Low-Profile Pivotable Surgical Instrument Guides for Bone Screw Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional DTS guides for anterior cervical procedures have a large profile that interferes with the surgeon's view and patient tissue during bone screw placement.
Innovation Solution
A surgical instrument guide with a low-profile design featuring a pivotable housing and actuator, allowing for adjustable positioning of barrels for bone screw insertion, and an expandable distal tip to accommodate larger screw heads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional DTS guide is used for anterior cervical procedures, then bone screw placement can be achieved, but the large profile of the guide interferes with the surgeon's view and patient tissue
Solution Approach 1:
The guide is divided into a body portion and a separate barrel assembly that can be positioned independently. The barrel can be pivoted into alignment with fixation apertures as needed, while the main body remains in a low-profile position against the bone plate, reducing overall interference with the surgical field.
Solution Approach 2:
The barrel assembly is made pivotable relative to the guide body, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position and orientation. This enables the barrel to extend into alignment with specific fixation apertures when needed for bone screw insertion, then retract to a compact position when not in use, minimizing profile size.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the guide housing is positioned to accommodate multiple fixation apertures, then multiple bone screws can be placed, but the housing extends from both sides of the elongated body increasing profile
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is configured to pivot between a neutral retracted position and extended use positions. In the neutral position, the housing is substantially centered within the elongated body, minimizing profile. When needed, the housing can pivot to extend from one side to align with specific fixation apertures, providing multi-aperture compatibility without constant extension.
Solution Approach 2:
The single pivotable housing design can serve multiple fixation apertures by pivoting to different positions, eliminating the need for separate fixed housings for each aperture. This universal design reduces the overall profile while maintaining the ability to accommodate multiple bone screw placement locations.
Data Source
AI summary
One aspect of the disclosure relates to a surgical instruments and surgical instrument guides, and associated methods. The surgical instrument may include: an elongated body having a distal end; a housing disposed at least partially within the elongated body and pivotably coupled to the elongated body; and an actuator engaged with a proximal end of the elongated body and operably associated with the housing such that the housing pivots about a pivot point upon actuation of the actuator. In another embodiment, the surgical instrument may include: an elongated body having a segmented distal tip; a guide barrel extending longitudinally within the elongated body, the guide barrel being substantially aligned with a bore within the segmented distal tip, wherein the segmented distal tip is configured to transition between an unexpanded configuration and an expanded configuration.