# US 11,026,701 B1 · System and method for forming a cavity in soft tissue and bone

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- Number: US 11,026,701 B1
- Document ID: US11026701B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 15/469,461
- Filed: 2017-03-24
- Granted: 2021-06-08
- Earliest claimed: 2016-03-25
- Assignees: Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic
- Applicants: Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic
- Inventors: Sohail K. Mirza; Keith D. Paulsen; Ryan J. Halter
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11026701B1

## CPC

- A61B 17/1617: {with mobile or detachable parts}
- A61B 17/1628: {Motors; Power supplies}
- A61B 17/1626: {Control means; Display units}
- A61B 17/17: Guides {or aligning means} for drills {, mills, pins or wires}
- A61B 17/1757: {for the spine}
- A61B 34/25: {User interfaces for surgical systems}
- A61B 2034/2051: {Electromagnetic tracking systems}
- A61B 2034/2055: {Optical tracking systems}
- A61B 2090/066: {for measuring torque}
- A61B 2217/007: with irrigation system
- A61B 2562/00: Details of sensors; Constructional details of sensor housings or probes; Accessories for sensors
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

A system and method for creating a cavity with a drill assembly provides a powered drill shaft assembly having an articulating tip and a position sensor along the drill shaft; a drill motor assembly with a rotational motor, linear actuator, torque sensor, rotation sensor, electrical resistance sensor and a controller unit having a plurality of programs providing user interface and controlling the operation of the powered drill arrangement; a shroud for the drill shaft with a water port; and a computer software package that combines user specifications with sensor data to control activation and displacement of the drill with a user interface, controls the motor for rotational speed and drilling depth, and gives sensor status, and a display displaying status of a drilling procedure and an image from an imaging device, and that is programmable for a set of parameters for a drilling procedure.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A powered drill for creating a cavity of desired dimensions comprising:
a drill shaft assembly; and
a drill motor assembly including a plurality of sensors and a controller unit providing guidance as to rotational speed, motion and depth, wherein the drill shaft assembly includes a drill shaft with an articulating tip that can pivot in a radial arc from a first position that is oriented to a longitudinal axis that is drawn along the shaft to a second position oriented to a perpendicular axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and a position sensor positioned at a place along the drill shaft.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The powered drill of claim 1, wherein the drill motor assembly includes at least one rotational motor that rotationally drives the drill shaft with a rotational spin.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The powered drill of claim 1, wherein the drill motor assembly includes at least one linear actuator that provides a back and forth movement of the drill shaft.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The powered drill of claim 1, wherein the drill motor assembly includes at least one torque sensor.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The powered drill of claim 1, wherein the drill motor assembly includes at least one rotation sensor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The powered drill of claim 1, wherein the drill motor assembly includes at least one electrical resistance sensor.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The powered drill of claim 1, wherein the drill motor assembly includes at least one programmable controller unit that includes a plurality of programs that provide a user interface and control the functions and operations of the powered drill arrangement.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The powered drill of claim 1, wherein the drill includes a shroud for the drill shaft that includes a port for insertion of water that is pressurized by an external pump for irrigation and removal of deconstructed bone and marrow material from the cavity created by a drilling procedure.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The powered drill of claim 1, wherein the drill includes a computer software package that combines user specifications with sensor data to control activation and displacement of the drill.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The powered drill of claim 1, wherein the drill includes a computer software package that provides a user interface, controls drill shaft rotational speed and drilling depth.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The powered drill of claim 1, wherein the drill includes a computer software package that collects and reports the status of at least one of a position sensor, a torque sensor, a rotation sensor or an electrical sensor.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The powered drill of claim 1, wherein the drill includes a computer software package that includes a display that displays status of a drilling procedure.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The powered drill of claim 1, wherein the drill includes a computer software package that includes a display for an image from an imaging device that is oriented at a region around a drilling entry point in a bone.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The powered drill of claim 1, wherein the drill includes a computer software package that is programmable for a set of parameters for a drilling procedure and that guides the operation of the drill during the drilling procedure.