System and technique for accessing extra articular lesions or abnormalities or intra osseous lesions or bone marrow lesions
OwnerRajiv D. Pandyainventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved low cost, preferably disposable instrument guide adapted to carry an access instrument used in accessing a compromised portion of a bone structure has a single piece guide body. The guide body has a first referencing arm and second referencing arm. The first referencing arm has a first end portion, wherein the first end portion of the first referencing arm has a reference structure integral therewith and wherein the reference structure defines a virtual axis. The second referencing arm is integral to the first reference arm and has at least one guide opening with a guide axis extending to intersect the virtual axis. The at least one guide opening is located at a fixed angle on the second referencing arm.
Claims30
An instrument guide adapted to carry an instrument used in accessing a compromised portion of a bone structure comprises:
- a first arm having a first referencing arm portion;
- a single piece guide body having a straight portion and a curved or arcuate portion forming a second referencing arm portion;
- the first referencing arm portion having a first end portion, wherein the first end portion of the first referencing arm portion has a reference structure integral therewith and wherein the reference structure defines a virtual access axis;
- and
- the second referencing arm portion being integral to the first referencing arm portion, the second referencing arm portion having the straight portion and the curved or arcuate portion extending to the straight portion, wherein the virtual access axis is parallel to the straight portion of the second referencing arm portion and extends from the reference structure, the curved or arcuate portion of the second referencing arm portion having at least one guide opening with a guide axis extending to intersect the virtual access axis, the at least one guide opening being at a fixed angle on the second referencing arm portion relative to the virtual axis of the reference structure of the first referencing arm portion.
A method of treating a compromised portion of a bone structure, comprising:
- determining a reference location on an exterior surface of the bone structure defining a virtual axis extending through a target location selected by a surgeon, the target location being adjacent to or within the compromised portion of the bone structure;
- determining an offset distance selected by the surgeon, the offset distance being along the virtual axis from the reference location to the target location;
- determining an access axis extending through the bone structure at a location remote from the reference location and intersecting the target location, wherein the access axis extends through the virtual axis at a position defined by the offset distance;
- and
- forming, at least partially to the target location, an access passage along the access axis from the exterior surface of the bone structure using an access instrument held in a guide opening in a single piece guide body, wherein said forming of the access passage includes mechanically constraining the access instrument relative to the reference location during said forming of the access passage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.