Gravity dependent pedicle screw tap hole guide and data processing device
First Claim
1. A gravity dependent pedicle screw tap hole guide, comprising:
- a guide shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis, the guide shaft being maintainable parallel to a drill bit during the drilling of a pedicle screw tap hole with the drill bit;
an accelerometer associated with a reference direction and being responsive to gravity to determine an angular difference between an acting direction of gravity and the reference direction; and
a mounting by which the accelerometer is attached to the guide shaft, the mounting establishing a positional relationship between the reference direction and the longitudinal axis of the guide shaft.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A gravity dependent pedicle screw tap hole guide comprises a guide shaft maintainable parallel to a drill bit during the drilling of a pedicle screw tap hole; an accelerometer associated with a reference direction and responsive to gravity to determine an angular difference between an acting direction of gravity and the reference direction; and a mounting attaching the accelerometer to the shaft and establishing a positional relationship between the reference direction and the longitudinal axis. The accelerometer is preferably in communication with a data processing device or system, which data processing device is able to use signals from the accelerometer to perform one or more actions, such as, for example, displaying the angular difference.
56 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A gravity dependent pedicle screw tap hole guide, comprising:
-
a guide shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis, the guide shaft being maintainable parallel to a drill bit during the drilling of a pedicle screw tap hole with the drill bit;
an accelerometer associated with a reference direction and being responsive to gravity to determine an angular difference between an acting direction of gravity and the reference direction; and
a mounting by which the accelerometer is attached to the guide shaft, the mounting establishing a positional relationship between the reference direction and the longitudinal axis of the guide shaft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A method of drilling a pedicle screw tap hole, comprising:
-
determining a trajectory angle as an angle of a pedicle in a reference plane relative to an acting direction of gravity;
positioning at least one of a distal end of a drill bit and a distal end of a guide shaft of a gravity dependent pedicle screw tap hole guide at a position adjacent the pedicle in a vicinity of a base of a superior articular process of the pedicle and a base and a middle of a transverse process of the pedicle, the guide having the guide shaft and an accelerometer associated with a reference direction, the accelerometer being responsive to gravity to determine an angular difference between an acting direction of gravity and the reference direction, the guide having a mounting by which the accelerometer is attached to the guide shaft, the mounting establishing a positional relationship between the reference direction and the longitudinal axis of the guide shaft;
angulating the guide shaft about the distal end of the guide shaft until the gravity dependent pedicle screw tap hole guide indicates that an angle between the longitudinal axis of the guide shaft in the reference plane and the acting direction of gravity matches the trajectory angle; and
rotating the drill bit into the pedicle along a trajectory extending into the pedicle from the position at the trajectory angle. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification