US 7,744,606 B2Granted

Multi-lumen instrument guide

AssigneeMedtronic, Inc.

InventorsThomas I. Miller, James G. Skakoon

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

This document discusses, among other things, a method of manufacture including a mold having at least one pin, and surrounding the pin with a hardenable material to form a first guide layer. The mold and pin are removed from the resulting first guide layer, to define a substantially untapered first instrument passage that corresponds to the geometry of the pin. Optionally, the first instrument passage includes at least five substantially untapered channels including a central channel. The first instrument passage is aligned with a substantially untapered second instrument passage of a stacked second guide layer. In a further example, the first and second guide layers are coupled to a guide coupler that cooperatively aligns the first and second instrument passages. The guide layers can be used with a trajectory guide for image guided surgery.

Claims28

Dependent claims

An article of manufacture comprising:

an instrument guide formed by a plurality of separate and identical guide layers defining a longitudinal guide passage for guiding a surgical instrument to access an anatomic target site, the plurality of guide layers including at least:
a first guide layer including a substantially untapered and non-threaded first instrument passage;
a second guide layer identical to the first guide layer, the second guide layer including a substantially untapered and non-threaded second instrument passage, wherein the second instrument passage is aligned with the first instrument passage, and wherein the second guide layer is removably stacked atop the first guide layer and in contact with the first guide layer, wherein each of the first and second instrument passages defines a central channel and a plurality of channels surrounding the central channel, the central passage and each of the surrounding channels of the first and second guide layers aligned for providing uninterrupted access to the anatomic target site;
and
an elongated guide coupler having first and second open ends, the guide coupler having an inner surface defining a guide layer lumen through the first and second ends, the guide layer lumen sized and shaped to stackably receive the first and second guide layers.

2 more elements

An article of manufacture comprising:

an instrument guide defining a longitudinal axis and a longitudinal guide passage along the longitudinal axis for guiding a surgical instrument to access an anatomic target site, the instrument guide including:
a plurality of separate and substantially identical guide layers, each guide layer including a substantially untapered and non-threaded instrument passage, the guide layers stackable in contact with one another to form a continuous stack of a selectable number of guide layers, such that the instrument passages of all the guide layers are aligned along the longitudinal axis and define the longitudinal guide passage, wherein each instrument passage includes a central channel and a plurality of surrounding channels circumferentially surrounding the central channel, the central passage and each of the surrounding channels providing uninterrupted access to the anatomic target site, and wherein the surrounding channels are interconnected and are open to and communicate with the central channel;
and
an elongated guide coupler having first and second open ends, the elongated guide coupler having an inner surface defining a guide layer lumen through the first and second ends, the guide layer lumen sized and shaped to slidably receive the continuous stack of the plurality of guide layers.

1 more element

An article of manufacture comprising:

an instrument guide defining a longitudinal axis and a longitudinal guide passage along the longitudinal axis for guiding a surgical instrument to access an anatomic target site, the instrument guide including:
a plurality of separate and substantially identical guide layers, each guide layer including a substantially untapered and non-threaded instrument passage, the guide layers stackable in contact with one another to form a continuous stack of a selectable number of guide layers, such that the instrument passages of all the guide layers are aligned along the longitudinal axis and define the longitudinal guide passage, wherein each instrument passage includes a central channel and a plurality of surrounding channels circumferentially surrounding the central channel, the central passage and the surrounding channels providing uninterrupted access to the anatomic target site, and wherein the surrounding channels are interconnected and are open to and communicate with the central channel, and wherein each guide layer has a cylindrical outer surface and a plurality of longitudinal grooves formed on the cylindrical outer surface;
and
an elongated guide coupler having first and second open ends, the guide coupler having a cylindrical inner surface defining a guide layer lumen through the first and second ends, the inner surface defining a plurality of longitudinal ridges, the guide layer lumen sized and shaped to receive the continuous stack of separate guide layers such that each longitudinal ridge is received in a corresponding groove of each guide layer, the guide coupler including an upper portion, a lower portion and a flange interposed between the upper portion and the lower portion, the upper portion having a smaller outer perimeter than the lower portion, the flange having an outer perimeter greater than that of the upper portion and the lower portion, the lower portion having a longitudinal axis parallel to and offset from a central longitudinal axis of the guide layer lumen.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.