Low profile instrument immobilizer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9901713-B2
Application number	US-73072410-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2010
Priority date	Sep 17, 2002
Publication date	Feb 27, 2018
Grant date	Feb 27, 2018

Abstract

This document discusses, among other things, examples of a low profile instrument immobilizer and means for positioning the same. In one example, the low profile instrument immobilizer grasps, secures, and immobilizes an electrode or other instrument that extends through a burr hole in a skull to a target location in a patient's brain.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a first base piece extending along a first longitudinal axis from a first end to a second end; and
a second base piece extending along a second longitudinal axis from a third end to a fourth end;
wherein each of the first end, second end, third end, and fourth end are all free ends;
wherein the first end of the first base piece has a first hole sized and shaped for receiving a first bone fastener therethrough;
wherein the third end of the second base piece has a second hole sized and shaped for receiving a second bone fastener therethrough;
wherein the first base piece and the second base piece are configured for rotatable motion about the respective first bone fastener and second bone fastener;
wherein the first base piece includes at least a first coupler sized and shaped to engage an at least one corresponding second coupler disposed on the second base piece when in a closed position;
wherein the first base piece is sized and shaped to be disposed along a first side of a burr hole in a bone and the second base piece is sized and shaped to be disposed along a second side of the burr hole in the bone such that the at least first coupler of the first base piece is operable to engage the at least one corresponding second coupler of the second base piece to retain at least one instrument extending between the first and second base pieces into the burr hole and such that in the closed position the first end of the first base piece is at the fourth end of the second base piece and the second end of the first base piece is at the third end of the second base piece;
wherein in the closed position the first hole and the second hole are substantially aligned along the first longitudinal axis of the first base piece and the second longitudinal axis of the second base piece.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , in which at least one of the first and second base pieces includes a lateral exit groove, extending transverse to the first or second longitudinal axis and across the width of the first base piece or the second base piece, sized and shaped to retain a portion of the at least one instrument within the lateral exit groove.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , in which the first base piece and the second base piece rotate about parallel axes.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , in which the first base piece and second base piece rotate within substantially the same plane.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , in which the hole in the first end of the first base piece is disposed on an opposing side of the burr hole from the hole in the first end of the second base piece.

6. An apparatus comprising:
a first base piece extending along a first straight longitudinal axis from a first end to a second end; and
a second base piece extending along a second straight longitudinal axis from a third end to a fourth end;
wherein the second base piece is separate from the first base piece;
wherein the first end, the second end, the third end, and the fourth end all being free ends;
wherein the first end of the first base piece having a first hole and the third end of the second base piece having a second hole, wherein the first hole and the second hole are sized and shaped for receiving a corresponding first bone fastener and second bone fastener therethrough;
wherein the first base piece is configured for rotatable motion about the first bone fastener and a first axis of rotation generally orthogonal to the first straight longitudinal axis and the second base piece is configured for rotatable motion about the second bone fastener and a second axis of rotation generally orthogonal to the second straight longitudinal axis;
wherein the first base piece includes at least one male coupler sized and shaped to engage an at least one corresponding female coupler disposed on the second base piece;
wherein the first base piece is sized and shaped to be disposed along a first side of a burr hole and the second base piece is sized and shaped to be disposed along a second side of the burr hole such that the first hole in the first end of the first base piece is disposed on an opposing side of the burr hole from the second hole in the third end of the second base piece and the at least one male coupler of the first base piece is operable to engage the at least one female coupler of the second base piece to retain at least one instrument extending between the first and second base pieces into the burr hole such that in engagement the first end of the first base piece is at the fourth end of the second base piece and the second end of the first base piece is at the third end of the second base piece;
wherein the first hole and the second hole are generally aligned with the first straight longitudinal axis and the second straight longitudinal axis when the apparatus is in a closed position when the at least one male coupler of the first base piece is operable to engage the at least one female coupler of the second base piece to retain at least one instrument extending between the first and second base pieces into the burr hole.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first base piece and the second base piece rotate about parallel axes extending through a center of the respective first and second holes in the respective first end and third end of the first and second base pieces and perpendicular to the first and second straight longitudinal axes of the first and second base pieces;
wherein the at least one male coupler sized engages the at least one corresponding female coupler when the first base piece and the second base piece are rotated toward each other in the closed position.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the at least one male coupler includes a pair of male couplers and the at least one female coupler includes a corresponding pair of female couplers, each coupler of the pair of male couplers and the pair of female couplers being spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal axis of the respective first and second base pieces.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first base piece includes a lateral exit channel sized and shaped to retain a portion of the at least one instrument within the channel, the channel extending along an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the body of the first base piece.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the lateral exit channel is positioned between and formed in part by the pair of spaced apart male couplers.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the lateral exit channel includes first and second spaced apart walls, each wall having a chamfer at opposed ends thereof to facilitate entry and exit of the at least one instrument.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first and second walls of the lateral exit channel extend beyond the first side and an opposite second side of the elongated body of the first base piece.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the lateral exit channel is positioned substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the body of the second base piece when the pair of male couplers engage the pair of female couplers.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the second base piece includes a recess formed between the pair of spaced apart female couplers and configured to engage the at least one instrument when the pair of male couplers engage the pair of female couplers to fasten the first and second base pieces together and retain the at least one instrument therebetween.

15. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the longitudinal axes of the first and second base pieces are parallel to each other upon engagement of the pair of

Assignees

• Skakoon James G
• Solar Matthew S
• Miller Thomas I
• Helmer Patrick R
• Freas Mark Stephen
• Medtronic Inc

Inventors

• Skakoon James G
• Solar Matthew S
• Miller Thomas I
• Helmer Patrick R
• Freas Mark Stephen

Classifications

• A61N1/0539

  Anchoring of brain electrode systems, e.g. within burr hole · CPC title

• A61B90/50

  Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms · CPC title

• A61B5/6864

  Burr holes · CPC title

• A61N1/0536

  Preventing neurodegenerative response or inflammatory reaction · CPC title

• A61B2090/103

  Cranial plugs for access to brain · CPC title