Abstract: Devices and methods are disclosed herein for accessing the hip joint. A first device can be securely attached to the capsule of a joint. The first device can tent the capsule to increase the volume of the peripheral compartment. A second device can be biased against the first device to pierce the tented capsule and create a portal. Devices and methods are also disclosed herein for distending the capsule of a joint. A distention device may access a portal established within the capsule. The distention device can expand the capsule by applying an expansive force within the peripheral compartment. The distention device can maintain distention of the peripheral compartment while other devices access the joint.

Abstract: An orthopaedic surgical instrument system includes a sensor adapter and multiple surgical instruments. The sensor adapter includes a housing with a force sensor positioned within the housing and a sensor contact configured to transfer force to the force sensor extending from the housing. Each surgical instrument includes a sensor connector configured to receive the sensor adapter at a predetermined location relative to the surgical instrument. Each sensor adapter further includes a registering feature to engage an anatomical feature of a patient or another surgical instrument. The surgical instruments may include a shim that may be attached to a gap assessment tool or a tibial insert trial. Methods associated with the surgical instrument system are also disclosed.

Abstract: An intra-osseous support structure can be used to fixate opposed portions of bone. In some examples, the intra-osseous support structure is positioned in openings formed in adjacent portions of bones. Fasteners are inserted through the bone portions to secure the intra-osseous support structure in the bones. Depending on the application, one or more external bone plates may also be applied to the bone portions. The external bone plate may be in compression while the intra-osseous support structure is in tension under load in situ.

Abstract: A spinal disc implant including a body defined by a plurality of interwoven or braided nitinol strands. The body includes a first end and a second end. The nitinol strands come together at the first end and are secured with a first fitting. The nitinol strands also come together at the second end and are secured with a second fitting. The second fitting can include a snare hook. The braided nitinol skeleton is internally assembled within the intervertebral disc. The implant is filled with liquid, gel or silicone when utilized as a motion preserving nucleus pulpous implant. The implant is filled with bone graft material when utilized as an inter-body fusion implant. An instrument and technique that provides a minimally invasive “needle based” solution to address degenerative disc disease with enhanced structural integrity of the spine compared to conventional surgical devices and techniques.

Abstract: A puncturing device and an anchoring device, the puncturing device including: a puncturing needle, an inflatable anchoring balloon, and a catheter which passes through a proximal end and distal end of the anchoring balloon, the puncturing needle being movably accommodated within the catheter; in a filled state, a central area of an end portion of the distal end of the anchoring balloon is depressed towards the proximal end to form a depressed area, and a distal end of the catheter is located within the depressed area. The anchoring device includes the anchoring balloon and the catheter. The puncturing device may improve the accuracy and success rate of puncturing, and after puncturing is complete, an expansion balloon may be transported along a guide wire to expand a puncturing opening by simply withdrawing the puncturing needle and a push rod.

Abstract: An orthopaedic surgical instrument includes a customized patient-specific surgical instrument having a body. A cutting guide slot extends through the body. A pair of first arms extends posteriorly from the body. Each arm includes a first customized patient-specific negative contour configured to receive a portion of a first corresponding positive contour of one of a patient's femoral condyles. A second arm extends proximally from the body. The second arm has a second customized patient-specific negative contour configured to receive a portion of a second corresponding positive contour of an anterior surface of the patient's femur. A method of performing a surgical procedure is also disclosed.

Abstract: A sacroiliac fusion stabilizer (SIFS) for fusing a first bone fracture fragment to a second bone fracture fragment is provided. In one embodiment, the SIFS has a lazy-S shape with a series of protrusions at the ends of the SIFS. In another embodiment, the SIFS has two overlapping lazy-S shapes.

Abstract: A surgical access device includes a cannula body, an anchor, and a first suture retention mechanism. The cannula body includes a housing and an elongated portion extending distally from the housing. The elongated portion defines a longitudinal axis and a channel extending therethrough. The anchor is disposed in mechanical cooperation with the elongated portion of the cannula body and is longitudinally translatable relative to the elongated portion. The first suture retention mechanism extends laterally from the anchor. A suture-receiving channel is defined between a portion of the suture retention mechanism and a portion of the anchor.

Abstract: Embodiments of devices for converting continuous rotational motion into oscillating motion are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an oscillation device can include an input shaft that rotates about a first axis, a portion of the input shaft defining an eccentric section that defines a second central axis offset from the first axis, a connector rotatably coupled around the eccentric section, an oscillating shaft offset from the input shaft that rotates about a third axis, and a pin coupled to the oscillating shaft and extending towards the connector. The connector includes a sleeve slidably receiving an end of the pin, and continuous rotation of the input shaft about the first axis causes an eccentric movement of the connector, and the eccentric movement of the connector oscillates the sleeve along the pin and oscillates the pin with respect to the oscillating shaft, thereby oscillating the oscillating shaft about the third axis.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing electrocautery on a site of a subject that includes inserting a trocar device into the location of the site of the subject and electro-cauterizing the site of the subject using a diode included with the trocar device. A method and apparatus for performing electrocautery on a site of a subject that includes inserting one or more medical tubes or medical instruments or devices that extends through an expandable sheath; and electro-cauterizing the site of the subject using a diode included with the expandable sheath device.

Abstract: A robotic system and methods for performing spine surgery are disclosed. The system comprises a robotic manipulator with a tool to hold a screw and to rotate the screw about a rotational axis. The screw is self-tapping and has a known thread geometry that is stored by one or more controllers. A navigation system tracks a position of a target anatomy. Movement of the robotic manipulator is controlled to maintain the rotational axis of the surgical tool along a planned trajectory with respect to the target anatomy based on the tracked position of the target anatomy. In autonomous or manual modes of operation, the rotational rate of the screw about the rotational axis and/or an advancement rate of the screw linearly along the planned trajectory is controlled to be proportional to the known thread geometry stored in the memory.

Abstract: A surgical apparatus configured to be placed in the musculoskeletal system to precisely separate a first bone from a second bone. The surgical apparatus has one or more sensors to measure one or more parameters and supports one or more bone cuts for installing a prosthetic component. The surgical apparatus has three distraction mechanisms configured to increase or decrease a height between a first support structure and a second support structure. The tilt mechanism adjusts the tilt between the first support structure relative to the second support structure. The tilt mechanism of the surgical apparatus is adjusted from a first tilt to a second tilt to support a bone cut on one of the first or second bones.

Abstract: A surgical guide includes a body including a beveled distal surface configured to being placed against a side of a foot and a proximal surface. The body includes at least one channel that extends between the beveled distal surface and the proximal surface of the body. At least one K-wire is receivable in the at least one channel and is configured to being received in a metatarsal and a capital fragment of the foot. The guide includes a handle, and a preset angle is defined between a longitudinal axis of the body and the beveled distal surface of the body. The preset angle is between approximately 25° and approximately 30°.

Abstract: A system and method provide for image-guided implant placement as a function of at least one intraoperative image during a surgical procedure. At least one computing device is configured by executing code stored in non-transitory processor readable media to process at least one preoperative image to assess axial rotation and/or sagittal pelvic inclination. Further, as a function of a plurality of identified anatomical landmarks in the at least one preoperative image, at least one of distances, angles, and areas is measured. Thereafter, as a function of calculations associated with the at least one of distances, angles, and areas, axial rotation associated with at least one image is measured. Thereafter, at least one value associated with placement of an implant during the surgical procedure is adjusted and information associated therewith is provided via a graphical user interface.

Abstract: A surgical access device is disclosed and includes a housing, a cannula, a guide, and an expandable member. The cannula extends distally from the housing and defines a longitudinal axis. A wall of the cannula includes a first slot defined therein. The guide is engagable with the housing and defines a first channel. The first channel is disposed at a non-parallel angle relative to the longitudinal axis. The expandable member is disposed adjacent a distal portion of the cannula and is transitionable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration. A first surgical instrument is insertable through the first channel of the guide and through the first slot of the cannula.

Abstract: Antimicrobial metal ion coatings and implants including them. In particular, described herein are coatings including an anodic metal (e.g., silver and/or zinc and/or copper) that is co-deposited with a cathodic metal (e.g., palladium, platinum, gold, molybdenum, titanium, iridium, osmium, rhodium, manganese, niobium or rhenium) on a substrate so that the anodic metal is galvanically released as antimicrobial ions when the apparatus is exposed to a bodily fluid. The anodic metal may be at least about 25 percent by volume of the coating, resulting in a network of anodic metal with less than 20% of the anodic metal in the coating fully encapsulated by cathodic metal. The implant may be configured as an implant such as a bone-screw or intramedullary rod-like body configured to receive a treatment cartridge having a coating as described.

Abstract: An access needle includes a hollow shaft having a lumen sized and shaped to slidably receive a guidewire therein and having a distal end including an angled surface extending proximally and transversely from a sharpened distal-most tip of the shaft to a beveled smoothed area of the shaft proximal and transverse to the sharpened tip. The beveled smoothed area is positioned to slidably engage a guidewire extended distally out the distal end of the needle so that, as the guidewire is retracted proximally into the needle, the beveled smoothed area slidably engages the guidewire to minimize abrasion to the guidewire.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical handpiece has a motor having a torsional transducer assembly along a central axis of the surgical handpiece, the motor being configured for operative connection to a power source. A surgical attachment has a proximal end detachably connected to the motor and a distal end defining a working plane for engagement with biological tissue. The motor is configured to create a standing wave along the central axis in response to the application of an electrical current and voltage from the power source. The standing wave defines an alternating pattern of nodes and anti-nodes along the central axis, wherein a position of one of the anti-nodes along the center axis corresponds with the position of the working plane.

Abstract: A three dimensional magnetic sensor attached to a surgical nail is located based on an applied monotonic magnetic field gradient. Another three dimensional magnetic sensor locates a surgical drill. A display generates a real time image of the relative alignment of the surgical drill and of the surgical nail, allowing a surgeon to repair bone fractures.

Abstract: A surgical saw blade is disclosed for improved resection and cutting of tissue. The surgical saw blade may include a front side, an opposite back side, a top side, an opposite bottom side, a right side, and an opposite left side. The surgical saw blade may further include a cutting tooth extending from the back side and having a cutting edge oriented toward one of the right side and the left side, the cutting tooth associated with an aperture through the saw blade between the front and back sides. The back side may be a single direction cutting side and the front, top, bottom, right, and left sides may be non-cutting sides. The surgical saw blade may further include a saw connection feature near the bottom side.