Interlock to Define a Fixed Spatial Relationship Between Medical Instruments

A system for fixing a desired spatial relationship between medical devices, comprising:

• an interlock component including a body and a first needle extending from the body, a head connected to the body and defining a slot extending parallel to the first needle to receive a second needle, and a protrusion extending from the head adjacent to the body;
• a handle defining a retaining feature sized to receive and engage the protrusion when the interlock component is disposed in the desired spatial orientation relative to the handle, the second needle extending from the handle;
• and
• a coupling mechanism to retain the interlock component against the handle when the interlock component is in the desired spatial relationship relative to the handle.

A method of fixing a spatial relationship between two needles, comprising:

• positioning a slot defined by an interlock component surrounding a first needle at least partially around a second needle;
• positioning the interlock component adjacent to a handle of the second needle so a portion of the interlock component engages a corresponding retaining feature of the handle to retain the interlock component in a desired spatial relationship with the handle;
• securing the interlock component to the handle in the desired spatial relationship by an engagement between a portion of the interlock component and a portion of the handle;
• and
• providing a visible indicia when the interlock component and the handle are in the desired spatial relationship.