Low Profile Instrument Immobilizer

• US 20100179563A1
• Filed: 03/24/2010
• Published: 07/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Skakoon, James G., Solar, Matthew S., Miller, Thomas I., Freas, Mark Stephen, Helmer, Patrick R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,901,713 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/129
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3415 for introducing tubes or catheters, e.g. gastrostomy tubes, drain catheters A61B17/3417 takes precedence; body piercing catheter guide needles A61M25/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3423 Access ports, e.g. toroid shape introducers for instruments or hands access sites for liquids A61M39/0247
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/347 Locking means, e.g. for locking instrument in cannula
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/103 Cranial plugs for access to brain
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6864 Burr holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/11 with guides for needles or instruments, e.g. arcuate slides or ball joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/50 Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/024 having a clip or clamp system
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/02 Holding devices, e.g. on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0536 Preventing neurodegenerative response or inflammatory reaction
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0539 Anchoring of brain electrode systems, e.g. within burr hole

Abstract

This document discusses, among other things, examples of a low profile instrument immobilizer and means for positioning the same. In one example, the low profile instrument immobilizer grasps, secures, and immobilizes an electrode or other instrument that extends through a burr hole in a skull to a target location in a patient'"'"'s brain.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first base piece and a second base piece, the first base piece and second base piece each include first and second ends, the first end of the first base piece and the first end of the second base piece include respective holes sized and shaped for receiving a fastener therethrough for rotatable motion thereabout, the second end of the first base piece includes at least one coupler sized and shaped to engage an at least one corresponding coupler disposed on the second base piece, the first base piece is sized and shaped to be disposed along a first side of a burr hole and the second base piece is sized and shaped to be disposed along a second side of the burr hole such that the at least one coupler of the first base piece is operable to engage at least one coupler of the second base piece to retain at least one instrument extending between the first and second base pieces into the burr hole.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, in which at least one of the first and second base pieces includes a lateral exit groove sized and shaped to retain a portion of the at least one instrument within the groove.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the first base piece and the second base piece rotate about parallel axes.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the first base piece and second base piece rotate within substantially the same plane.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the hole in the first end of the first base piece is disposed on an opposing side of the burr hole from the hole in the first end of the second base piece.

6. An apparatus comprising:

a first base piece and a separate second base piece, the first and second base pieces each including an elongated body extending between first and second ends about a longitudinal axis, the first end of the first base piece and the first end of the second base piece including respective holes sized and shaped for receiving a fastener therethrough for rotatable motion thereabout, the second end of the first base piece including at least one male coupler sized and shaped to engage an at least one corresponding female coupler disposed on the second end of the second base piece, the first base piece being sized and shaped to be disposed along a first side of a burr hole and the second base piece being sized and shaped to be disposed along a second side of the burr hole such that the hole in the first end of the first base piece is disposed on an opposing side of the burr hole from the hole in the first end of the second base piece and the at least one male coupler of the first base piece is operable to engage the at least one female coupler of the second base piece to retain at least one instrument extending between the first and second base pieces into the burr hole.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first base piece and the second base piece rotate about parallel axes extending through a center of the respective holes in the first end of the first and second base pieces and perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the first and second base pieces.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one male coupler includes a pair of male couplers and the at least one female coupler includes a corresponding pair of female couplers, each of the pair of male couplers and the pair of female couplers being spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal axis of the respective first and second base pieces.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first base piece includes a lateral exit channel sized and shaped to retain a portion of the at least one instrument within the channel, the channel extending along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body of the first base piece.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the lateral exit channel is positioned between and formed in part by the pair of spaced apart male couplers.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the lateral exit channel is positioned substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body of the second base piece when the pair of male couplers engage the pair of female couplers.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second base piece includes a recess formed between the pair of spaced apart female couplers and configured to engage the at least one instrument when the pair of male couplers engage the pair of female couplers to fasten the first and second base pieces together and retain the at least one instrument therebetween.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the longitudinal axes of the first and second elongated bodies are parallel to each other upon engagement of the pair of male couplers with the corresponding pair of female couplers.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein a portion of a first side of each of the elongated bodies facing the burr hole contact each other upon engagement of the pair of male couplers with the pair of female couplers.

15. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the hole in the first end of the first base piece is disposed on a diagonally opposing side of the burr hole from the hole in the first end of the second base piece such that the second end of each of the first and second base pieces rotates toward the respective first ends of the first and second base pieces upon rotation of each of the first and second base pieces towards a center of the burr hole to a closed position.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the lateral exit channel includes first and second spaced apart walls, each wall having a chamfer at opposed ends thereof to facilitate entry and exit of the at least one instrument.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first and second walls of the lateral exit channel extend beyond the first side and an opposite second side of the elongated body of the first base piece.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a two-piece base including a first base piece and a second base piece, the first and second base pieces each including an elongated body portion extending between first and second ends about a longitudinal axis, the first end of the first base piece and the first end of the second base piece including respective holes sized and shaped for receiving a fastener therethrough for rotatable motion thereabout, the second end of the first base piece including a pair of spaced apart male couplers sized and shaped to engage a corresponding pair of spaced apart female couplers disposed on the second end of the second base piece, the first base piece including a lateral exit groove formed by the pair of spaced apart male couplers and the respective elongated body and having an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongated body of the first base piece, the first base piece being sized and shaped to be disposed along a first side of a burr hole and the second base piece being sized and shaped to be disposed along a second side of the burr hole such that the hole in the first end of the first base piece is disposed on a diagonally opposing side of the burr hole from the hole in the first end of the second base piece, wherein the first base piece is spaced apart from the second base piece in an open position and the pair of male couplers of the first base piece are operable to engage the corresponding pair of female couplers of the second base piece in a closed position of the base pieces to retain at least one instrument extending between the first and second base pieces into the burr hole such that a portion of the retained instrument is received in the lateral exit groove.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the elongated body portions of the first and second base pieces each include a first side and an opposite second side, the first and second sides being substantially parallel to the respective longitudinal axes, wherein the first and second base pieces are configured such that the respective first sides are spaced apart from and facing each other in the open position and contacting each other in the closed position.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the first and second base pieces rotate within substantially the same plane about parallel spaced apart axes extending through a center of the respective holes in the first end of the first and second base pieces and perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the first and second base pieces.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the pair of male couplers and the pair of female couplers are each are spaced apart a first distance from the respective holes in the first end of the first and second base pieces.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the second base piece includes a recess formed in the first side thereof and between the pair of spaced apart female couplers, the recess aligning with the lateral exit channel when the pair of male couplers engage the pair of female couplers in the closed position to fasten the first and second base pieces together to retain the at least one instrument therebetween.