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Instruments and methods for creating an operative corridor to the spine are described. The instruments include, for example, a retractor assembly with at least one retractor blade that may be releasably coupled to a bone anchors via a hoop shim. The hoop shim includes a shim portion that may slidabl

Instruments and methods for creating an operative corridor to the spine are described. The instruments include, for example, a retractor assembly with at least one retractor blade that may be releasably coupled to a bone anchors via a hoop shim. The hoop shim includes a shim portion that may slidably engage the retractor blade and a hoop portion extending from the shim portion that includes an aperture that receives the bone anchor. The hoop portion may have an unlocked configuration that allows passage of the bone anchor and a locked position which prevents passage of the bone anchor to releasably couple the hoop shim to the bone anchor. The hoop shim may be configured to couple to the bone anchor such that the hoop shim may angulate relative to the bone anchor.

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1. A hoop shim for use with a surgical tissue retractor system, the hoop shim comprising: a shim portion having at least one feature configured to releasably couple to a retractor blade of the surgical retractor system, the shim portion having a first longitudinal axis extending between a distal end

1. A hoop shim for use with a surgical tissue retractor system, the hoop shim comprising: a shim portion having at least one feature configured to releasably couple to a retractor blade of the surgical retractor system, the shim portion having a first longitudinal axis extending between a distal end and a proximal end; anda hoop portion slidably engaged with the shim portion, the hoop portion having a hoop member configured to releasably couple to the head of a bone anchor and having an unlocked position which allows passage of the bone anchor head and a locked position which prevents passage of the bone anchor head, the hoop member extending from the shim portion orthogonally to the first longitudinal axis and defining an aperture therethrough having a second longitudinal axis, wherein the second longitudinal axis is parallel to the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis is offset from the first longitudinal axis, the hoop portion including a first flange extending from the hoop member that slides within a recess formed in the back of the shim portion and a second flange extending from the hoop member that also slides within the recess formed in the back of the shim member, the first flange having a wing extension along at least portion of the first flange extending beyond a perimeter of the recess in the back of the shim portion, the wing extension being receivable within a track groove of the retractor blade, the second flange having a proximal portion with a first width and an intermediate portion with a second width greater than the first width, the intermediate portion residing outside the recess when the hoop portion is in the unlocked position and residing in the recess when the hoop portion is in the locked position, wherein the intermediate portion has a sloped upper surface that engages a knob situated at an entrance of the recess such that second flange deflects toward the first flange when the hoop portion slides into the recess. 2. The hoop shim of claim 1, wherein the locked position is entered by sliding the hoop portion towards a proximal end of the shim portion. 3. The hoop shim of claim 2, wherein sliding the hoop portion towards the proximal end of the shim portion causes a dimension of the aperture through the hoop member to decrease in size. 4. The hoop shim of claim 1, wherein the proximal portion always resides within the recess in the back of the shim portion. 5. The hoop shim of claim 1, wherein deflection of the second flange causes a dimension of the aperture through the hoop member to decrease in size. 6. The hoop shim of claim 1, wherein deflection of the second flange causes a slight rotation of the shim portion relative to the first flange such that a distal end of the shim portion flares out to the side opposite the first flange and such that a width between the distal end of a wing extension on the first flange and distal end of a wing extension on the shim portion is greater than the width at an entrance between a first track groove and a second track groove of the retractor blade thereby preventing the hoop shim from being slidably engaged to the retractor blade when the hoop shim is locked. 7. The hoop shim of claim 1, wherein the intermediate portion has a bottom portion sloped in the opposite direction of the sloped upper portion that permits the intermediate portion to slide out of the recess. 8. The hoop shim of claim 7, wherein the slope of the bottom portion is steeper than the slope of the upper portion. 9. The hoop shim of claim 7, wherein the sloped upper portion of the intermediate element is concave. 10. The hoop shim of claim 7, wherein the sloped bottom portion of the intermediate element is convex. 11. The hoop shim of claim 7, wherein the first flange includes a tab disposed through a slot formed in the shim portion. 12. The hoop shim of claim 11, wherein a retaining plate on the tab fixes the hoop portion and the shim portion together. 13. The hoop shim of claim 1, wherein the hoop member includes an insert. 14. The hoop shim of claim 13, wherein the insert comprises a polymer material. 15. The hoop shim of claim 14, wherein the polymer is polyetheretherkeytone. 16. The hoop shim of claim 1, wherein when the hoop portion is releasably coupled to the bone anchor, the coupling permits the bone anchor to angularly move relative to the hoop portion. 17. The hoop shim of claim 16, wherein the coupling permits polyaxial angulation. 18. The hoop shim of claim 17, wherein the polyaxial angulation encompasses 360 degrees. 19. The hoop shim of claim 1, wherein the shim portion and the hoop portion are provided preassembled. 20. The hoop shim of claim 1, wherein the shim portion has a horizontal slot formed near a proximal end. 21. The hoop shim of claim 20, wherein the horizontal slot has a ramped back-facing surface.