Abstract: A surgical power tool has an actuation assembly which comprises a force sensor and a switch. The force sensor is provided to determine an actuation force produced by the user, and the switch is transferred by the actuation force from a first switching state to a second switching state. A combined evaluation of the force sensor signal and of the switching state enables, for example, a plausibility check for increasing the operational reliability of the power tool.

Abstract: An adapter can be easily used to assist a surgical navigation system to determine the effector axis or the effector plane of a surgical device. The adapter has a body with a geometrical feature, the geometrical feature has a known relation with a navigation tracker device that can be attached to the adapter. When the adapter is held against a surgical device in a non-fixed manner, the effector axis or the effector plane of the device can be tracked by the surgical navigation system. The method includes a calibration method to determine the known relation between the effector axis or the effector plane and the location of the navigation tracker.

Abstract: A trajectory guide includes a guide body defining a selected trajectory through an entry aperture or opening, engagement surfaces for insertion into the entry aperture, and a fixing mechanism coupling the guide body with the engagement surfaces. The engagement surfaces may be easily fixed within an entry aperture and the guide body positioned in a selected orientation using the fixing mechanism to provide simple mounting of the trajectory guide. In some instances, the engagement surfaces may be fixed within the entry aperture and the guide body fixed in a selected orientation with a single fixation motion.

Abstract: A bone plate for use in a surgical procedure, in particular an osteotomy comprises a fixation portion provided with at least one opening adapted to receive a fastening device for fastening the fixation portion to a bone of a patient. A guiding portion of the bone plate having a guiding edge for guiding a bone cutting instrument during the surgical procedure, wherein the guiding portion is removably connected to the fixation portion, and wherein at least one of the fixation portion and the guiding portion has a size and shape which are customized based on anatomic data of the patient.

Abstract: The invention relates to a self-retaining implant for fixing a bone cover or a bone fragment in an opening in a skull bone. The implant comprises a support element with an upper side and an lower side facing the bone cover. Arranged on the lower side of the support element is an extension, which supports a spike preferably extending parallel to the support element. The spike can be driven laterally into the bone cover or bone fragment by means of a driving-in device according to the invention. The driving-in device according to the invention comprises a receiving element for the implant. A driving-in mechanism for driving the implant into the bone cover or bone fragment can be coupled with the receiving element.

Abstract: What is described is a surgical instrument for manipulating a bent surgical wire. The surgical instrument is particularly suitable for inserting one or both ends of a wire, which is bent in the shape of a U, in apertures provided for that purpose in a bone plate. The instrument possesses two jaws that can be moved relative to one another for the purpose of generating a gripping force, at least one of the jaws having a wire-receiving device which positions a bent wire, which is to be received, in a plane substantially parallel to the direction of gripping force.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for determining a position and a change in the position of an anatomical structure. The system utilizes a surgical navigation system and a substrate that is capable of being removably mounted to an outer surface of a patient's body. The substrate includes a sensor that is tracked by the surgical navigation system and a positional device that determines the position of an anatomical structure relative to the sensor. The concatenation of the position of the sensor and the relative position of the anatomical structure allows a global position of the anatomical structure to be determined by a computer system and displayed to the user.

Abstract: A self drilling bone screw (10) comprises a shank (16) provided with a thread (14), a pitch of the thread (14) being in the region of approximately 0.7 to 1.0 mm. A tip angle is selected such that a thread flank (20) of a first flight (22) adjacent to a tip (18) of the bone screw (10) is arranged at a distance of approximately 0.2 to 0.5 mm from the tip (18) of the bone screw (10).

Abstract: The shape and orientation of rigid or nearly rigid moveable bodies are determined using a shape characterization. Sensors capture a plurality of representations of different perspectives of the body that are analyzed to determine a bounding volume of the body. The shape of the body is determined from the bounding volume. The position of the body is determined using tracking devices that sense the position of the body. The bounding volume and position information are combined to define the shape and orientation in space of the body, and in particular the position of a point of interest on the body.

Abstract: A computer assisted surgical system that includes an apparatus for imaging a region of interest of a portion of an anatomy of a subject; a memory containing executable instructions; and a processor programmed using the instructions to receive two or more two-dimensional images of the region of interest taken at different angles from the apparatus and process the two or more two-dimensional images to produce three dimensional information associated with the region of interest.

Abstract: A light source illuminates a field of interest that includes an illumination module capable of projecting illumination light to the field of interest and a light projector associated with the illumination module. The light source also includes an input device associated with the light projector; the input device capable of sending signals to the light projector such that the light projector simultaneously projects data light along with the illumination light to the field of interest.

Abstract: A drill guide for a bone plate which has holes therethrough for receiving bone screws. The drill guide includes a guide block having drill guide bores alignable with at least two bone screw receiving holes in the bone plate. A first locking element in inserted through a guide block drill guide bore. The locking element has a tip for engaging a bone screw receiving holes in the bone plate, the tip being selectively expandable to engage and disengage from the bone plate hole. A second locking element is mounted on the guide block and is engageable with a bone plate hole. The second locking element also has a tip for resiliently engaging walls of the bone plate hole wherein the tip of the first and second locking elements has a split portion.

Abstract: Bending pliers are described for perforated bone plates with two jaws movable relative to one another. A receiving jaw has two spaced receptacles for insertion into holes of a bone plate to be received. A pressure-exerting jaw comprises a pressure-exerting element which, when the bending pliers are actuated, cooperates with a received bone plate in a region between the two receptacles. The receptacles have an outside diameter which is variable along their axial extent in order to cooperate, preferably in a form-fitting manner, with different hole types.

Abstract: A two dimensional image is registered with mechanical axis data, and possibly other data, using a surgical navigation system. This provides the user with additional graphical information on a display screen as the procedure is performed. The mechanical axis data can be generated using an anatomical assessment.

Abstract: A system for the provision of fastening elements during a surgical intervention and a method of surgically removing a bone segment are described. The system comprises a bone plate having openings arranged in a first pattern for receiving fastening elements, as well as a receiving surface having a plurality of openings for temporarily receiving the fastening elements. The openings of the receiving surface are arranged in a second pattern, which is at least in sections identical or similar to the first pattern.

Abstract: A keeping-ready device for bone screws and a keeping-ready system comprising this keeping-ready device are described. The keeping-ready device has a surface, in which a plurality of orifices for accommodating the bone screws is provided. The keeping-ready device allows the bone screws to be kept ready countersunk in relation to the surface.

Abstract: A bone plate particularly suited for fractures that require the intraoperative correction in rotational and lengthwise axis described. The bone plate comprises a first, linear plate portion having a longitudinal axis and a first elongate hole extending in a direction of the longitudinal axis. The bone plate further comprises at least one second plate portion which extends substantially perpendicularly to the first plate portion. The second plate portion comprises a second elongate hole which extends roughly perpendicularly to the first elongate hole.

Abstract: A tool system for working on a bone plate is described. The tool system includes a first tool and a second tool, used at the same time as the first tool to shorten or bend the bone plate. Each of the two tools includes one or more introduction openings with which in turn one or more blades may be associated.

Abstract: A tool system for working on a bone plate is described. The tool system includes a first tool and a second tool, used at the same time as the first tool to shorten or bend the bone plate. Each of the two tools includes one or more introduction openings with which in turn one or more blades may be associated.

Abstract: A sterilisable surgical power tool and an operating unit for the surgical power tool are described. The operating unit includes a hermetically sealed metal capsule for arrangement in the region of a housing of the surgical power tool, the capsule having a contact surface for a finger on an outer face. A force sensor which is in force-transmitting connection to the contact surface is arranged inside the capsule. At least one electrical contact leads out of the capsule. The capsule may be a low-cost standard transistor housing.