Transpedicular intervertebral disk access methods and devices
First Claim
1. A flexible drill comprisinga lower sub-assembly connected to an upper sub-assembly;
- where the lower sub-assembly comprises a spin luer lock, a retainer tube, a piston anchor, a piston level, a piston, a distal O-ring and a proximal O-ring; and
where the upper sub-assembly comprises a drilling tip, guiding tube, a barrel knob, a barrel, a threaded adapter, a liner, a bearing housing, a flexible shaft, a distal bearing, a proximal bearing, a collet, a bearing cap and a motor receptacle;
where the guiding tube comprising a proximal segment having a central axis and a distal segment having a distal end;
where the drilling tip is connected to the distal end of the distal segment; and
where the guiding tube comprises a substance that has been processed to return to a shape where the distal segment has a radius of curvature sufficient to cause the drilling tip at the end of the distal segment to orient at between about 10° and
150°
off of the central axis of the proximal segment when the guiding tube is not subject to distortion.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A flexible drill and method of drilling a material are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a flexible drill includes a lower sub-assembly connected to an upper sub-assembly, where the lower sub-assembly comprises a retainer tube and the upper sub-assembly comprises a guiding tube; a drilling tip, and capable of orienting the drilling tip at a predetermined position after accessing a material to he drilled through a substantially straight passage having a lone axis. The predetermined position is at least 10° off of the lone axis of the substantially straight passage. According to one embodiment, a method of drilling a material includes the steps of (a) providing a flexible drill; (b) advancing the drill through a substantially straight passage until the drilling tip accesses the material to be drilled, thereby orienting the drilling tip at the predetermined position; and (c) actuating the drill.
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Citations
7 Claims
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1. A flexible drill comprising
a lower sub-assembly connected to an upper sub-assembly; -
where the lower sub-assembly comprises a spin luer lock, a retainer tube, a piston anchor, a piston level, a piston, a distal O-ring and a proximal O-ring; and where the upper sub-assembly comprises a drilling tip, guiding tube, a barrel knob, a barrel, a threaded adapter, a liner, a bearing housing, a flexible shaft, a distal bearing, a proximal bearing, a collet, a bearing cap and a motor receptacle; where the guiding tube comprising a proximal segment having a central axis and a distal segment having a distal end; where the drilling tip is connected to the distal end of the distal segment; and where the guiding tube comprises a substance that has been processed to return to a shape where the distal segment has a radius of curvature sufficient to cause the drilling tip at the end of the distal segment to orient at between about 10° and
150°
off of the central axis of the proximal segment when the guiding tube is not subject to distortion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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Specification