TRAJECTORY GUIDE WITH ANGLED OR PATTERNED GUIDE LUMENS OR HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT

• US 20060195119A1
• Filed: 05/04/2006
• Published: 08/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of South Florida (State University System of Florida)
• Original Assignee: Image Guided Neurologics, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Freeman, Thomas B., Solar, Matthew S., Mazzocchi, Rudy A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,699,854 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/129
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3462 with means for changing the diameter or the orientation of the entrance port of the cannula, e.g. for use with different-sized instruments, reduction ports, adapter seals expandable cannulas A61B17/3417
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3445 used as instrument channel for multiple instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3449 whereby the instrument channels merge into one single channel
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3466 for simultaneous sealing of multiple instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/11 with guides for needles or instruments, e.g. arcuate slides or ball joints

Abstract

This document discusses trajectory guides that include an instrument guide with at least one lumen angled with respect to an orthogonal or other through-axis. In one example, patterned lumens on the instrument guide provide a mirror image pattern of trajectory axes intersecting a target plane. In another example, height adjustment of the instrument guide extends these or other targeting techniques to a three-dimensional volume. This document also describes a method of manufacturing such an instrument guide, which is also applicable to manufacturing an instrument guide providing parallel lumens.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

securing a position of an instrument guide with respect to an entry portal in a subject to obtain a first axis that passes substantially through a center of the entry portal toward a target in the subject; and

providing a second trajectory through the instrument guide along a second axis directed through the entry portal, to obtain a nonzero first angle between the first and second axes.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a first trajectory through the instrument guide along the first axis.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing the second trajectory includes locating the second axis such that the first and second axes intersect at a point, within the subject, that is located at or beyond the entry portal.

4. The method of claim 1, in which the providing the second trajectory includes selecting the first angle to provide a predetermined offset distance between intersection points of the first and second axes with a range plane, beyond the entry portal, that is substantially orthogonal to the first axis.

5. The method of claim 4, in which the predetermined offset distance exceeds a radius of the entry portal.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising adjusting a height between the instrument guide and the entry portal to adjust a distance between the entry portal and the range plane corresponding to the predetermined offset distance.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a plurality of different trajectories through the instrument guide along corresponding axes intersecting a range plane beyond the entry portal, the range plane being substantially orthogonal to the first axis, the intersection points with the range plane of the axes of the trajectories forming a scaled mirror image of intersection points between the axes of the trajectories and a plane through the instrument guide that is orthogonal to the first axis.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising providing the trajectories along corresponding axes that substantially intersect about a single point in the subject adjacent to the entry portal.

9. The method of claim 7, comprising providing access for viewing an entry point of instrument being inserted along one of the trajectories into the subject.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising rotating the instrument guide, with respect to the entry portal, about the first axis, to obtain a desired orientation of the instrument guide with respect to the entry portal.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising viewing visual indicia associated with at least one of the instrument guide and a base in determining a degree of rotation of the instrument.

12. The method of claim 1, in which the securing the position includes providing a base carrying the instrument guide.

13. The method of claim 12, further including tailoring at least one of a size and a shape of at least one of the base and the instrument guide to orient the first axis toward the target within the subject upon securing the base about the entry portal.

14. The method of claim 13, in which the tailoring includes adjusting a height of the instrument guide with respect to the entry portal.

15. The method of claim 12, further including adjusting a coupling between the base and the instrument guide to adjustably orient the first axis toward the target within the subject.

16. A method comprising:

securing a position of an instrument guide with respect to an entry portal in a subject to obtain a first trajectory along a first axis that passes through a first access point on an outer surface of the instrument guide and passes substantially through a center of the entry portal toward a target in the subject, the first axis defining a range plane that is orthogonal to the first axis at a first range point on the first axis that is within the subject beyond the entry portal, the first axis also defining a first distance between the first access point and the first range point; and

providing a second trajectory through the instrument guide along a second axis that passes through a second access point on the outer surface of the instrument guide and through the entry portal, to obtain a nonzero first angle between the first and second axes, and to obtain a second distance between the second access point and a second range point at an intersection between the second access and the range plane, wherein the second distance is equal to the first distance.