Instrument Guide System

• US 20070208352A1
• Filed: 05/07/2007
• Published: 09/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Navigation Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Surgical Navigation Technologies, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Henderson, Jaimie, Clayton, John, Frank, Kevin, Bucholz, Richard, Ulberg, Phillip, Smith, Kurt, Carroll, Catalina
• Granted Patent: US 7,776,056 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/130
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/107 Visualisation of planned trajectories or target regions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2055 Optical tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2072 Reference field transducer attached to an instrument or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/256 having a database of accessory information, e.g. including context sensitive help or scientific articles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3983 Reference marker arrangements for use with image guided surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/11 with guides for needles or instruments, e.g. arcuate slides or ball joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A system is provided to align a surgical guide instrument over a burr hole in a patient'"'"'s body. Adjustments of a surgical instrument can be made in x, y, z, and angular directions using the system. An instrument guide unit can include an instrument guide for guiding a surgical instrument into the body of a patient and a base unit operative to be secured to the body near an area in which surgery is to occur. The base unit is coupled to the instrument guide. An adjustment mechanism, coupled to the base unit and the instrument guide, is operative to adjust the instrument guide in lateral directions with respect the surface of the area.

Claims

1. An instrument guide for use in surgery relative to a body, comprising:

a guide tube extending from a first end to a second end and defining a bore through the tube;

an adjustment mechanism operative to adjust the guide tube in at least two directions;

a base member operable to be fixed to the body;

a guide ball operable to allow the guide tube to be positioned in a selected position; and

a locking plate to lock the guide ball into a fixed position to maintain the selected position.

2. The instrument guide of claim 1 wherein the selected position is a trajectory of the guide tube.

3. The instrument guide of claim 1 further comprising:

a reference position frame.

4. The instrument guide of claim 3 further comprising:

a starburst connector to operably interconnect the reference position frame and the base member.

5. The instrument guide of claim 3 wherein the reference position frame is fixedly connected to the base member.

6. The instrument guide of claim 3 further comprising:

an instrument guide tracking system operable to determine the position of the reference position frame.

7. The instrument guide of claim 6 wherein the instrument guide tracking system is at least of an optical tracking system, a sonic tracking system, an electromagnetic tracking system, or combinations thereof.

8. The instrument guide of claim 1 further comprising:

an anchor plate operable to be fixedly connected to the body and hold the guide tube relative to the body.

9. The instrument guide of claim 1 wherein the guide tube passes through a passage formed in the guide ball;

where the locking plate is operable to engage the guide ball to hold the guide ball in a guide ball selected position to hold the guide tube in a selected position.

10. The instrument guide in claim 9 wherein the guide ball and guide tube are operable to guide an instrument in at least one of a x position, a y position, a z position, angular co-ordinates, or combinations thereof.

11. The instrument guide of claim 1 further comprising:

an instrument operable to be positioned in the guide tube.

12. The instrument guide of claim 11 further comprising:

a tracking marker operably connected with the instrument.

13. The instrument guide of claim 1 wherein the locking plate physically engages the guide ball to hold the guide ball in a guide ball selected position.

14. The instrument guide of claim 13 wherein the locking plate defines a first thread operable to engage a second thread relative to the base member;

wherein the locking plate is operable to be rotated to engage the first thread and the second thread and fixedly hold the guide ball in the guide ball selected position.

15. The instrument guide of claim 1 wherein the base includes at least one of a y-direction translation base, a x-direction translation base, or combinations thereof.

16. The instrument guide of claim 15 further comprising:

a knob operable to assist in the positioning of the x-direction translation base, the y-direction translation base, or combinations thereof,

17. The instrument guide of claim 1 wherein the base plate is connected directly to the body.

18. The instrument guide of claim 1 wherein the locking plate is a single member to lock the guide ball in a selected ball position.

19. An instrument guide unit for use in surgery relative to a body comprising:

a guide tube operable to guide a surgical instrument into the body;

a guide ball coupled to said guide tube;

a base unit operative to be secured to the body in an area in which surgery is to occur, said base unit being coupled to said guide ball; and

an adjustment mechanism coupled to said base unit and said guide ball, said adjustment mechanism operable to adjust said guide ball in lateral directions with respect to said base unit and enable said guide ball to be rotated in angular positions, wherein lateral and angular positions of said guide tube is adjusted at said guide ball.

20. The instrument guide unit of claim 19 wherein said adjustment mechanism is operative to adjust said guide ball in x and y directions.

21. The instrument guide unit of claim 20 wherein said adjustment mechanism comprises an x direction control mechanism for adjusting the surgical instrument in an x direction.

22. The instrument guide unit of claim 21 wherein said adjustment mechanism, comprises a y direction control mechanism for adjusting the surgical instrument in a y direction.

23. The instrument guide unit of claim 22 wherein said y direction control mechanism is coupled to said x direction control mechanism.

24. The instrument guide unit of claim 23 wherein said x direction control mechanism moves transverse to said y direction control mechanism.

25. The instrument guide unit of claim 19 wherein said adjustment mechanism comprises an adjustment table for adjusting said guide ball in said lateral directions.

26. The instrument guide unit of claim 19 wherein said base unit comprises a plate having a first attachment member for coupling to said adjustment mechanism.

27. The instrument guide unit of claim 26 wherein said adjustment mechanism includes a mounting base that is operative to be coupled to said plate by said first attachment member.

28. The instrument guide unit of claim 27 wherein said plate has a second attachment member extending therefrom for anchoring in the body at the area.

29. The instrument guide unit of claim 27 wherein said plate has an opening defined therein through which a surgical instrument may pass and that extends through said first and second attachment members.

30. The instrument guide of claim 27 wherein said first attachment member has threaded groves for screwing into a corresponding attachment member of said mounting base and wherein said second attachment member has threaded groves for screwing into the body at said area.

31. The instrument guide of claim 19 further comprising a first set of tracking elements associated with said guide tube, wherein said first set of tracking elements may be used to determine an orientation of said guide tube.

32. The instrument guide of claim 31 further comprising a second tracking element associated with said surgical instrument, wherein said second tracking element is operable to be used to determine a location of said surgical instrument.

33. The instrument guide of claim 32 further comprising a third set of tracking elements associated with said base unit, wherein said third set of tracking elements are operable to be used to determine a location of said base unit.

34. The instrument guide of claim 33 wherein said first set of tracking elements, said second tracking element and said third set of tracking elements are selected from a group comprising optical, sonic, electromagnetic, optical reflectors, LEDs, camera array, transducers, magnetic and a combination thereof.

35. The instrument guide of claim 32 wherein said surgical instrument is an electrode.

36. The instrument guide of claim 31 wherein said first set of tracking elements includes a plurality of tracking elements attached to a frame coupled to said guide tube.

37. The instrument guide of claim 33 wherein said third set of tracking elements are a plurality of tracking elements affixed to a frame wherein said frame is formed from a polymer material.

38. The instrument guide of claim 19 further comprising at least one tracking element associated with said guide tube, wherein said at least one tracking element is operable to be used to determine a location of said guide tube.

39. The instrument guide of claim 19 further comprising said surgical instrument having at least one tracking element associated with said surgical instrument, wherein said at least one tracking element is operable to be used to determine a location of said surgical instrument.

40. The instrument guide of claim 19 further comprising at least one tracking element associated with said base unit, wherein said at least one tracking element is operable to be used to determine a location of said base unit.

41. An instrument guide unit for use in surgery relative to a body, comprising:

an instrument guide operable to guide a surgical instrument into the body;

a first set of tracking elements associated with said instrument guide;

a base unit operative to be secured to the body in an area in which surgery is to occur, said base unit being coupled to said instrument guide; and

a second set of tracking elements associated with said base unit, wherein a location of said base unit may be determined by use of said second set of tracking elements associated with said base unit and wherein an orientation of said instrument guide may be determined by use of said first set of tracking elements associated with said instrument guide.

42. The instrument guide unit of claim 41 further comprising an adjustment mechanism coupled to said base unit and said instrument guide that is operable to adjust said instrument guide in lateral directions with respect to a surface of said area.

43. The instrument guide unit of claim 42 wherein said instrument guide includes a guide tube and a guide ball coupled to said guide tube.

44. The instrument guide unit of claim 43 wherein said adjustment mechanism is operable to adjust said guide ball in lateral directions with respect to said base unit and enable said guide ball to be rotated in angular positions, wherein lateral and angular positions of said guide tube is adjusted at said guide ball.

45. The instrument guide unit of claim 41 wherein said second set of tracking element associated with said base unit are used as a reference frame.

46. The instrument guide unit of claim 45 wherein said reference frame is formed from polycarbonate.

47. The instrument guide unit of claim 41 wherein said first set of tracking elements and said second set of tracking elements are selected from a group comprising optical, sonic, electromagnetic, optical reflectors, LEDs, camera array, transducers, magnetic and a combination thereof.

48. The instrument guide unit of claim 41 further comprising said surgical instrument having a tracking element operable to be used to determine a depth of said surgical instrument.

49. The instrument guide unit of claim 48 wherein said surgical instrument is an electrode.