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US 2013/0096557 A1Published application
Head fixation device
OwnerCharles E. DINKLER, IIinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Head fixation devices and methods of fixating heads of patients for surgical procedures. The head fixation devices generally respectively comprise a skull clamp, a skull clamp arc assembly movable relative to the skull clamp, and a plurality of skull pins operable to engage and fixate heads of patients during neurosurgical and cervical spine procedures. The skull clamp can comprise a single skull pin on each end of the clamp. The two skull pins apply substantially equal compressive forces to the head of a patient. The skull clamp arc assembly, and an arc skull pin thereof, is pivotable to engage and disengage the patient's head for additional fixation support of the head.
Claims20
A head fixation device comprising:
- a skull clamp positionable about a head of a patient, wherein the skull clamp comprises a first end and a second end opposing the first end;
- a first skull pin provided to the first end of the skull clamp and a second skull pin provided to the second end of the skull clamp, wherein the first and second skull pins are aligned in opposition along an axis, and wherein at least one of the first and second skull pins is movable relative to the first and second ends such that the first and second skull pins engage and disengage the head of the patient when the skull clamp is positioned thereabout;
- and
- a skull clamp arc assembly comprising an arc skull pin, wherein the skull clamp arc assembly extends from one of the first and second ends of the skull clamp such that the arc skull pin is offset from the axis, and wherein the skull clamp arc assembly is movable relative to the first and second ends of the skull clamp such that the arc skull pin is operable to engage and disengage the head of the patient with movement of the skull clamp arc assembly.
1 more element
A head fixation device comprising:
- a skull clamp positionable about a head of a patient, wherein the skull clamp comprises a first end and a second end opposing the first end;
- a first skull pin provided to the first end of the skull clamp and a second skull pin provided to the second end of the skull clamp, wherein the first and second skull pins are aligned in opposition along an axis, and wherein at least one of the first and second skull pins is movable relative to the first and second ends such that the first and second skull pins engage and disengage the head of the patient when the skull clamp is positioned thereabout;
- and
- a skull clamp arc assembly comprising an arc skull pin, wherein the skull clamp arc assembly extends from one of the first and second ends of the skull clamp such that the arc skull pin is offset from the axis, wherein the skull clamp arc assembly is rotatable relative to the first and second ends such that the skull clamp arc assembly rotates about the axis, and wherein the skull clamp arc assembly is pivotable relative to the first and second ends such that the arc skull pin pivots toward and away from the axis.
1 more element
A method of fixating a head of a patient, wherein the method comprises:
- providing a head fixation device operable to fixate the head of the patient, wherein the head fixation device comprises:
- a skull clamp comprising a first end and a second end opposing the first end, a first skull pin provided to the first end of the skull clamp and a second skull pin provided to the second end of the skull clamp, wherein the first and second skull pins are aligned in opposition along an axis, and
- a skull clamp arc assembly comprising an arc skull pin, wherein the skull clamp arc assembly extends from one of the first and second ends of the skull clamp such that the arc skull pin is offset from the axis,
- positioning the head fixation device about the head of the patient such that the first and second ends of the skull clamp are positioned about the head of the patient;
- moving at least one of the first and second skull pins relative to the first and second ends of the skull clamp such that the first and second skull pins engage the first and second sides of the head of the patient;
- rotating the skull clamp arc assembly relative to the first and second ends such that the skull clamp arc assembly rotates about the axis to selectively position the arc skull pin over a third side of the head of the patient;
- and
- pivoting the skull clamp arc assembly relative to the first and second ends such that the arc skull pin pivots to engage the third side of the head of the patient,
- wherein engagements of the first, second, and third sides of the head of the patient by the first skull pin, the second skull pin, and the arc skull pin, respectively, sufficiently fixate the head of the patient.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.