Instrument guidance system for spinal and other surgery
US6546277B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 24, 1999 |
| Grant date | Apr 8, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 24, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B2090/3983
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and apparatus for positioning a surgical instrument during stereotactic surgery on a body, for example, during spinal surgery or general surgery. A mounting device is attached to a bone structure of the body, for example, by attaching a rail to the spine for spinal surgery. In spinal surgery, the rail is attached to the spine by clamping the rail to two spinous processes and adjusting the separation of the two spinous processes to match the separation of the two processes in three-dimensional scanned image, thereby matching a curvature of the spine with a corresponding curvature of the spine in the image. Multiple of fiducial points are located on the body in relation to the mounting device. An adjustable guidance fixture that includes an instrument guide for guiding the surgical instrument along a constrained trajectory relative to the instrument guide is attached to the mounting device.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.