Implantable Stereotactic Guide Assembly with Locking Fastener
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current stereotactic surgery methods require repeated procedures for surgical revisions, which are time-consuming and costly due to the need to reassess and reimplant medical devices at intra-cerebral target sites without maintaining chronic stereotactic accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A stereotactic guide assembly comprising an implantable body with a passageway and a fastener system that allows for secure placement and exchange of medical devices within a burr hole in the cranium, eliminating the need for a stereotactic frame by using a coupling feature and locking mechanism for precise targeting and repeated access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If frame-based or frameless stereotactic surgery is used to locate intra-cerebral target sites, then accurate targeting can be achieved, but surgical revisions require time-consuming reassessment and reimplantation procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The implantable body is placed in the cranium during the initial surgery to establish a permanent reference point and maintain chronic stereotactic accuracy. This preliminary action eliminates the need for repeated frame attachment or fiducial marker placement during surgical revisions, as the implantable body serves as a persistent landmark for future procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The implantable body creates a permanent physical copy of the stereotactic reference system within the patient's cranium. Instead of relying on external frames or temporary markers that must be reapplied during revisions, the implantable body provides a lasting surrogate that preserves targeting accuracy across multiple surgical interventions.
2Measurement precision
If a stereotactic frame is used to maintain chronic stereotactic accuracy for repeated access to target sites, then targeting precision is preserved, but the device complexity and patient burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The stereotactic reference system is segmented into a small, implantable component that can be placed within the cranium rather than using a large, complex external frame. This segmentation allows the essential referencing function to be isolated in a minimal invasive implant, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining targeting precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The critical stereotactic referencing function is extracted from the complex external frame system and embodied in a simple implantable body. By taking out only the essential reference-establishing component and placing it directly in the patient's cranium, the system achieves chronic accuracy without the burden of large, complex external apparatus.
3Ease of manufacture
If surgical revisions are performed without a permanent reference system, then the initial surgery can be completed, but repeated procedures increase cost and patient risk
Solution Approach 1:
The implantable body is installed during the initial surgery to establish a permanent reference system before any therapeutic devices are implanted. This preliminary action ensures that all subsequent surgical revisions can rely on this pre-established reference, improving outcome consistency without complicating the initial surgical procedure.
Data Source
AI summary
One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a stereotactic guide assembly comprising an implantable body and a fastener. The implantable body can have an interior chamber and a first passageway that extends through the implantable body into communication with the interior chamber. At least a portion of the interior chamber can be defined by a first coupling feature. The fastener can be configured to fit in the interior chamber. The fastener can have a second passageway extending therethrough, and a second coupling feature adapted to releasably engage the first coupling feature.