Surgical Impactor

Abstract

Various surgical impactors are disclosed. The surgical impactor can include a housing, a rod extending at least partially inside the housing, a hammer head attached to the rod, and a hammer housing that receives the hammer head. Actuation of the rod can move the hammer head proximally and / or distally inside the hammer housing to impart an impact. The force of the impact can be transmitted to a surgical implant, instrument, or the like.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 269,144, filed March 10, 2022, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. All applications for which a foreign or domestic priority claim is identified in the Application Data Sheet filed with this application are incorporated by reference under 37 CFR 1.57.

[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to surgical impactors for medical procedures, such as hammers powered by linear actuators. [Background technology]

[0003] An impactor is a device that provides an impact force, which is a high force or impact applied over a short period of time to a discrete area. Impactors can be used in a variety of medical procedures. For example, impactors can be used intraoperatively to assist with bone preparation, implant assembly, placement of implants and / or bone grafts, etc. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Some battery-powered automated orthopedic impactors have been developed specifically for hip replacement surgery, providing forward or reverse impacts by conversion of rotational motion from an electric motor to a pneumatic actuator. Some drawbacks of this device are the size and weight of the motor and supporting mechanism, and reliability issues due to the need for many moving parts in the mechanism that must be autoclavable yet lubricated. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] There is a need for improved surgical impactors, such as impactors that can controllably vary the impact energy, frequency, and / or direction of impact. The optimal impact energy for broaching bone or inserting an implant into bone varies depending on bone density. Patients with harder, denser bone may require additional impact energy to advance the instrument or implant. Patients with softer, more porous bone require less impact energy to advance the device. Application of excess impact energy in this case may over-advance the instrument or implant and cause injury to the patient if it fractures the bone or invades adjacent neurovascular structures. Excessive and less controlled displacement rates during impact may harm the patient, such as by making the implant more likely to malposition and cause anatomical displacement. In some cases, it is safer and more effective to provide a larger impact with a smaller force compared to a smaller impact with a larger force. The ability to variably increase impingement energy, frequency, and / or direction allows for more and / or smaller impingements to advance an instrument or implant at an appropriate velocity, which is effectively more continuous and controllable, improving placement accuracy, reducing the potential for patient harm, and / or providing other benefits.

[0006] A variety of orthopedic procedures can benefit from the improved safety and accuracy of an adjustable automated impactor. Some of these include joint replacement surgery (e.g., total hip and total knee), orthopedic trauma intramedullary nail insertion (e.g., femur, tibia, humerus, trochanteric), spinal fixation interbody insertion (e.g., T / PLIF, ALIF, lateral) and sacroiliac joint fusion, and sports medicine suture anchor insertion. Many of these procedures do not typically use automated impaction. It can be difficult to justify the cost and risk of developing specialized impactors for each of these applications. An impactor capable of delivering a variety of impact energies and frequencies has the potential to be utilized in multiple procedures to provide efficiencies (e.g., with respect to ordering, maintenance, storage, training, etc.) and / or to better support the initial costs of development and initial production.

[0007] The impactor of the present disclosure seeks to address one or more of the above-mentioned concerns or other concerns. The impactor can be configured to provide a forward or reverse impact force to tissue (e.g., bone), an instrument, or an implant. The force can be controlled and / or regulated. In some implementations, the force is provided by linear acceleration of an internal hammer colliding with forward and reverse travel limits within the device. Electromagnetic control of the hammer actuation allows for variable and independent control of impact energy, frequency, and direction.

[0008] The linear acceleration may be provided by a linear actuator, such as a linear magnetic actuator. The linear actuator may drive a central rod that provides forward or reverse impacts within the distal housing. These forward or reverse impacts are transmitted through the distal shaft to an impact device or instrument that receives the impacts. In some embodiments, the direction of the impacts may be electronically controlled by adjusting the stroke of the vibrating magnet relative to the distal impact housing such that forward or reverse impacts occur. In some embodiments, the rod may be detached from the linear actuator.

[0009] The linear actuator and impact mechanism may be housed within a surgical handpiece. The handpiece may include a housing, a grip (e.g., a pistol grip), a removable battery, controls, and / or an output. The handpiece may feature interchangeable attachment points for integration with navigation or attachment to a surgical robotic arm.

[0010] Certain aspects of the present disclosure include a surgical impactor. The surgical impactor can include a housing. The housing can include a proximal end, a distal end, and a cavity. The cavity can extend between the proximal end and the distal end. The surgical impactor can include a rod. The rod can include a proximal end and a distal end. In some implementations, the rod can be removably disposed inside the cavity of the housing. In some aspects, the surgical impactor includes a hammer head at a distal end of the rod. In some implementations, the surgical impactor includes a hammer housing. The hammer housing can have a proximal end having a first opening, a distal end having a second opening, and a cavity disposed between the first opening and the second opening. In some implementations, the surgical impactor includes an adapter. The adapter can have a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end of the adapter can be attached to the distal end of the hammer housing. The hammer head can be disposed inside a cavity of the hammer housing and can be moved relative to the hammer housing. In some implementations, the surgical impactor includes a linear actuator. In some aspects, the linear actuator can move a rod, which can cause the hammer head to move axially inside the hammer housing and impact an inner surface of the hammer housing.

[0011] In some aspects, the distal end of the adapter can be removably attached to a surgical instrument. The surgical instrument can include, for example, a surgical nail and / or a surgical staple. In some implementations, the surgical impactor can include one or more sensors. The one or more sensors can include at least one of an accelerometer, a force gauge sensor, and / or a displacement sensor. The linear actuator can include a magnetic linear actuator. The actuator can include a u-channel linear motor, a flat linear motor, a voice coil actuator (VCA), a moving coil actuator, and / or a solenoid. In some aspects, the surgical impactor can include a controller. The controller can control operational settings of the surgical impactor. The controller can include a processor and / or a memory. The operational settings of the surgical impactor can include at least one of an impact frequency, an impact direction, and / or an impact force. In some implementations, the hammer housing can include at least one window. The window can extend axially along the hammer housing. The hammer head is visible through the at least one window of the hammer housing. In some implementations, the distal end of the rod can include a distal tip having threads. The proximal end of the hammer head can include a threaded recess. The threads of the distal tip and the threaded recess can engage the rod to the hammer head. The surgical impactor can include a power source. The power source can be disposed external to the housing. The power source can include a battery. In some implementations, an outer diameter of the hammer head can be larger than an outer diameter of the proximal end of the rod. The cavity of the housing cannot be obstructed when the rod is not disposed inside the cavity.

[0012] Certain aspects of the present disclosure include a surgical handpiece. The surgical handpiece can include a grip. The surgical handpiece can include a trigger that can be disposed along the grip. The surgical handpiece can include a barrel connected to the grip. The barrel can include a cavity. The surgical handpiece can include a surgical impactor. The surgical impactor can be disposed inside the cavity of the barrel. In some implementations, the surgical impactor can include a housing. The housing can include a through lumen. The surgical impactor can include a rod. The rod can be at least partially disposed within the through lumen of the housing. The surgical impactor can include a hammer head. The hammer head can be disposed at an end of the rod. The surgical impactor can include a hammer housing. The hammer housing can receive the hammer head. The surgical impactor can include a linear actuator. The linear actuator can move the rod relative to the housing and / or dampen impact forces transmitted from the rod to the housing. The surgical impactor can include an electronic controller. The electronic controller can control operation of the linear actuator at least in part in response to actuation of the trigger.

[0013] In some aspects, actuation of the trigger can move the hammer head axially inside the hammer housing in at least one of a proximal and distal direction. The linear actuator can include a magnetic linear actuator. In some implementations, the surgical handpiece can include a controller capable of controlling operational settings of the surgical handpiece. The controller can include an electronic processor and a memory. The operational settings of the surgical handpiece can include at least one of an impact frequency, an impact direction, and / or an impact force. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1A] 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of an assembly including a surgical impactor. [Figure 1B] 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of an assembly including a surgical impactor. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a controller for the surgical impactor. [Figure 3A] 1 illustrates another exemplary embodiment of a surgical impactor. [Figure 3B] FIG. 3B is an exploded view of the surgical impactor of FIG. 3A. [Figure 4A] 3B illustrates the surgical impactor tool of FIG. 3A. [Figure 4B] 3B illustrates the surgical impactor tool of FIG. 3A. [Figure 5A] 3B illustrates an adapter for the surgical impactor of FIG. 3A. [Figure 5B] 3B illustrates an adapter for the surgical impactor of FIG. 3A. [Figure 6A] 3B shows a hammer housing of the surgical impactor of FIG. 3A. [Figure 6B] 3B shows a hammer housing of the surgical impactor of FIG. 3A. [Figure 7A] 3B illustrates a hammer head of the surgical impactor of FIG. 3A. [Figure 7B] 3B illustrates a hammer head of the surgical impactor of FIG. 3A. [Figure 8A] 3B shows a rod of the surgical impactor of FIG. 3A. [Figure 8B] 3B shows a rod of the surgical impactor of FIG. 3A. [Figure 9A] 3B illustrates a housing of the surgical impactor of FIG. 3A. [Figure 9B] 3B illustrates a housing of the surgical impactor of FIG. 3A. [Figure 10A] 3B is a cross-sectional view of the surgical impactor of FIG. 3A in various operating states with the hammer extending through a lumen of the housing and the hammer head moving axially along the hammer housing. [Figure 10B]3B is a cross-sectional view of the surgical impactor of FIG. 3A in various operating states with the hammer extending through a lumen of the housing and the hammer head moving axially along the hammer housing. [Figure 10C] 3B is a cross-sectional view of the surgical impactor of FIG. 3A in various operating states with the hammer extending through a lumen of the housing and the hammer head moving axially along the hammer housing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] Various features and advantages of the disclosed technology will become more fully apparent from the following description of the embodiments illustrated in the figures. These embodiments are intended to illustrate the principles of the disclosure. However, the disclosure should not be limited to only the illustrated embodiments. Features of the illustrated embodiments can be modified, combined, removed, and / or substituted as would be apparent to one skilled in the art in light of the principles disclosed herein. No feature, structure, or step disclosed herein is essential or essential.

[0016] overview As shown in FIG. 1A, the surgical impactor may be included as part of a surgical handpiece. For example, the surgical impactor may be housed within a surgical handpiece 100. The surgical handpiece 100 may include one or more controls for manipulating and / or adjusting operational settings of the surgical impactor. In some embodiments, the surgical handpiece may include a user input, such as a button 110. The button 110 may include a trigger. Actuation of the button 110 may control (e.g., start or stop) the operation of the surgical impactor. The surgical handpiece 100 may include a grip 120. The grip 120 may provide a place for the user to firmly grip the surgical handpiece 100, which may provide better control of the surgical handpiece 100. As shown, the grip may comprise a pistol grip. In some variations, the grip may comprise a pencil grip, a rifle grip, or others. The location of the button 110 relative to the grip 120 may allow the user to operate the surgical impactor while gripping the surgical handpiece 100. In some embodiments, the surgical handpiece 100 may be operated using only a single button.

[0017] The surgical handpiece 100 can include a barrel 130. The barrel 130 can have a proximal end 130a and a distal end 130b. The barrel 130 can be attached to the grip 120. In some embodiments, a surgical impactor can be disposed inside a cavity of the barrel 130. The distal end 130b of the barrel 130 can receive an instrument 140 (e.g., an instrument, an implant, etc.). As described in more detail below, the surgical impactor can impact another surgical instrument, the instrument 140, which can in turn impact a patient (e.g., a bone).

[0018] Surgical handpiece 100 can include a charging port. The charging port can be located, for example, on a bottom surface of grip 120. The charging port can allow a user to attach surgical handpiece 100 to a power source, such as battery pack 150. Battery pack 150 can include a port that can receive and secure the charging port of surgical handpiece 100 to battery pack 150.

[0019] 1B illustrates another embodiment of a surgical handpiece 200. The surgical handpiece 200 illustrated in FIG. 1B can be similar to or identical to the surgical handpiece 100. The surgical handpiece 200 can include a button 210, a grip 220, a barrel 230, an instrument 240, and a battery pack 250.

[0020] The size and dimensions of the surgical handpieces 100, 200 can vary to accommodate smaller or larger surgical impactors. For example, the surgical handpiece 200 shown in FIG. 1B can include a barrel 130 that is larger (e.g., length, diameter, etc.) than the barrel 230 of the surgical handpiece 100. The larger barrel 230 can accommodate a larger surgical impactor, a larger battery, etc.

[0021] In some embodiments, the length of the barrel 130, 230 may vary depending on the surgical procedure and / or the patient. For example, the patient's anatomy and / or the particular surgical procedure may require a shorter or longer barrel 130, 230. In some embodiments, the length L1 of the barrel 130 may be longer than the length L2 of the barrel 230 of the surgical handpiece 200. Any of the surgical handpieces disclosed herein may include interchangeable attachment points for integration with a navigation system and / or for attachment to a surgical robotic arm.

[0022] FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic of a surgical impactor 300. The surgical impactor 300 can include a controller 310, one or more sensors 320, and an actuator 330. The controller 310 can include an electronic processor 312 and a memory 314. In some embodiments, the one or more sensors 320 can include at least one of an accelerometer, a force gauge sensor, and a displacement sensor. The one or more sensors 320 can be located anywhere on the surgical impactor 300. For example, as described further below in connection with FIGS. 3A and 3B, the one or more sensors 320 can be located along an instrument of the surgical impactor 300. The one or more sensors 320 can, for example, detect, collect, and / or signal data regarding the operation of the surgical impactor 300. Data collected by the one or more sensors 320 can be transmitted to the controller 310 of the surgical impactor 300. Data from the one or more sensors 320 that can be received by the controller 310 can be processed by the processor 312 of the controller 310. The controller 310 can use data from the one or more sensors 320 to generate data regarding, for example, the acceleration of the instrument, the amount of force applied to the instrument, and / or the displacement / frequency of the instrument 460 and / or hammer head relative to the housing or hammer housing of the surgical impactor 300. The data generated by the processor 312 can be stored in memory 314 and / or used to adjust the operation of the actuator 330, which drives, for example, the frequency, direction, and force of a rod of the surgical impactor 300.

[0023] 3A and 3B show another example of a surgical impactor 400. The surgical impactor 400 can include a housing 410, a rod 420, a hammer head 430, and a hammer housing 440. In some implementations, the surgical impactor 400 can include an adapter 450 and / or an instrument 460. The housing 410, the rod 420, the hammer head 430, the hammer housing 440, the adapter 450, and the instrument 460, as well as the surgical impactor 400 overall, are described in more detail below.

[0024] Equipment 4A and 4B show an instrument 460. In some implementations, the instrument is configured to transfer an impact force from the surgical impactor 400 to a surgical implant, such as a ball of a hip prosthesis. In certain variations, the implant is configured to transfer an impact force from the surgical impactor 400 to a surgical tool, such as a coupling configured to connect to the implant. In some embodiments, the implant is configured to apply an impact force to a fixation device, such as a nail, staple, etc. As described in more detail below, axial movement of a hammer head inside the hammer housing 410 can move the instrument 460 axially.

[0025] The instrument 460 can include a proximal end 460a and a distal end 460b. The distal end 460b can include a tip 462. In some embodiments, the cavity 461 can be disposed at the proximal end 460a. The proximal end 460a of the instrument 460 can be connected to the adapter 450. The instrument 460 is mechanically connected (e.g., directly) to the adapter 450 and / or the hammer housing 440. In some embodiments, the instrument 460 is connected to the adapter 450 via a connector 470 (see FIG. 3B). In some variations, the connector 470 comprises a load cell. In some embodiments, the connector 470 comprises a rod, such as a threaded rod. The connector 470 can include a first connecting member 472a and a second connecting member 472b. The first connecting member 472a can be received and secured (e.g., threadedly engaged) by the recess 451 of the adapter 450, and the second connecting member 472b can be received and secured (e.g., threadedly engaged) by the cavity 461. The connector 470 can be configured to secure the adapter 450 and the instrument 460 to one another. Other surgical instruments can be attached to the adapter 450.

[0026] The instrument 460 can include one or more recesses along the length of the instrument 460. For example, the instrument 460 can include a first recess 463a and a second recess 463b. Although reference is made to the instrument 460 including two recesses, the instrument 460 can include less than two or more than two recesses (e.g., one, three, four, five, etc.). The first and second recesses 463a, 463b can beneficially receive and secure additional surgical instruments and / or sensors. For example, as shown in FIG. 3A, a sensor 465 can be secured in the second recess 463b. As shown, one or more of the recesses can include a flat portion. The flat portion can facilitate securing and / or maintaining the circumferential position of the surgical instrument and / or sensor relative to the instrument 460.

[0027] The sensor 465 may include, for example, an accelerometer, a force gauge sensor, and / or a displacement sensor. Data sensed by the sensor 465 may be transmitted to a controller (e.g., controller 310) of the surgical impactor 400. Data received by the controller may be processed by a processor of the controller to generate data regarding, for example, the acceleration of the instrument 460, the amount of force applied to the instrument 460, and / or the displacement of the instrument 460 and / or hammer head 430 relative to the housing 410. The data generated by the processor may be used to adjust the operation of an actuator driving the frequency, direction, and force of the rod 420, for example. In certain implementations, the surgical impactor 400 may include sensors configured to identify characteristics of the instrument 460, implant, or other. For example, in some embodiments, the sensors may detect the type, intended use, weight, mass, and / or other characteristics. The controller may use such information to control the linear actuator, such as to determine the amount of power to use to drive the rod 420 and / or generate the impact force.

[0028] Electronic identification of the instrument 460 and / or its characteristics can allow for different default electronically controlled impact settings, such as based on size, shape, or other characteristics that affect optimal impact energy and frequency. The instrument 460 can be electronically identified with a sensor, such as a Hall Effect sensor, that may be located in the handpiece (e.g., handpieces 100, 200, and / or surgical impactor 400) at the instrument attachment point (e.g., when the instrument 460 is attached to the adapter 450 via the connector 470). The Hall Effect sensor can detect the presence and / or magnetic field strength of one or more magnets embedded in the shaft of the instrument 460 located at variable distances from the Hall Effect sensor.

[0029] The displacement of the instrument 460 after impact can be estimated using data from one or more accelerometers. In some implementations, the displacement of the instrument 460 after impact can be estimated, for example, by double-integrated acceleration data from one or more accelerometers versus time. If the sensor detects excessive displacement of the instrument 460 after impact, the controller (e.g., software running on it) can infer or determine the presence of softer bone or other tissue and adjust the impactor operation accordingly. For example, in response to detecting excessive displacement of the instrument 460, the controller can reduce the current driving the magnetic acceleration of the rod 420 and / or hammer head 430. This can reduce the impact energy and displacement velocity of the instrument 460, which can provide the surgeon or other user with more precise control of the displacement and / or positioning of the instrument 460 (and / or implant) and / or can reduce the risk of excessive or misdirected impacts.

[0030] In some embodiments, the tip 462 of the instrument 460 can receive and secure additional surgical devices. The tip 462 can include threads 462a that can advantageously secure the instrument 460 to additional surgical devices. For example, an impactor tip 490 can be attached to the tip 462 (see FIG. 3A). The impactor tip 490 can include an opening 492 and a threaded surface along the opening 492 to facilitate attachment of the impactor tip 490 to the threads 462a of the tip 462. An accelerometer embedded in the housing 410 can monitor the recoil and vibration experienced by the user. If the magnetic recoil force applied to the housing 410 exceeds the opposing force applied by the user, a recoil acceleration proportional to the force imbalance occurs. The accelerometer in the housing 410 can monitor and limit the acceleration of the handpiece when the acceleration exceeds a predetermined threshold by automatically reducing the magnetic recoil force until the acceleration is below a predetermined threshold. This can beneficially reduce the impact energy delivered to the instrument 460 until the user applies sufficient force in the direction of the impact.

[0031] adapter As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the adapter 450 can include a proximal end 450a and a distal end 450b. The distal end 450b can include a recess 451. The recess 451 can receive and secure the first connection member 472a of the connector 470. The proximal end 450a can include an opening 452. The adapter 450 can be secured to the hammer housing 440 by inserting the proximal end 450a of the adapter 450a into the distal opening 441b of the hammer housing 440. The outer diameter OD1 of the proximal end 450a can be substantially equal to or less than the inner diameter ID1 of the hammer housing 440. This can advantageously allow the proximal end 450a to fit inside the distal opening 441b of the hammer housing 440. In some embodiments, the proximal end 450a can include a flat surface 453. The adapter 450 can have an intermediate portion connecting the proximal end 450a and the distal end 450b. As shown, the intermediate portion may or may not be conical.

[0032] Because the hammer housing 440 and / or adapter 450 may be subject to a direct impact by the hammer head 430, it may be desirable to inhibit or prevent the adapter 450 from becoming dislodged from the hammer housing, and vice versa. One or more screws or other fastening devices may be used to firmly and / or rigidly connect the adapter 450 to the hammer housing 440. The opening 452 of the adapter 450 may align with the hole 444 of the hammer housing 440 when the adapter 450 is secured to the hammer housing 440. One or more screws may be inserted into the opening 452 and hole 444 to inhibit or prevent the adapter 450 from slipping off the hammer housing 440.

[0033] The adapter 450 may include an edge 454. The edge 454 may extend outwardly from a proximal end 450a of the adapter 450. The edge 454 may block or prevent the adapter 450 from extending beyond the edge 454 into the hammer housing 440. The edge 454 may interface (e.g., abut) with a corresponding distal edge of the housing 440. This may provide a physical interference in the axial direction to facilitate the transfer of forces between the housing 440 and the adapter 450.

[0034] Hammer Housing 6A and 6B show a hammer housing 440. The hammer housing 440 can receive the hammer head 430, as described in more detail below. The hammer housing 440 can include a proximal end 440a, a distal end 440b, a body 442, and a cavity 445 inside the body 442. In certain variations, the hammer housing can provide a buffer or damper and / or allow the adapter 450 and instrument 460 to be at least partially independent of the hammer head 430 and rod 420. For example, in certain circumstances, the hammer head 430 and rod 420 can move proximally or distally a certain distance without causing a corresponding movement of the adapter 450 and instrument 460.

[0035] The body 442 can include one or more windows 443. For example, as shown, the hammer housing 440 can include two windows on generally opposite sides of the hammer housing 440. The windows 443 can allow a user to visually inspect the interior of the hammer housing 440, such as to view the movement of the hammer head 430 during operation of the surgical impactor 400. In some embodiments, the windows 443 can function as a guide and / or track for the hammer head 430 inside the hammer housing 440. For example, a protrusion of the hammer head 430 can be received in the window 443. The windows 443 can be configured to, for example, allow the hammer head 430 to move axially relative to the hammer housing 440, inhibit or prevent circumferential movement of the hammer head 430 relative to the hammer housing 440, and / or limit the hammer head 430 to only one degree of freedom of movement relative to the hammer housing 440.

[0036] The proximal opening 441a can be disposed at the proximal end 440a. The distal opening 441b can be disposed at the distal end 440b. In some embodiments, the hammer housing can include a lip 446 disposed at the proximal end 440a that can make the proximal opening 441a smaller than the distal opening 441b. The lip 446 on the proximal opening 441a can block or prevent the hammer head 430 from escaping the hammer housing 440 through the proximal end 440b, but allow the rod 420 to extend through the proximal opening 441a.

[0037] The hammer housing 440 can include one or more holes 444. The holes 444 can be located at one end of the hammer housing 440, such as the distal end 440b. As previously mentioned, one or more screws or other fastening devices can extend through the openings 452 in the adapter 450 and the holes 444 in the hammer housing 440 to secure the adapter 450 to the hammer housing 440.

[0038] Hammerhead 7A and 7B show a hammer head 430. In various embodiments, the hammer head 430 is connected to the rod 420, received in the hammer housing 440, and / or can move axially relative to the hammer housing. In some embodiments, the hammer head "floats" within the hammer housing. For example, the hammer head 430 can move within the hammer housing 440 and relative to the hammer housing. In some embodiments, the hammer head 430 can recoil within the hammer housing 440. The linear movement of the hammer head 430 can be limited by the length of the hammer housing 440. In certain implementations, the hammer head 430 is removably connected to the rod 420, such as with a threaded connection.

[0039] The hammer head 430 can include a proximal end 430a and a distal end 430b. In some embodiments, the hammer head 430 includes a recess 431, such as along the proximal end 430a. The recess 431 can include a shape that corresponds to a shape of the distal end 420b of the rod 420. This can advantageously allow the recess 431 to receive and secure the distal end 420b of the rod 420. In some embodiments, the edge 420 can include a threaded surface (not shown). The threaded surface of the recess 420 can advantageously receive and secure the threads 421 of the rod 420.

[0040] The distal end 430b of the hammer head 430 can include a flat surface 433. The flat surfaces 433, 453 of the hammer head 430 and the adapter 450 can advantageously allow forces generated by a collision between the hammer head 430 and the adapter 450 to be distributed across the entirety or substantially the entirety of the distal end 450a of the adapter 450.

[0041] In some embodiments, as shown, the hammer head 430 can include one or more (e.g., two) flat edges 435a and two curved edges 435b extending from the flat edges 435a. In some variations, the outer shape of the hammer head 430 substantially corresponds to the inner shape of the hammer housing 440 and / or cavity 445.

[0042] The height H1 of the hammer head 430 can be substantially equal to or less than the inner diameter ID1 of the hammer housing 440. This can advantageously allow the hammer head 430 to fit and slide inside the cavity 445 of the hammer housing 440. In some embodiments, the hammer head 430 can be inserted into the cavity 445 of the hammer housing 440 via the distal opening 441b of the hammer housing 440. Inside the hammer housing 440, the hammer head 430 can be blocked or prevented from escaping from the cavity 445 of the hammer housing 440 when the adapter 450 is attached to the hammer housing 440. That is, the edge 446 can block or prevent the hammer head 430 from escaping from the hammer housing 440 via the proximal end 440a, and the proximal end 450a of the adapter 450 can block or prevent the hammer head 430 from escaping from the hammer housing 440 via the distal end 440b.

[0043] rod 8A and 8B, the rod 420 can include a proximal end 420a and a distal end 420b. In some embodiments, the rod 420 can have a connector (e.g., threads 421) along a surface of the distal tip 422. The threads 421 of the distal tip 422 can facilitate attachment of the rod 420 to the hammer head 430. For example, a recess 431 of the hammer head 430 can receive and secure the distal tip 422 of the rod 420. In some embodiments, the recess 431 of the hammer head 430 can include a threaded surface that can interact with the threads 421 of the distal tip 422 to secure the rod 420 to the hammer head 430.

[0044] The rod 420 can include an opening 423 extending axially, partially or completely, along the rod 420. In some embodiments, the rod 420 can include a cylindrical shape. The rod 420 can have a shape other than a cylindrical shape. The rod 420 can include an outer diameter OD2 that is smaller than an inner diameter ID2 of the lumen 415 of the housing 410. This can advantageously allow the rod 420 to fit inside the cavity 415 of the housing 410. In some embodiments, the rod 420 can be dynamically sealed inside the housing 410 using, for example, a gasket, a seal, or the like.

[0045] housing 9A and 9B show a housing 410. The housing 410 can include a proximal end 410a, a distal end 410b, and a lumen 415 (also referred to as a cavity or cannula). The lumen 415 can receive a rod 420. The lumen 415 can be sealed, such as air-tight and / or liquid-tight, except at the proximal and distal openings, as shown. The housing 410 can include a linear actuator that causes movement of the rod 420 relative to the housing 410, as described in more detail below.

[0046] The lumen 415 can extend axially along the housing 410, such as from the proximal end 410a all the way to the distal end 410b. The lumen 415 can provide a through hole and / or a continuous passageway through the housing 410. The lumen 415 can allow for the insertion and / or removal of a rod 420 into and / or from the housing 410 via each of the proximal and distal ends 410a, 410b. The lumen 415 can facilitate cleaning and / or use of the surgical impactor 400.

[0047] In some embodiments, the power source may be located along the proximal end 410a of the housing 410. For example, a battery pack for powering the surgical impactor 400 may be attached to the exterior surface of the housing 410 along or adjacent the proximal end 410a. In some variations, the power source includes a wired connection to an external power source, such as an electrical outlet.

[0048] As discussed above, the housing can receive the rod 420. In some embodiments, the entire rod 420 can be disposed inside the lumen 415 of the housing 410. However, in some embodiments, only a portion of the rod 420 is disposed inside the lumen 415. The rod 420 can move axially along the lumen 415. For example, the rod 420 can move along axis A1 from a proximal to a distal direction and / or from a distal to a proximal direction. In some embodiments, the rod 420 can be removed from the lumen 415 of the housing 410, for example, through a proximal and / or distal opening of the lumen 415. The ability to remove the rod 420 from the lumen 415 of the housing 410 advantageously allows a user to remove the rod 420 for repair (e.g., cleaning, lubrication, sterilization, etc.).

[0049] Impactor Operation 10A-10C show the surgical impactor in various stages of operation. As described above, the rod 420 can move along the axial axis A1 (e.g., from proximal to distal and / or from distal to proximal). Movement of the rod 420 along the axis A1 can move the hammer head 430 along the axis A1 inside the hammer housing 440 when the hammer head 430 is attached to the rod 420. FIGS. 10A-10C show the movement of the hammer head 430 inside the hammer housing 440.

[0050] The surgical device can be configured such that the housing 410 moves the rod 420, which moves the hammer head 430. The hammer head 430 can move inside the hammer housing 440 from a proximal to a distal direction along axis A1. In some implementations, the hammer head 430 can move, for example, from a proximal position where the proximal end 430a of the hammer head 430 is adjacent to or in contact with the inner portion 446a of the rim 446, as shown in FIG. 10A, to an intermediate position where the hammer head 430 is between and axially spaced from the inner portion 446a of the rim 446 and the proximal end 450a of the adapter 450, as shown in FIG. 10B, to a distal position where the distal end 430 of the hammer head 430 is adjacent to or in contact with the proximal end 450a of the adapter 450, as shown in FIG. 10C.

[0051] In some implementations, the hammer head 430 can move inside the hammer housing 440 from a distal direction to a proximal direction along the axis A1, i.e., the hammer head 430 can move from a distal position where the distal end 430 of the hammer head 430 abuts or contacts the proximal end 450a of the adapter 450, as shown in FIG. 10C, to an intermediate position where the proximal end 430a of the hammer head 430 abuts or contacts the interior portion 446a of the edge 446, as shown in FIG. 10A, for example.

[0052] An actuator, such as a magnetic linear actuator, can drive the rod 420 along axis A1. The actuator, including any controller for the actuator, can be located on an exterior portion of the housing 410. For example, the actuator can be attached to a proximal portion of the housing 410. Because the actuator is located outside the housing 410 and away from the rod 420 and / or hammer head 430, the actuator is less susceptible to collisions that could damage the actuator. In some embodiments, the magnetic field generated by the magnetic linear actuator acts as a buffer or damper for the housing 410 and / or the user. For example, in some implementations, impact forces experienced by the hammer head 430 and rod 420 (e.g., by impacting the hammer housing 440) are substantially attenuated and / or not transferred to the housing 410. In some embodiments, the amount of impact force experienced by the rod 420 that is transferred to the housing 410 is about 10%, about 20%, about 30%, about 40%, about 50%, about 60%, about 70% or less or otherwise.

[0053] The impact force may be electronically controlled, for example, based on the magnetic force applied to accelerate the magnetic rod 420. The force experienced by the housing 410 may be equal and opposite to the magnetic force applied to the rod 420, excluding friction and other small losses, and may be substantially less than the impact force. In a normal mode of operation, the impact force is only transmitted to the instrument 460, and not to the housing 410. The surgical impactor 400 may include a hard stop (e.g., physical interference) to block or prevent excessive displacement of the instrument 460 relative to the housing 410 by limiting the total travel of the instrument 460. In some implementations, when the instrument 460 reaches the limit of its travel, the impact force may be transmitted to the housing 410, thereby limiting further advancement of the instrument 460. A buffer material between the hard stop and the housing 410, such as a plastic or rubber material, may be incorporated to limit the instantaneous force experienced by the housing 410.

[0054] In certain embodiments, the rod 420 substantially floats within the magnetic field generated by the magnetic linear actuator and / or does not substantially contact the interior walls of the housing 410. In various embodiments, the housing 410 does not provide a hard stop to the movement of the rod 420 and / or has no axial physical interference by which an impact force may be transmitted from the rod 420 to the housing 410.

[0055] The actuator can facilitate movement of the rod 420 from proximal to distal and / or distal to proximal directions, as described herein. Driving the rod 420 from proximal to distal along the axis A1 can cause the distal end 430b of the hammer head 430 to impact the proximal end 450a of the adapter 450. The frequency and force of the impact can be adjusted by the controller of the surgical impactor 400. Driving the rod 420 from distal to proximal along the axis A1 can cause the proximal end 430a of the hammer head 430 to impact the inner portion 446a of the edge 446. The impact of the hammer head 430 with the hammer housing 440 and / or the adapter 450 can be transmitted to, for example, the instrument 460 or any other instrument attached to the adapter 450. The frequency, direction, and force of the impact can be controlled by the controller of the surgical impactor 400. In some embodiments, the controller can command the actuator to generate a magnetic field to inhibit or prevent recoil, for example, when the hammer head 430 impacts the hammer housing 440 and / or the adapter 450. In some embodiments, the controller commands the linear actuator to control the recoil force of the rod 420, for example, by gradually decelerating the rod 420. The controller can decelerate or accelerate the movement of the rod 420 over a period of time and / or distance. In various embodiments, the controller can use signals from the sensors to calculate or determine the impact force, rate of change or impact force, impact frequency, displacement of the rod and / or hammer head, recoil of the rod and / or hammer head, total applied force, and / or others.

[0056] In some embodiments, the magnetic linear actuator can be a cylindrical linear motor as shown in Figures 3A and 3B. The magnetic linear actuator can include a u-channel linear motor, a flat linear motor, a voice coil actuator (VCA), a moving coil actuator, a solenoid, or others in some embodiments. The actuator can include a position sensor for detecting and controlling the rod 420 along the housing 410, as well as other aspects.

[0057] The surgical impactor 400 may be configured to provide impact control. Various embodiments are configured to control impact energy, impact frequency, and / or impact direction. Some embodiments achieve impact control through direct electromagnetic linear actuation. Direct electromagnetic linear actuation allows for greater control over the hammer stroke and the force applied to accelerate the hammer. Variable stroke essentially allows for more optimal performance across a range of impact energies and impact frequencies. For a given hammer acceleration force, a longer stroke is needed to achieve a high energy and low frequency impact, while a shorter stroke is needed to achieve a higher frequency and lower energy impact. Electronic control of impact parameters improves the user interface and simplifies potential integration with surgical robotics. The ability of the rod 420 to extend the entire length of the lumen 415 allows for a greater travel distance along the axis A1. This can advantageously allow for stronger impacts / strokes by the hammer head 430 since the rod 420 can travel a greater distance along the axis A1.

[0058] The surgical impactor 400 can provide enhanced ergonomics. The absence of a mechanism for converting rotational motion to linear motion can reduce the size and weight of the surgical impactor 400 and improve the form factor. The weight of the surgical impactor 400 can be reduced because the magnetic mass can contribute to the effective mass of the rod 420. The surgical impactor 400 can avoid parasitic rotational inertia. Instead, substantially all inertia generated can be linear and contribute to the impact. Direct control over the electromagnetic acceleration forces of the rod 420 can smooth and limit the recoil and vibration forces experienced by the user.

[0059] The surgical impactor 400 can be more reliable. The simplification of the impact mechanism can improve reliability because there are fewer moving components that can fail. The sudden impact force experienced by the rod 420 is not transmitted through the mechanism as is the case with other rotary-linear mechanisms (e.g., ball screw, rack-and-pinion). The magnetic actuation rod 420 can slide against a fixed sidewall (e.g., the inner surface of the bore 415), but there is little or no contact pressure between the sliding surfaces. This greatly improves the lubrication and sealing challenges typical of autoclavable devices. It may be possible to not seal the sliding interface with periodic instrument milk lubrication (e.g., Miltex®). Minimized or reduced friction can improve the long-term consistency of impact performance and / or extend the useful life of the device.

[0060] Specific Terms Orientation terms used herein, such as "top", "bottom", "proximal", "distal", "longitudinal", "lateral", and "end", are used in the context of the illustrated examples. However, the present disclosure should not be limited to the illustrated orientations. Indeed, other orientations are possible and within the scope of the present disclosure. Circular terms, such as diameter or radius, used herein should be understood not to require a perfectly circular structure, but rather should apply to any suitable structure having a cross-sectional area that can be measured from side to side. General shape terms, such as "circular", "cylindrical", "semi-circular", or "semi-cylindrical", or any related or similar term, need not strictly follow the mathematical definition of a circle or cylinder or other structure, but can encompass structures that are reasonably close. The term "vertical" refers to an orientation parallel to the Earth's gravity.

[0061] Conditional language such as "can," "could," "might," or "may" is generally intended to convey that a particular example includes or does not include certain features, elements, and / or steps, unless specifically stated otherwise or understood otherwise within the context in which it is used. Thus, such conditional language does not generally imply that the features, elements, and / or steps are somehow required in one or more examples.

[0062] Conjunctive language, such as the phrase "at least one of X, Y, and Z," is understood in the context in which it is generally used to convey that an item, term, etc. can be either X, Y, or Z, unless otherwise noted. Thus, such conjunctive language is generally not intended to imply that a particular example requires the presence of at least one of X, at least one of Y, and at least one of Z.

[0063] The terms "approximately," "about," and "substantially," as used herein, refer to an amount close to the stated amount that still performs a desired function or achieves a desired result. For example, in some instances, as the context may dictate, the terms "approximately," "about," and "substantially" may refer to an amount that is 100% or less of the stated amount. The term "generally," as used herein, refers to a value, amount, or characteristic that primarily includes or tends toward a particular value, amount, or characteristic. As an example, in certain instances, as the context may dictate, the term "approximately parallel" may refer to a deviation from exact parallelism by no more than 20 degrees. All ranges include the endpoints.

[0064] overview Several illustrative examples of surgical impactors and related processes are disclosed. Although the present disclosure has been described with respect to certain illustrative examples and uses, other examples and other uses are within the scope of the present disclosure, including examples and uses that do not provide all of the features and advantages described herein. The components, elements, features, operations, or steps may be arranged or performed differently than described, and the components, elements, features, operations, or steps may be combined, merged, added, or omitted in various examples. All possible combinations and subcombinations of the elements and components described herein are intended to be included in the present disclosure. No single feature or group of features is necessary or essential.

[0065] Certain features described in this disclosure in the context of separate implementations can also be implemented in combination in a single implementation. Conversely, various features described in the context of a single implementation can also be implemented in multiple implementations separately or in any suitable subcombination. Furthermore, although features may be described above as acting in a particular combination, one or more features from a claimed combination may, in some cases, be deleted from the combination, and the combination may be claimed as a subcombination or a variation of the subcombination.

[0066] Any portion of the steps, processes, structures, and / or apparatus disclosed or illustrated in one example of the present disclosure may be combined with or used in place of any other portion of the steps, processes, structures, and / or apparatus disclosed or illustrated in a different example or flow chart. The examples described herein are not intended to be separate and distinct from one another. Combinations, variations, and implementations of the disclosed features are within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0067] Although operations may be shown in the figures or described herein in a particular order, such operations need not be performed in the particular order shown, or in sequential order, to achieve desirable results, and not all operations need to be performed. Other operations not shown or described may be incorporated into the example methods and processes. For example, one or more additional operations may be performed before, after, simultaneously with, or between any of the described operations. Furthermore, in some implementations, operations may be rearranged or reordered. Also, it should be understood that the separation of various components in the above implementations should not be understood to require such separation in all implementations, and that the described components and systems may generally be integrated together in a single product or packaged in multiple products. Furthermore, some implementations are within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0068] Furthermore, although exemplary examples have been described, any examples having equivalent elements, modifications, omissions, and / or combinations are within the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, although certain aspects, advantages, and novel features are described herein, it is not necessarily the case that all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular example. For example, some examples within the scope of the present disclosure may achieve one advantage or group of advantages taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages taught or suggested herein. Furthermore, some examples may achieve advantages different from those taught or suggested herein.

[0069] Some examples are described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Although non-schematic figures are drawn and / or shown to scale, such scale should not be limiting and dimensions and proportions other than those shown are contemplated and are within the scope of the disclosed invention. Distances, angles, etc. are merely illustrative and do not necessarily bear an exact relationship to the actual dimensions and layout of the illustrated devices. Components may be added, removed, and / or rearranged. Furthermore, the disclosure herein of any particular features, aspects, methods, properties, characteristics, qualities, attributes, elements, etc. associated with the various examples may be used in all other examples described herein. Furthermore, any method described herein may be implemented using any apparatus suitable for performing the recited steps.

[0070] For purposes of summarizing the disclosure, certain aspects, advantages and features of the invention are described herein. Not all, or any, such advantages are necessarily achieved in accordance with any particular example of the invention disclosed herein. No aspect of the disclosure is essential or indispensable. In many examples, the apparatus, systems and methods may be configured differently than shown in the figures or descriptions herein. For example, various functions provided by the illustrated modules may be combined, rearranged, added, or deleted. In some implementations, additional or different processors or modules may perform some or all of the functions described in the figures and with reference to the illustrated examples. Many implementation variations are possible. Any of the features, structures, steps, or processes disclosed herein may be included in any example.

[0071] In summary, various examples of surgical impactors and related processes have been disclosed. The disclosure extends beyond the specifically disclosed examples to other alternatives and / or other uses of the examples, as well as certain modifications and equivalents thereof. Moreover, the disclosure expressly contemplates that various features and aspects of the disclosed examples can be combined with or substituted for one another. Thus, the scope of the disclosure should not be limited by the specific disclosed examples described above, but should be determined only by a fair reading of the claims.

Claims

1. 1. A surgical impactor comprising: a housing having a proximal end, a distal end, a cavity extending from the proximal end to the distal end, and a linear actuator; a rod including a proximal end and a distal end, the rod being removably disposed inside the cavity of the housing; a hammer head at the distal end of the rod; a hammer housing having a proximal end with a first opening, a distal end with a second opening, and a cavity disposed between the first and second openings; an adapter including a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the adapter being attached to the distal end of the hammer housing; Equipped with The hammer head is inside the cavity of the hammer housing and is configured to move relative to the hammer housing; The linear actuator is configured to move a rod, which causes the hammer head to move axially inside the hammer housing and impact an inner surface of the hammer housing.

2. The surgical impactor of claim 1 , wherein a distal end of the adapter is removably attached to the surgical instrument.

3. The surgical impactor of claim 2 , wherein the surgical instrument comprises one of a surgical nail and a surgical staple.

4. The surgical impactor of claim 1 , further comprising one or more sensors.

5. The surgical impactor of claim 4 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise at least one of an accelerometer, a force gauge sensor, and a displacement sensor.

6. 10. The surgical impactor of claim 1, wherein the linear actuator comprises a magnetic linear actuator.

7. 10. The surgical impactor of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises at least one of a u-channel linear motor, a flat linear motor, a voice coil actuator (VCA), a moving coil actuator, and a solenoid.

8. 10. The surgical impactor of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to control operational settings of the surgical impactor, the controller comprising a processor and a memory.

9. 10. The surgical impactor of claim 8, wherein the operational settings of the surgical impactor comprise at least one of an impact frequency, an impact direction, and an impact force.

10. 10. The surgical impactor of claim 1, wherein the hammer housing further comprises at least one window extending axially along the hammer housing, the hammer head being visible through the at least one window.

11. 2. The surgical impactor of claim 1, wherein a distal end of the rod comprises a distal tip having threads and a proximal end of the hammer head comprises a threaded recess, the threads of the distal tip and the threaded recess configured to engage the rod with the hammer head.

12. The surgical impactor of claim 1 , further comprising a power source disposed external to the housing.

13. The surgical impactor of claim 12 , wherein the power source comprises a battery.

14. The surgical impactor of claim 1 , wherein an outer diameter of the hammer head is greater than an outer diameter of the proximal end of the rod.

15. 10. The surgical impactor of claim 1, wherein the cavity of the housing is unobstructed when the rod is not disposed inside the cavity.

16. 1. A surgical handpiece, comprising: Grip and A trigger located along the grip; a barrel connected to the grip, the barrel comprising a cavity; and a surgical impactor disposed inside the cavity of the barrel; The surgical impactor comprises: a housing having a bore therethrough; a rod disposed at least partially within the through bore; a hammer head at the end of the rod; a hammer housing for receiving the hammer head; a linear actuator configured to move the rod relative to the housing to dampen impact forces transmitted from the rod to the housing; an electronic controller configured to control operation of the linear actuator at least in part in response to actuation of the trigger; A surgical handpiece comprising:

17. 17. The surgical handpiece of claim 16, wherein actuation of the trigger causes the hammer head to move axially in at least one of a proximal and distal direction inside the hammer housing.

18. The surgical handpiece of claim 16 , wherein the linear actuator comprises a magnetic linear actuator.

19. The surgical handpiece of claim 16, further comprising a controller configured to control operational settings of the surgical handpiece, the controller comprising a processor and a memory.

20. 20. The surgical handpiece of claim 19, wherein the operational settings of the surgical handpiece comprise at least one of an impact frequency, an impact direction, and an impact force.

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