# US 10,245,045 B2 · Resection instrument > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,245,045 B2 - Document ID: US10245045B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/173,801 - Filed: 2011-06-30 - Published: 2012-01-05 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2010-06-30 - Assignees: Smith & Nephew, Inc. - Applicants: Paul Alexander Torrie - Inventors: Paul Alexander Torrie - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10245045B2 ## CPC - A61B 17/1742: {for the hip} - A61B 17/1666: {for the acetabulum} - A61B 17/1662: {for particular parts of the body} - A61B 2017/1602: {Mills} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract The present invention concerns a surgical instrument. There is described a surgical instrument including a shaft having a handle towards a proximal end, a template towards a distal end, and resecting means for removing tissue. The template is shaped to complement the contours of a joint surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A surgical instrument, comprising: a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween; a handle disposed towards the proximal end of the shaft; a template pivotally connected towards the distal end of the shaft, the template having: a proximal end, a distal end, and a heel portion disposed at the proximal end of the template; first and second opposing surfaces positioned between the proximal and distal ends and dimensioned to fit between first and second bones of a joint; and a burr for removing tissue, the burr being coupled to the proximal end of the template and positioned to face the second bone of the joint when positioned between the first and second bones of the joint, the burr configured to rotate about an axis of rotation that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, wherein the burr has a predetermined orientation relative to the template, wherein the second surface of the template has a concave shape to complement a curvature of the second bone of the joint, and wherein the second surface of the template is operative to engage with a surface of the second bone whereby the burr is operative to only engage and remove material from portions of the second bone having a surface curvature deviating from a curved path defined by the template while the second surface of the template guides movement in at least a distal to proximal manner over the second bone surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the template is pivotally connected at or towards the proximal end of the template or between the proximal and distal ends of the template. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) An instrument as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pivotal connection allows the template to pivot within a single plane. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) An instrument as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pivotal connection comprises a universal joint or a ball-and-socket joint. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) An instrument as claimed in claim 4, wherein the pivotal connection comprises a lock to restrict motion of the joint to a single plane. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) An instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the template is connected to the distal end of the shaft by a resiliently flexible member. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) An instrument as claimed in claim 6, wherein the resiliently flexible member is configured to bias the template towards a tissue surface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) An instrument as claimed in claim 7, wherein the resiliently flexible member comprises a Nitinol wire, a Nitinol tube, a spring, a live-hinge or a corrugated portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) An instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the template is connected with and is rigid relative to the shaft. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) An instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the burr comprises a generally spherical burr-head mounted on, or formed integrally with, a burr-shaft. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) An instrument as claimed in claim 10, wherein the burr-shaft is mounted coaxially with, and rotatable within, the instrument shaft. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) An instrument as claimed in claim 10, wherein the burr-shaft is in part mounted coaxially with, and rotatable within, the instrument shaft. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) An instrument as claimed in claim 12, wherein the predetermined orientation of the burr relative to the template is determined by the connection between the template and shaft, the connection being aligned with the centre of the burr-head. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) An instrument as claimed in claim 13, wherein the concave surface of the template and a surface of the burr-head are tangential. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) An instrument as claimed in claim 14, wherein the tangential arrangement between the template and burr-head may be offset slightly deeper or shallower to account for tissue compressibility. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) An instrument as claimed in claim 15, wherein the burr-shaft includes a piston or dampener. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) An instrument as claimed in claim 16, wherein the burr-shaft includes a centering means to maintain a tangential arrangement between the template and the burr-head during movement of the instrument over a tissue surface. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) An instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surgical instrument comprises control means for the burr. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) An instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the instrument comprises biasing means to bias the template towards a tissue surface. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) An instrument as claimed in claim 19, wherein the biasing means is the instrument shaft, or a separate rod, spring, live-hinge or dampener which is biased to extend the template distally. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) An instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the instrument comprises an obturator for supporting and protecting the template whilst the instrument is packaged and/or when the instrument is being introduced into a surgical site. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) An instrument as claimed in claim 21, wherein the obturator comprises a solid cylindrical member or a hollow tubular member. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) An instrument as claimed in claim 22, wherein the obturator comprises a tubular member coaxially mounted with the shaft and includes an opening at a distal end. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) An instrument as claimed in claim 22, wherein the obturator is internally mounted within the shaft, or is an outer sheath mounted on an outer surface of the shaft. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) An instrument as claimed in claim 24, wherein the obturator is slidably mounted or rotatably mounted on or within the instrument shaft. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) An instrument as claimed in claim 25 wherein the obturator is removable. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) An instrument as claimed in claim 26, wherein the surgical instrument includes a lock. ### Claim 28 (depends on 1) An instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the template further comprises one or more bearings which assist movement of the template over a tissue surface. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) An instrument as claimed in claim 28, wherein the template comprises two, three, four, five or six bearings. ### Claim 30 (depends on 1) An instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the template is dimensioned for receipt between the two bones of the joint without distraction of the joint. ### Claim 31 (depends on 1) An instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second bone of the joint is a femur and the second surface has a concave shape to complement curvature of a head of the femur. ### Claim 32 (depends on 1) An instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first bone of the joint is hip bone and the first surface has a convex shape to complement curvature of an acetabular cavity of the hip bone. ### Claim 33 (depends on 1) The instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the curved path defined by the template is defined by a curvature of the second surface of the template. ### Claim 34 (depends on 1) The instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein a cutting surface of the burr is substantially aligned with a curvature of the second surface of the template. ### Claim 35 (depends on 1) The instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the burr extends proximally relative to the heel portion of the template. ### Claim 36 (depends on 1) The instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the burr is closer to the proximal end of the template than the distal end of the template. ### Claim 37 (depends on 1) The instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the burr is the only resecting means in the instrument. ### Claim 38 (depends on 1) The instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the burr is partially enclosed by the heel portion. ### Claim 39 A surgical instrument, comprising: a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween; a handle disposed towards the proximal end of the shaft; a template pivotally connected towards the distal end of the shaft, the template having: a proximal end, a distal end, and a heel portion disposed at the proximal end of the template; first and second opposing surfaces positioned between the proximal and distal ends and dimensioned to fit between first and second bones of a joint; and a burr for removing tissue, the burr being coupled to the proximal end of the template and open to the second surface, the burr configured to rotate about an axis of rotation that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, wherein the burr has a predetermined orientation relative to the template, wherein the first surface of the template has a convex shape to complement curvature of the first bone of the joint; wherein the first surface of the template is operative to engage with a surface of the first bone whereby the burr is operative to only engage and remove material from the second bone having a surface curvature deviating from a curved path defined by the template while the first surface of the template guides movement of the template in at least a distal to proximal manner over the first bone surface. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) An instrument as claimed in claim 39, wherein the second surface of the template has a concave shape to complement curvature of a portion of the second bone of the joint, wherein a proximal portion of the second surface of the template is operative to engage with a surface of the second bone while a distal portion of the first surface of the template engages with the first bone, and wherein the first and second surfaces of the template cooperate to guide the movement of the template in the at least distal to proximal manner over the first and second bone surfaces. ### Claim 41 (depends on 39) An instrument as claimed in claim 39, wherein the first bone of the joint is hip bone and the first surface has a convex shape to complement curvature of an acetabular cavity of the hip bone. ### Claim 42 (depends on 39) The instrument as claimed in claim 39, wherein the burr is partially enclosed by the heel portion.