Adjustable surgical platform and surgical instrument using same

• US 7,981,122 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2007
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vanderbilt University
• Original Assignee: Vanderbilt University
• Inventors: Mitchell, Jason E., Fitzpatrick, J. Michael, Labadie, Robert F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson; Gary
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOWE, KATHERINE MARIE
• Application Number:
  US11/782,305
• Publication Number:
  US 20080027463A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,456 Days
• Field of Search: 606/130, 606/172, 606/80, 606/96, 248/168, 248/405
• US Class Current: 606/130
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1778 for the shoulder
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00526 Methods of manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/11 with guides for needles or instruments, e.g. arcuate slides or ball joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/14 Fixators for body parts, e.g. skull clamps; Constructional details of fixators, e.g. pins

Abstract

In one aspect, the present invention relates to a surgical instrument for providing an access to a target of interest of a living subject. In one embodiment, the surgical instrument has a bearing member, a shaft member and a probe. The bearing member has a first end portion, an opposite, second end portion, a body portion defined therebetween having a longitudinal axis, and a shoulder portion extending from the second end portion. The body portion defines a bore therein along the longitudinal axis. The shoulder portion defines a passage substantially coaxial with and in communication with the bore. The shaft member has an first end portion and an opposite, second end portion, and is slidably received in the bore of the bearing member. The shaft member defines a space extending from the first end portion to the second end portion. The probe has a working end portion and is received in the space of the shaft member such that the working end portion is extendable through the passage of the shoulder portion of the bearing member to reach a target of interest of a living subject so as to provide an access thereto.

Claims

1. A surgical platform usable for engaging with a surgical instrument as to provide an access to a target of interest of a living subject, comprising:

(a) a body member having a first surface, an opposite, second surface, and a body portion defined therebetween, and a plurality of recesses, wherein each recess is formed with a surface recessed from the second surface and has a socket extending from the recessed surface through the body portion to the first surface, and wherein the body portion defines a bore extending from the first surface to the second surface substantially along a longitudinal axis for receiving the surgical instrument;

(b) a plurality of mounting members, each mounting member having a body portion having a first surface and a second surface that is substantially concave, and a shaft portion extending from the body portion at the first surface and having a free end portion received in a corresponding one of the plurality of recesses of the body member such that the first surface of the body portion of the mounting member is in contact with the recessed surface of the corresponding recess of the body member and the shaft portion of the mounting member is placed in the socket of the corresponding recess of the body member; and

(c) a plurality of support members, each support member comprising an engagement portion engaged with a corresponding one of the plurality of mounting members for supporting the body member, wherein the engagement portion of at least one of the plurality of support members is formed with a convex surface to be complimentarily received in the concave surface of a corresponding one of the plurality of mounting members, and wherein each pair of the plurality of support members define an adjustable relative position and orientation therebetween,

wherein in operation, the surgical instrument is received in the bore of the body member such that a working end portion of the surgical instrument is extendable through the bore to the target of interest of the living subject along the longitudinal axis, which is substantially coaxial with a planned trajectory,

wherein the plurality of support members comprises a first support member, a second support member and a third support member,

wherein each of the first support member, the second support member and the third support member further comprises a shaft portion having a first end portion and an opposite, second end portion, and an end portion mounted to the second end portion of the shaft portion, wherein the engagement portion is mounted to the first end portion of the shaft portion,

wherein the shaft portion is formed with an outer threaded segment, and the engagement portion is formed with an outer convex surface and an inner cavity defined by an inner threaded segment adapted for movably engaging with the shaft portion through the corresponding outer threaded segment, and wherein an effective length of each support member is adjustable by rotating the engagement portion along the shaft portion, such that the angular orientation of the surgical platform is adjustable relative to the target of interest, and

wherein the surface of at least one recess of the plurality of recesses of the body member is recessed further from the second surface of the body member than the surface of at least one other recess of the plurality of recesses.

2. The surgical platform of claim 1, wherein when a relative position and orientation between a pair of the plurality of support members is adjusted, the relative orientation of the longitudinal axis to the planned trajectory is adjusted accordingly.

3. The surgical platform of claim 1, wherein the engagement portion comprises a ball member and the outer convex surface comprises a substantially spherical surface.

4. The surgical platform of claim 1, wherein the end portion comprises a marker mounting member adapted for engaging a fiducial marker in use.

5. The surgical platform of claim 1, wherein the end portion comprises a magnetic member adapted for engaging a fiducial marker in use.

6. The surgical platform of claim 1, wherein the plurality of mounting members comprise a first mounting member, a second mounting member and a third mounting member.

7. The surgical platform of claim 6, wherein the body portion of each mounting member comprises an at least partially cylindrical body.

8. The surgical platform of claim 6, wherein the body portion of each mounting member comprises an at least partially spherical body.

9. The surgical platform of claim 6, wherein each of the first mounting member, the second mounting member and the third mounting member comprises an arm member projecting radially away from the second surface of a corresponding body portion.

10. The surgical platform of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of engaging member means for mounting the plurality of mounting members to the body member through the plurality of recesses, respectively, wherein each engaging member means is secured to the free end portion of the shaft portion of one of the plurality of mounting members and the first surface of the body member.

11. The surgical platform of claim 1, wherein the plurality of mounting members is different from or substantially identical to each other.

12. The surgical platform of claim 1, wherein the plurality of support members is different from or substantially identical to each other.

13. A surgical platform usable for engaging with a surgical instrument as to provide an access to a target of interest of a living subject, comprising:

(a) a body member having a first surface, an opposite, second surface, and a body portion defined therebetween, and a plurality of recesses, wherein each recess is formed with a surface recessed from the second surface and has a socket extending from the recessed surface through the body portion to the first surface, and wherein the body portion defines a bore extending from the first surface to the second surface substantially along a first longitudinal axis for receiving the surgical instrument;

(b) a plurality of mounting members, each mounting member comprising a body portion having a first surface, an opposite, second surface that is substantially concave, and a shaft portion extending from the body portion at the first surface and having a free end portion received in a corresponding one of the plurality of recesses of the body member such that the shaft portion is placed in the socket of the corresponding recess of the body member;

(c) a plurality of engaging member means for mounting the plurality of mounting members to the body member through the plurality of recesses, respectively, wherein each engaging member means is formed with an inner cavity defined by an inner threaded segment adapted for movably engaging the shaft portion of a corresponding one of the mounting members through the corresponding outer threaded segment such that the position of the body portion of each mounting member, within each corresponding recess along a second longitudinal axis that is substantially parallel to the first longitudinal axis, is adjustable by causing the shaft portion to rotate in relation to a corresponding engaging member means; and

(d) a plurality of support members for supporting the body member, each support member comprising a shaft portion having a first end portion and an opposite, second end, an engagement portion mounted to the second end portion of the shaft portion, and an end portion mounted to the first end portion of the shaft portion, defining an effective length therewith, wherein the shaft portion is formed with an outer threaded segment and the engagement portion is formed with an inner cavity defined by an inner threaded segment adapted for movably engaging the shaft portion through the corresponding outer threaded segment, and a convex surface that is complimentarily received in the concave surface of a corresponding one of the plurality of mounting members such that each of the mounting members is adjustable relative to a corresponding support member in three dimensions, wherein the effective length of each of the support members is adjustable by rotating the engagement portion of the support member along the shaft portion of the support member, and wherein each pair of the plurality of support members defines an adjustable relative position and orientation therebetween.