface comprises a first gear surface and the second engagement surface comprises a second gear surface engageable with the first gear surface to dispose the first surgical instrument in a selected orientation relative to the second surgical instrument.

13. A surgical system as recited in claim 12 , wherein the first gear surface comprises spaced apart gear surfaces and the second gear surface comprises radial splines engageable with the gear surfaces of the first gear surface to dispose the first surgical instrument in a selected orientation relative to the second surgical instrument.

14. A surgical adaptor comprising:

a first member attachable to a first surgical instrument, the first surgical instrument having a projection that defines an axis; and

a second member attachable to a second surgical instrument such that the second surgical instrument is movable in at least two degrees of freedom relative to the axis,

wherein the projection is positioned in an opening of the first member and the second surgical instrument is received within a recess of the second member, and

wherein the second member includes radial splines engageable with spaced apart gear surfaces of the second surgical instrument to dispose the first surgical instrument in a selected orientation relative to the second surgical instrument.

15. A surgical adaptor as recited in claim 14 , wherein the first surgical instrument is a retractor arm and the second surgical instrument is a retractor blade.

16. A surgical adaptor as recited in claim 14 , wherein the degrees of freedom include translation along the axis, rotation in a first direction relative to the axis and rotation in a second direction relative to the axis.

17. A surgical adaptor as recited in claim 14 , wherein the first member comprises an inner surface that defines the opening, the inner surface and the projection forming a spheroidal joint.

18. A surgical adaptor as recited in claim 14 , wherein the first member comprises an inner surface that defines a passageway, and further comprising a knob having a shaft, the shaft extending through the passageway such that an end of the shaft directly engages the second member.

19. A surgical adaptor as recited in claim 14 , wherein the first member comprises an inner surface that defines a cavity, the second member being disposed in the cavity.

20. A surgical adaptor as recited in claim 14 , wherein the first member is a collar and the second member is a jaw disposed in a cavity of the collar.