Orthopedic jig, pin, and method
An orthopedic jig and pins therefore are disclosed that allow the pins to be pre-loaded into apertures through the jig before the jig is positioned at a desired location with respect to a bone during an orthopedic surgical procedure. At least one of the pin and/or jig includes a retention mechanism whereby the pin can be inserted into the bore and releasably restrained therein until the jig is place in the selected position and the pins driven into the bone.
Not applicable
REFERENCE REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENTNot applicable
SEQUENTIAL LISTINGNot applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to surgical instruments.
2. Description of the Background of the Invention
In orthopedic surgery, pins are regularly used to temporarily affix jigs, such as cutting blocks, to the bone. A standard technique for affixing a jig to a bone is for a surgeon to hold the jig to the bone, carefully insert the pins through apertures in the jig, and then drive the pins into the bone through the holes in order to achieve the fixation. The number of pins needed for affixing each jig varies typically between two and four, and often two or more jigs need to be temporarily affixed to the bone. Consequently, sometimes ten or more pins need to be inserted to the jigs and drilled into the bone during a surgical procedure. This pin insertion process must be done very carefully by the surgeon in order to carefully avoid pin jamming or stripping and can take up so several seconds or longer for each pin. As a result, the total time for pinning can add several minutes or more to a surgical procedure requiring a larger number of jigs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccording to one aspect of the invention, a pin for use with an orthopedic jig includes a shaft adapted to slide through an aperture associated with the jig and a restraining member disposed on the shaft. The restraining member is adapted to releasably hold the pin within the aperture.
According to another aspect of the invention, an orthopedic jig in combination with a pin includes a jig body defining an aperture therethrough, a pin disposed through the aperture, and a restraining member associated with at least one of the jig body and the pin. The restraining member releasably restrains the pin within the aperture prior to fixation to a support surface.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, a jig adapted for fixation to a bone with a pin during an orthopedic surgical procedure includes a body, an aperture associated with the body and adapted to receive the pin therethrough, and a retention mechanism adapted to releasably restrain the pin in the aperture.
According to a further aspect of the invention, a method of attaching a jig to a bone during a surgery includes the steps of releasably securing a pin within a bore defined by a jig using a retention mechanism associated with one of the jig and the pin at a location removed from the bone, engaging the jig with the bone, and driving the pin into the bone.
Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed and description drawings in which like numbers are used to designate similar structures in various embodiments.
With reference to
Turning now to the embodiment shown in
In
The jig 10 and pins 14 disclosed herein allow a method of attaching the jig to a bone during a surgery. In one possible method of affixing any one of the jigs 10 disclosed herein to a bone 16, a scrub nurse may pre-load the appropriate pins 14 to the appropriate jig 10, i.e., insert the insertion end 22 of the pin into the bore 12, before the surgical procedure or otherwise away from the immediate temporal or physical vicinity of the incision or wound through which the jig will be affixed to the bone 16. Subsequently, the pre-loaded jig 10 with the pins 14 releasably restrained in the bores 12 may be given to the surgeon, for example, at the time when required for fixation to the bone 16. The surgeon may then position the jig 10 with the pre-loaded pins 14 at a selected position with respect to the bone 16 through the incision or wound and then drive the pins 14 through the bore 12 into the bone in an appropriate manner. If a surgical navigational system (not shown) is being used during the procedure, the jig 10 and/or pins 14 may be adapted for integration and use therewith during the affixation procedure.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITYThe present invention may be useful at least in orthopedic surgical procedures. By allowing the pins 14 to be pre-loaded to a jig 10 by the surgeon or by someone other than the surgeon during an orthopedic surgical procedure, the devices and methods disclosed herein may, in some circumstances, reduce the time needed by the surgeon during a surgical procedure to affix a jig to a patient, thereby possibly reducing the overall time and cost of the surgical procedure over prior jigs and methods of attachment. Other industrial applications are also possible.
Numerous modifications to the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the foregoing description. In addition, all possible combinations and sub-combinations of the embodiments disclosed herein are specifically contemplated and expressly included in the scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, this description is to be construed as illustrative only and is presented for the purpose of enabling those skilled in the art to make and use the invention and to teach the best mode of carrying out same. The exclusive rights to all modifications that come within the scope of the impending claims are hereby reserved.
Claims
1. A pin for use with an orthopedic jig, the pin comprising:
- a shaft adapted to slide through an aperture associated with the jig; and
- a restraining member disposed on the shaft, wherein the restraining member is adapted to releasably hold the pin within the aperture.
2. The pin of claim 1, wherein the restraining member is disposed proximate an insertion tip end of the pin.
3. The pin of claim 1, wherein the restraining member comprises a resilient member that is adapted to clamp the pin inside the bore.
4. The pin of claim 3, wherein the restraining member comprises a tension ring adapted to fit through the aperture and resiliently engage an interior surface of the aperture.
5. The pin of claim 4, further comprising a peripheral groove in the shaft, wherein the tension ring is disposed in the groove.
6. The pin of claim 5, wherein the tension ring has a peripheral surface disposed radially beyond an adjacent surface of the shaft in a relaxed state.
7. The pin of claim 6, wherein the tension ring has an outside diameter larger than an adjacent portion of the shaft and larger than an inside diameter of the aperture in a relaxed state.
8. The pin of claim 3, wherein the restraining member comprises a ball plunger.
9. The pin of claim 1, wherein the restraining member comprises an adhesive located so as to engage an interior surface of the aperture.
10. The pin of claim 9, wherein the adhesive comprises a film of adhesive disposed around the pin.
11. The pin of claim 1, further comprising threads adapted for screwing the shaft into a bone.
12. An orthopedic jig in combination with a pin, the combination comprising:
- a pin disposed through a bore defined by the jig; and
- a restraining member associated with at least one of the jig and the pin, wherein the restraining member releasably restrains the pin within the bore prior to fixation of the pin to a support surface.
13. The combination of claim 12, wherein the restraining member comprises an adhesive disposed on the pin.
14. The combination of claim 12, wherein the restraining member comprises a clamping member associated with the jig that restrains the pin.
15. The combination of claim 14, wherein the pin further comprises a recess that releasably locks with the clamping member.
16. The combination of claim 14, wherein the clamping member comprises a tension ring carried by the jig.
17. The combination of claim 14, wherein the clamping member comprises a ball plunger carried by the jig.
18. The combination of claim 12, wherein the restraining member comprises a clamping member associated with the pin that resiliently engages an inner surface of the bore.
19. The combination of claim 18, wherein the restraining member comprises a plurality of clamping members associated with the pin, each clamping member adapted to resiliently engage the inner surface of the bore.
20. The combination of claim 18, further comprising a recess in the inner surface of the bore that releasably locks with the clamping member.
21. The combination of claim 18, wherein the clamping member comprises a tension ring carried by the pin.
22. The combination of claim 21 further comprising a groove in the pin, wherein the groove is adapted to completely receive the tension ring therein.
23. The combination of claim 22, wherein the tension ring has a peripheral edge that is disposed beyond a radial periphery of the pin in a relaxed state.
24. The combination of claim 18, wherein the clamping member comprises a ball plunger carried by the pin.
25. A jig adapted for fixation to a bone with a pin during an orthopedic surgical procedure, the jig comprising:
- a body;
- an aperture associated with the body and adapted to receive the pin therethrough; and
- a retention mechanism adapted to releasably restrain the pin in the aperture.
26. The jig of claim 25, wherein the retention mechanism comprises a resilient member adapted to engage the pin when disposed in the aperture.
27. The jig of claim 25, wherein the retention mechanism comprises a ball plunger adapted to resiliently engage the pin when disposed in the aperture
28. The jig of claim 25, wherein the retention mechanism comprises a tension ring adapted to resiliently engage the pin when disposed in the aperture.
29. A method of attaching a jig to a bone during a surgery, the method comprising the steps of:
- releasably securing a pin within a bore defined by a jig using a retention mechanism associated with one of the jig and the pin at a location removed from the bone;
- engaging the jig with the bone;
- driving the pin through the bore into the bone.
30. The method of claim 29, further comprising the step of using the pin in conjunction with a surgical navigation system.
31. The method of claim 29, wherein the retention mechanism comprises an adhesive carried by the pin disposed proximate a tip end of the pin.
32. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of securing further comprises the step of releasably locking the pin in the bore.
33. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of securing comprises the step of engaging the pin with a clamping mechanism associated with the jig to releasably retain the pin in the bore.
34. The method of claim 33, wherein the clamping mechanism comprises a ball plunger.
35. The method of claim 34, wherein the clamping mechanism comprises a tension ring.
36. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of securing further comprises the step of engaging the bore with a clamping mechanism associated with the pin adapted to releasably retain the pin in the bore.
37. The method of claim 36, wherein the clamping mechanism comprises a resilient member that engages the bore.
38. The method of claim 37, wherein the resilient member comprises a tension ring.
39. The method of claim 37, wherein the resilient member comprises a ball plunger.
40. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of securing is performed by a first person, and wherein the steps of engaging and driving are performed by at least a second person.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 6, 2007
Publication Date: Sep 25, 2008
Inventors: Matt Brandt (Chicago, IL), Amir Sarvestani (Freiburg)
Application Number: 11/714,567
International Classification: A61B 17/04 (20060101); A61B 17/58 (20060101); A61F 5/00 (20060101);