Apparatus for holding and driving a surgical cutting device using stereotactic mammography guidance

• US 5,830,219 A
• Filed: 02/24/1997
• Issued: 11/03/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hologic Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Trex Medical Corp. (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kirshner, Hal, DeFrietas, Kenneth F., Janer, Roman R., Pennatto, Samson L., Bird, Richard R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dawson, Glenn K.
• Application Number:
  US08/805,124
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 604/116, 606/1, 606/116, 606/130, 600/424, 600/429
• US Class Current: 606/130
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0233 Pointed or sharp biopsy instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/17 for soft tissue, e.g. breast-holding devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for

Abstract

An apparatus for holding and driving a rotary cutting surgical instrument with a needle guiding stage of a stereotactic mammography biopsy system is disclosed. The system includes a rotary cutting surgical instrument having a housing with a mechanism for securing the housing to a needle guiding stage of the stereotactic mammography biopsy system. The apparatus further includes a position encoder and controller for determining the resistance experienced by the rotary cutting instrument and for controlling the rotation of the instrument in response to the resistance.

Claims

1. An apparatus for holding a rotary cutting surgical instrument to a needle guiding stage of a stereotactic mammography biopsy system and for driving the rotary cutting surgical instrument, the apparatus comprising:

a housing having means for holding the rotary cutting surgical instrument to the housing and having means for securing the housing to a needle guiding stage of a stereotactic mammography apparatus;

a rotation means for rotating the rotary cutting surgical instrument; and

controlling means, connected to the rotation means, for determining a cutting resistance experienced by the rotary cutting surgical instrument and for controlling the rotation means in response to the cutting resistance.

2. An apparatus for holding a rotary cutting surgical instrument to a needle guiding stage of a stereotactic mammography biopsy system and for driving the rotary cutting surgical instrument, the apparatus comprising:

a housing having a holding means for holding the rotary cutting surgical instrument to the housing, having a means for securing the housing to a needle guiding stage of a stereotactic mammography apparatus, and having a drive end;

a motor having a shaft, the motor positioned within the housing;

a position encoder positioned within the housing, the position encoder connected to the shaft of the motor;

removable holding means, attached to the housing at the drive end, for holding the rotary cutting surgical instrument to the housing; and

a transmission means for transmitting the rotational energy of the motor to the surgical cutting instrument, the transmission means connected to the shaft of the motor, the transmission means being located between the drive end of the housing and the removable holding means; and

controlling means, connected to the motor, for determining a cutting resistance experienced by the rotary cutting surgical instrument and for controlling the motor in response to the cutting resistance.

3. An apparatus for holding a rotary cutting surgical instrument to a needle guiding stage of a stereotactic mammography biopsy system and for driving a rotary cutting surgical instrument, the apparatus comprising:

a housing having a first holding means for holding the rotary cutting surgical instrument to the housing, having a means for securing the housing to a needle guiding stage of a stereotactic mammography apparatus and having a drive end;

a motor having a shaft, the motor positioned within the housing;

a position encoder within the housing, the position encoder connected to the shaft of the motor;

a swing arm hingeably attached to the housing at the drive end, the swing arm having a holding means for holding the rotary cutting surgical instrument to the apparatus, the swing arm further including biasing means for adjusting the position of the holding means thereon relative to the holding means on the housing;

a gear connected to the shaft of the motor, the gear being located between a drive end of the housing and the swing arm; and

controlling means, connected to the motor, for determining a cutting resistance experienced by the rotary cutting surgical instrument and for controlling the motor in response to the cutting resistance.