COUPLING DEVICES FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS AND RELATED METHODS

• US 20180344301A1
• Filed: 05/31/2017
• Published: 12/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medos International Sarl (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Medos International Sarl (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Wehrli, Daniela, Lindenmann, Philippe
• Granted Patent: US 10,722,223 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00 Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets A61B18/00 takes precedence; contraceptive devices, pessaries, or applicators therefor A61F6/00; eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1671 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3421 Cannulas
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7074 Tools specially adapted for spinal fixation operations other than for bone removal or filler handling A61B17/7062, A61B17/808, A61B17/8858 take precedence; for spinal image producing devices A61B90/36, A61B34/20; markers A61B90/39
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8819 characterised by the introducer proximal part, e.g. cannula handle, or by parts which are inserted inside each other, e.g. stylet and cannula A61B17/8825 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00455 Orientation indicators, e.g. recess on the handle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2048 using an accelerometer or inertia sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2055 Optical tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/034 abutting on parts of the device itself
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/363 Use of fiducial points
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3966 Radiopaque markers visible in an X-ray image
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3979 infrared
• 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

Abstract

Coupling devices and related methods are disclosed herein, e.g., for coupling a surgical instrument to a navigation array or other component. The coupling device can reduce or eliminate movement between the instrument and the navigation array, improving navigation precision. The coupling device can be quick and easy to use, reducing or eliminating the need for extra steps or additional tools to attach or detach the instrument from the coupling device. In some embodiments, the single step of inserting an instrument into the coupling device can automatically lock the instrument within the coupling device in a toggle-free manner. The coupling device can include features for consistently attaching instruments thereto at a known or predetermined location and/or orientation.

Claims

1. A coupling device, comprising:

a housing having proximal and distal ends and a central longitudinal axis A1 extending therebetween; and

a clamp having a plurality of clamping elements and defining an instrument channel, the clamp being rotatable within the housing about the axis A1 between an unclamped position in which the clamping elements are free to move radially-outward away from the axis A1 and a clamped position in which the clamping elements are urged radially-inward towards the axis A1.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a trigger movable relative to the housing between a first position in which the trigger maintains the clamp in the unclamped position and a second position in which the trigger allows the clamp to move to the clamped position.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the trigger is movable between the first and second positions by translating the trigger relative to the housing along an axis A2 that is parallel or substantially parallel to the axis A1.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the trigger includes a rotation stop received within a slot formed in the clamp.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the slot includes an axial portion in which the rotation stop cannot move laterally within the slot and a lateral portion in which the rotation stop is free to move laterally within the slot.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the slot includes:

an axial portion in which the rotation stop cannot move laterally within the slot, the rotation stop being aligned with the axial portion when the trigger is in a resting position;

a first lateral portion in which the rotation stop is free to move laterally within the slot, the rotation stop being aligned with the first lateral portion when the trigger is moved distally relative to the housing from the resting position, and

a second lateral portion in which the rotation stop is free to move laterally within the slot, the rotation stop being aligned with the second lateral portion when the trigger is moved proximally relative to the housing from the resting position.

7. The device of claim 2, wherein the trigger includes an engagement feature that protrudes from one of the proximal and distal ends of the housing.

8. The device of claim 2, wherein the trigger includes a first engagement feature that protrudes from the proximal end of the housing and a second engagement feature that protrudes from the distal end of the housing.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the first engagement feature contacts an instrument when the instrument is loaded into the proximal end of the housing and wherein the second engagement feature contacts an instrument when the instrument is loaded into the distal end of the housing.

10. The device of claim 2, wherein loading an instrument into the proximal end of the housing and loading an instrument into a distal end of the housing are both effective to automatically actuate the trigger to release the clamp from the unclamped position.

11. The device of claim 2, wherein the trigger is biased to the first position by a trigger spring.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the trigger spring comprises a flexible beam.

13. The device of claim 2, wherein insertion of an instrument into the instrument channel displaces the trigger to the second position.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the clamping elements are urged radially-inward by an interior surface feature of the coupling device.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the surface feature comprises a ramped interior surface of the housing.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of clamping elements include a spherical ball or a wedge.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the clamp is biased towards the clamped position by a clamp spring.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing and the clamp each include handle levers movable towards one another to move the clamp to the unclamped position.

19. The device of claim 18, further comprising a navigation array attached to one of the handle levers.

20. The device of claim 1, further comprising a navigation array attached to the housing.

21. The device of claim 2, further comprising an orientation feature that prevents the trigger from being actuated by an instrument unless the orientation feature is aligned with a corresponding orientation feature of the instrument.

22. The device of claim 1, further comprising a conical ring-shaped projection extending from the housing and configured to be received within a corresponding recess of an instrument to ensure the device is coupled to the instrument in the correct orientation.

23. The device of claim 1, further comprising an instrument configured to be selectively attached to the coupling, the instrument including a groove that is engaged by the clamping elements when the instrument is received within the instrument channel.

24. The device of claim 2, further comprising an instrument configured to be selectively attached to the coupling, the instrument including a bearing surface that contacts the trigger and moves the trigger to the second position when the instrument is received within the instrument channel.

25. A coupling device, comprising:

a housing having an instrument channel, a clamp, and a trigger;

wherein insertion of an instrument into the instrument channel actuates the trigger to release the clamp, causing the clamp to rotate within the housing to clamp onto the instrument.

26-35. -35. (canceled)