Head fixation device

• US 8,287,537 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2009
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dinkler Surgical Devices, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dinkler Surgical Devices, Inc.
• Inventors: Dinkler, Charles E. II
• Primary Examiner(s): Robert, Eduardo C
• Assistant Examiner(s): BRAY, STUART SAMUEL
• Application Number:
  US12/478,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20090306662A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• Field of Search: 606 54- 59
• US Class Current: 606/59
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/6433 specially adapted for use on body parts other than limbs, e.g. trunk or head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/14 Fixators for body parts, e.g. skull clamps; Constructional details of fixators, e.g. pins

Abstract

Head fixation devices and methods of fixating heads of patients for surgical procedures. The head fixation devices generally respectively comprise a skull clamp, a skull clamp arc assembly movable relative to the skull clamp, and a plurality of skull pins operable to engage and fixate heads of patients during neurosurgical and cervical spine procedures. The skull clamp can comprise a single skull pin on each end of the clamp. The two skull pins apply substantially equal compressive forces to the head of a patient. The skull clamp arc assembly, and an arc skull pin thereof, is pivotable to engage and disengage the patient'"'"'s head for additional fixation support of the head.

Claims

1. A head fixation device comprising:

a skull clamp positionable about a head of a patient, wherein the skull clamp comprises a first end and a second end opposing the first end;

a first skull pin provided to the first end of the skull clamp and a second skull pin provided to the second end of the skull clamp, wherein the first and second skull pins are aligned in opposition along a first axis, and wherein at least one of the first and second skull pins is movable axially relative to the first and second ends such that the first and second skull pins engage and disengage the head of the patient when the skull clamp is positioned thereabout; and

a skull clamp arc assembly comprising an arc skull pin, wherein the skull clamp arc assembly extends rotatably from the first end of the skull clamp, wherein the first skull pin extends through the first end of the skull clamp and through the skull clamp arc assembly along the first axis, wherein the skull clamp arc assembly rotates about the first skull pin, wherein the arc skull pin is offset from the first axis, and wherein the arc skull pin is pivotable relative to the first end of the skull clamp to engage and disengage the head of the patient.

2. The head fixation device of claim 1, wherein the skull clamp arc assembly includes one or more pivot points that are pivotable relative to the first and second ends, such that the arc skull pin pivots toward and away from the first axis so as to engage and disengage the head of the patient when the skull clamp is positioned thereabout.

3. The head fixation device of claim 2, wherein the skull clamp arc assembly comprises:

a rocker guide assembly securable to the one of the first and second ends from which the skull clamp arc assembly extends;

a lower rocker assembly securable to the rocker guide assembly at a first pivot point and pivotable about the first pivot point toward and away from the first axis; and

an upper rocker assembly securable to the lower rocker assembly at a second pivot point and pivotable about the second pivot point toward and away from the first axis, and wherein the upper rocker assembly comprises an upper rocker arc operable to receive and support the arc skull pin, wherein the arc skull pin engages and disengages the head of the patient with pivoting of the upper rocker arc about the second pivot point toward and away from, respectively, the first axis.

4. The head fixation device of claim 3, wherein the lower rocker arm assembly comprises a lower rocker arc that is pivotable about the first pivot point, and a pawl lever that is movable between an unlocked state in which the upper rocker assembly is pivotable about the second pivot point and a locked state in which the upper rocker assembly is not pivotable about the second pivot point.

5. The head fixation device of claim 2, wherein the skull clamp arc assembly is rotatable relative to the first and second ends such that the skull clamp arc assembly rotates about the first axis with pivoting of the arc skull pin about at least one of the plurality of pivot points to a maximum pivot away from the first axis.

6. The head fixation device according to claim 1, wherein the skull clamp arc assembly further comprises a rocker guide assembly rotatably secured to the first end of the skull clamp and between the first end and the second end of the skull clamp, the first skull pin extending through the rocker guide assembly, wherein the rocker guide assembly is rotatable around the first axis, and a rocker assembly securable to and extending from the rocker guide assembly at a pivot point, wherein the rocker assembly pivots about the pivot point toward and away from the first axis, wherein the arc skull pin extends from a distal end of the rocker assembly and is offset from the first axis, the arc skull pin being pivotable with the rocker assembly toward and away from the first axis.

7. The head fixation device of claim 6, wherein the arc skull pin is movable threadedly through the distal end of the rocker assembly.

8. The head fixation device according to claim 6, wherein the rocker assembly is pivotably about the pivot point in a plane through the first axis, and toward and away from the first axis, and wherein the arc skull pin is pivotable with the rocker assembly in the plane through the first axis, toward and away from the first axis.

9. The head fixation device according to claim 6 wherein the arc skull pin is threaded through the distal end of the skull clamp arc assembly.

10. The head fixation device of claim 6, wherein the rocker guide assembly comprises a body, a locking pin, a recess in the body at least partially housing the locking pin, a locking lever engaged with the locking pin, a cam movable to engage and disengage the locking lever, and a channel through the body through which the rocker guide assembly is securable to the one of the first and second ends of the skull clamp.

11. The head fixation device of claim 1, wherein:

the one of the first and second ends of the skull clamp from which the skull clamp arc assembly extends comprises a locking assembly operable to secure the skull clamp arc assembly to the one of the first and second ends, and the locking assembly comprises a locking plate, an o-ring, and a snap ring.

12. The head fixation device of claim 11, wherein:

the locking plate is operable to secure to the one of the first and second ends of the skull clamp from which the skull clamp arc assembly extends and to support the skull clamp arc assembly and comprises a post and a depression provided proximally to an end of the post, the o-ring is positionable about the post of the locking plate and is operable to facilitate movement of the skull clamp arc assembly relative to the locking plate, and the snap ring is operable to secure to the depression of the locking plate and secure the skull clamp arc assembly to the post of the locking plate.

13. The head fixation device of claim 1, wherein the first skull pin, the second skull pin, and the arc skull pin, respectively, comprise a tip operable to engage and disengage the head of the patient when the skull clamp is positioned thereabout, a plunger operable to support the tip, a plunger guide operable to control movement of the plunger and the tip, a compression spring operable to translate movement of the plunger guide to the plunger and the tip, and an indicator operable to indicate a compressive force provided by the tip against the head of the patient when the skull clamp is positioned thereabout.

14. The head fixation device of claim 1, wherein the head fixation device comprises multiple skull clamp arc assemblies that extend from the first and second ends of the skull clamp.

15. The head fixation device according to claim 1 wherein the arc skull pin includes a compressive force indicator operable to indicate the compressive force of the arc skull pin.

16. The head fixation device according to claim 1 wherein the arc skull pin includes a knob for rotating, a compressible pressure spring that exerts a force on a plunger in response to rotation of the knob, and a tip disposed at the distal end of the plunger for placement against and applying compressive force against the skull of the patient.

17. The head fixation device according to claim 1, wherein the first end of the skull clamp from which the skull clamp arc assembly extends, comprises a locking assembly for securing the skull clamp arc assembly from rotation.

18. The head fixation device according to claim 1, wherein the skull clamp can rotate independently of the skull clamp arc assembly and the first and second skull pins.