Gravity dependent pedicle screw tap hole guide
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;
a level indicator associated with a reference direction and being responsive to gravity to provide feedback regarding an angular difference between an acting direction of gravity and the reference direction; and
a mounting by which the level indicator is attached to the guide shaft, the mounting establishing a positional relationship between the reference direction and the longitudinal axis of the guide shaft.
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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; a level indicator associated with a reference direction and responsive to gravity to provide feedback regarding an angular difference between an acting direction of gravity and the reference direction; and a mounting attaching the indicator to the shaft and establishing a positional relationship between the reference direction and the longitudinal axis. Using the guide involves angulating the shaft about its distal end adjacent the base of the superior articular process and the base and middle of the transverse process until the guide indicates that the angular orientation of the longitudinal axis matches the previously determined pedicle axis orientation with respect to the acting direction of gravity, and then drilling the tap hole along a trajectory established by the longitudinal axis of the shaft.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A gravity dependent pedicle screw tap hole guide, comprising:
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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;
a level indicator associated with a reference direction and being responsive to gravity to provide feedback regarding an angular difference between an acting direction of gravity and the reference direction; and
a mounting by which the level indicator 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)
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14. A method of drilling a pedicle screw tap hole, comprising:
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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 a level indicator associated with a reference direction, the level indicator being responsive to gravity to provide feedback regarding an angular difference between an acting direction of gravity and the reference direction, the guide having a mounting by which the level indicator 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)
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Specification