Lockable Orientation Instrument Assembly

• US 20100234850A1
• Filed: 03/22/2010
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smith & Nephew Incorporated (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Original Assignee: Smith & Nephew Incorporated (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Inventors: Dees, Roger Ryan JR., Sharp, Jeffrey Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 8,834,473 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/87
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/155 Cutting femur
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1764 for the knee
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/508 with releasable brake mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

Disclosed are lockable instrument assemblies for quick and easy configuration of surgical instrumentation. The assemblies are operable between a locked and unlocked position, and generally include an aperture having a shaped profile which receives an adjustment member therein. When the assemblies are placed in a locked assembly configuration, the adjustment member is prevented from rotating or translating within the aperture. When the assemblies are placed in an unlocked assembly configuration, the adjustment member is permitted to rotate or translate within the aperture. Also disclosed are methods of using and making lockable instrument assemblies.

Claims

1. A device for use in a medical procedure, the device comprising:

a body;

a displacement member slideably engaged with and moveable with respect to said body;

a shaped aperture provided on one of the body or the displacement member, the shaped aperture having a first shaped portion and a second shaped portion;

an adjustment member disposed within the shaped aperture; and

a biasing member;

wherein the adjustment member is prevented from being at least one of rotated or translated relative to the body or displacement member when the adjustment member is positioned adjacent to the first shaped portion;

wherein the adjustment member is capable of being at least one of rotated or translated relative to the body or displacement member when the adjustment member is positioned adjacent to the second shaped portion; and

wherein the biasing member is configured to normally position the adjustment member adjacent to said first shaped portion.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first shaped portion comprises one or more rotation prevention features.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the adjustment member further comprises one or more rotation prevention features which are complementary to the one or more rotation prevention features of the first shaped portion.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein said one or more rotation prevention features comprises at least one of a non-arcuate portion, a line segment, a flat portion, a straight portion, or a linear portion.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein said one or more rotation prevention features comprises a protuberance or a recess.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the first shaped portion comprises an anti-rotation profile which complements an anti-rotation profile of the adjustment member.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the aperture is generally D-shaped, ovoid, or tapered in cross-section.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the aperture is larger adjacent the second shaped portion and smaller adjacent the first shaped portion.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the aperture is asymmetric in cross-section

10. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the body and the displacement member comprises a means for limiting relative movement between the body and the displacement member, and wherein the adjustment member is positioned adjacent to either the first shaped portion or the second shaped portion when movement between the body and the displacement member is prevented by said means.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the adjustment member comprises a cam having one or more peripheral geometries.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the adjustment member comprises a measuring device.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the adjustment member has a moveable activation member received therein.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the adjustment member is normally positioned adjacent the first shaped portion by forces exerted by the biasing member.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the body comprises means for mounting a surgical guide for marking, cutting, drilling, reaming, milling, burring, impacting, or broaching.

16. An instrument comprising:

a body having a shaped aperture, the shaped aperture having a first shaped portion and a second shaped portion;

an adjustment member disposed within the shaped aperture; and

a biasing member;

wherein the first shaped portion of the aperture is configured to prevent the adjustment member from being at least one of rotated or translated relative to the body when the adjustment member is positioned adjacent to the first shaped portion;

wherein the second shaped portion of the aperture is configured to allow the adjustment member to be at least one of rotated or translated relative to the body when the adjustment member is positioned adjacent to the second shaped portion; and

wherein the biasing member is configured to normally position the adjustment member adjacent to said first shaped portion.

17. A method for locking a medical instrument in a position, the method comprising:

applying a force to a body having a shaped aperture therein, the shaped aperture comprising a locking portion and an unlocking portion, wherein the force to the body temporarily overcomes a force acting on the body which is exerted by a biasing member, and wherein the force to the body moves the body relative to an adjustment member disposed within the aperture such that the adjustment member is urged towards the unlocking portion;

moving the adjustment member in at least one of a rotation or a translation with respect to the body while the adjustment member is positioned adjacent to the unlocking portion of the aperture;

removing the force applied to the body to allow the biasing member to move the body relative to the adjustment member and return the adjustment member to a position adjacent to the locking portion; and

locking the adjustment member to prevent movement of the adjustment member in at least one of rotational or translation relative to the body, wherein movement is prevented by frictional forces between the adjustment member and the locking portion of the aperture.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said frictional forces between the adjustment member and the locking portion of the aperture are increased by one or more rotation prevention features located on at least one of the body and the adjustment member.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of moving the adjustment member in at least one of a rotation or a translation with respect to the body further comprises identifying and selecting at least one of a plurality of configurations.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of locking the adjustment member further comprises locking the adjustment member in a second locked configuration that is different from a first locked configuration, wherein the second locked configuration comprises at least one of a change in rotational positioning or translational positioning of the adjustment member in relation to the body.

21. A method for locking a medical device in a position, the method comprising:

applying a force to an adjustment member relative to body having a shaped aperture therein, the shaped aperture comprising a locking portion and an unlocking portion, wherein the force to the adjustment member temporarily overcomes a force acting on the adjustment member which is exerted by a biasing member, and wherein the force to the adjustment member urges the adjustment member towards the unlocking portion;

moving the adjustment member in at least one of a rotation or a translation with respect to the body while the adjustment member is positioned adjacent to the unlocking portion of the aperture;

removing the force applied to the adjustment member to allow the biasing member to move the adjustment member relative to the body and return the adjustment member to a position adjacent to the locking portion; and

locking the adjustment member to prevent movement of the adjustment member in at least one of rotational or translation relative to the body, wherein movement is prevented by frictional forces between the adjustment member and the locking portion of the aperture.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said frictional forces between the adjustment member and the locking portion of the aperture are increased by one or more rotation prevention features located on at least one of the body and the adjustment member.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of moving the adjustment member in at least one of a rotation or a translation with respect to the body further comprises identifying and selecting at least one of a plurality of configurations.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of locking the adjustment member further comprises locking the adjustment member in a second locked configuration that is different from a first locked configuration, wherein the second locked configuration comprises at least one of a change in rotational positioning or translational positioning of the adjustment member in relation to the body.