Craniotomy closures and plugs
First Claim
1. A strip fastener for reattaching a skull flap removed from a skull during brain surgery, the skull flap having a perimeter contour, comprising a flexible strip which can be shaped to follow the perimeter contour of the skull flap, the strip having tabs or brackets with tabs, wherein at least one tab can be disposed over and adjacent to the skull flap and at least one other tab can be disposed over and adjacent to the skull.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Strip fasteners and cranial plugs for use in reattaching a skull flap removed during brain surgery and methods of using the same. The strip fasteners are flexible and can be shaped to follow the perimeter contour of the skull flap. The cranial plugs can be used to reattach the skull flap or they can be installed after the skull flap is reattached using the strip fasteners. In some embodiments, the cranial plug(s) and strip fasteners can be installed at the same time. The strip fasteners and cranial plugs are designed to encourage bone growth and healing of the skull flap and they can be used to deliver medication and bone growth enhancement compositions to the surgical site.
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Citations
69 Claims
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1. A strip fastener for reattaching a skull flap removed from a skull during brain surgery, the skull flap having a perimeter contour, comprising
a flexible strip which can be shaped to follow the perimeter contour of the skull flap, the strip having tabs or brackets with tabs, wherein at least one tab can be disposed over and adjacent to the skull flap and at least one other tab can be disposed over and adjacent to the skull.
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11. A strip fastener for reattaching a skull flap removed from a skull during brain surgery, the skull flap having a perimeter contour, comprising
a flexible strip which can be shaped to follow the perimeter contour of the skull flap, the strip having (i) an upper portion comprising tabs or brackets with tabs, wherein at least one tab can be disposed over and adjacent to the skull flap and at least one other tab can be disposed over and adjacent to the skull and (ii) a cavity extending downwardly from the upper portion, the cavity having at least one side portion and a bottom portion.
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18. A strip fastener for reattaching a skull flap removed from a skull during brain surgery, the skull flap having a perimeter contour, comprising
a flexible strip which can be shaped to follow the perimeter contour of the skull flap, the strip having (i) a top portion comprising tabs or brackets with tabs, wherein at least one tab can be disposed over and adjacent to the skull flap and at least one other tab can be disposed over and adjacent to the skull and (ii) a bottom portion having at least one tube disposed longitudinally thereon.
- 20. A cranial plug for a burr hole or a cranial perforation-made in a skull during brain surgery, the burr hole or cranial perforation having side walls, comprising a flange having an upper surface, a lower surface and a central axis generally perpendicular to the upper surface, and at least one extension projecting downwardly and away from the lower surface, wherein said at least one extension is beside the side walls when the cranial plug is implanted in a patient.
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47. A cranial plug for a burr hole or a cranial perforation made in a skull during brain surgery to facilitate cutting a skull flap out of the skull, the burr hole or cranial perforation having side walls, comprising a flexible strip which can be shaped to follow the contour of the side walls, the strip having upper tabs which can be affixed to the skull and the skull flap and lower tabs which form a barrier when the plug is implanted in the burr hole or cranial perforation.
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48. A cranial plug for a burr hole or a cranial perforation made in a skull during brain surgery to facilitate cutting a skull flap out of the skull, the plug having a cup shaped portion with sides, a bottom and an upper rim, the sides optionally having holes, slits or slots disposed therein and the rim having outwardly disposed tabs which can be affixed to the skull and the skull flap and the bottom forms a barrier when the plug is implanted in the burr hole or cranial perforation.
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49. A fastener system for reattaching a skull flap removed from a skull during brain surgery and for closing at least one burr hole or cranial perforation made in the skull to facilitate cutting out a skull flap, the skull flap having a perimeter contour and the burr hole or cranial perforation having side walls, comprising at least one flexible strip which can be shaped to follow the perimeter contour of the skull flap, the strip having tabs or brackets with tabs, wherein at least one tab can be disposed over and adjacent to the skull flap and at least one other tab can be disposed over and adjacent to the skull and at least one cranial plug comprising a flange having an upper surface, a lower surface and a central axis generally perpendicular to the upper surface, and at least one extension projecting downwardly and away from the lower surface, wherein said at least one extension is beside the side walls when the cranial plug is implanted in a patient.
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50. A method of reattaching to a skull a skull flap removed from the skull to make an opening in the skull during brain surgery, the skull flap having a perimeter contour, comprising
shaping a strip fastener to follow the perimeter contour of the skull flap, the strip fastener comprising a flexible strip having tabs or brackets with tabs, wherein at least one tab can be disposed over and adjacent to the skull flap and at least one other tab can be disposed over and adjacent to the skull, affixing the strip fastener to the skull flap, positioning the skull flap with the strip fastener affixed thereto in the opening in the skull and in the position from which the skull flap was removed,
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57. A method of reattaching to a skull a skull flap removed from the skull to make an opening in the skull during brain surgery and for closing at least one burr hole or cranial perforation made in the skull to facilitate cutting out the skull flap, the skull flap having a perimeter contour and the burr hole or cranial perforation having side walls, comprising
shaping a strip fastener to follow the perimeter contour of the skull flap, the strip fastener comprising a flexible strip having tabs or brackets with tabs, wherein at least one tab can be disposed over and adjacent to the skull flap and at least one other tab can be disposed over and adjacent to the skull, affixing the strip fastener to the skull flap, positioning the skull flap with the strip fastener affixed thereto in the opening in the skull and in a position from which the skull flap was removed, affixing a cranial plug in at least one burr hole or cranial perforation.
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59. A method of reattaching to a skull a skull flap removed from the skull to make an opening in the skull during brain surgery and for closing at least one burr hole or cranial perforation made in the skull to facilitate cutting out the skull flap, the skull flap having a perimeter contour, comprising
positioning the skull flap in the opening in the skull and in a position from which the skull flap was removed, affixing the skull flap to the skull by affixing a cranial plug in each burr hole.
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61. A method of reattaching to a skull a skull flap removed from the skull to make an opening in the skull during brain surgery and for closing burr holes or cranial perforations made in the skull to facilitate cutting out the skull flap, the skull flap having a perimeter contour and portions of the burr holes or cranial perforations, comprising
affixing a cranial plug to each portion of the burr holes or cranial perforations of the skull flap, positioning the skull flap in the opening in the skull and in a position from which the skull flap was removed, affixing the skull flap to the skull by affixing each cranial plug to the skull.
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63. A method of reattaching to a skull a skull flap removed from the skull to make an opening in the skull during brain surgery and for closing at least one burr hole or cranial perforation made in the skull to facilitate cutting out the skull flap, the skull flap having a perimeter contour and the burr hole or cranial perforation having side walls, comprising
shaping to follow the perimeter contour of the skull flap a flexible strip of a fastener system comprising the flexible strip and a cranial plug, and positioning the cranial plug in a portion of a burr hole on the skull flap, affixing the flexible strip or the cranial plug to the skull flap, positioning the skull flap in the opening in the skull and in a position from which the skull flap was removed, affixing the cranial plug in the burr hole or cranial perforation and affixing the flexible strip to the skull.
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64. A strip fastener for reattaching a skull flap removed from a skull during brain surgery, the skull flap having a perimeter contour, comprising
a flexible strip which can be shaped to follow the perimeter contour of the skull flap, the strip having a length and one or more cavities disposed along the length.
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69. An auxiliary fastener for securing a strip fastener used to reattach a skull flap removed from a skull during brain surgery, the strip fastener having a cavity, the auxiliary fastener comprising an elongate flange which can be disposed over and adjacent to the skull flap and the skull and a tab extending downwardly from a lower surface thereof, the tab being shaped to fit within the cavity and being secured to the cavity.
Specification