# US 8,540,676 B2 · Guidewire and method for surgical procedures

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- Number: US 8,540,676 B2
- Document ID: US8540676B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/722,667
- Filed: 2012-12-20
- Published: 2013-05-02
- Granted: 2013-09-24
- Earliest claimed: 2009-06-26
- Assignees: Safe Wire Holdings, LLC
- Applicants: Wyatt Drake Geist; Arden Allen Geist, Sr.
- Inventors: Wyatt Drake Geist; Arden Allen Geist, Sr.
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8540676B2

## CPC

- A61B 17/1757: {for the spine}
- A61B 17/1671: {for the spine}
- A61B 17/7074: {Tools specially adapted for spinal fixation operations other than for bone removal or filler handling (A61B17/7062, A61B17/808, A61B17/8858 take precedence; for spinal image producing devices A61B90/36, A61B34/20; markers A61B90/39)}
- A61B 17/848: {Kirschner wires, i.e. thin, long nails}
- A61B 17/8897: {Guide wires or guide pins}
- A61B 17/1604: {Chisels; Rongeurs; Punches; Stamps}
- A61B 2017/00867: {shape memory effect}
- A61B 2090/034: {abutting on parts of the device itself}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

A surgical guide wire or K-wire and method of use are provided. The K-wire, or guide wire, has opposite end portions and a shank portion in between. One end portion has a deformable end portion that, once outside of a confining guide passage, can be deformed to present a projected forward facing area that is larger than the transverse cross section of the K-wire, or guide wire, while in the passage. The increased area will provide increased resistance to additional forward axial movement into the surgical site.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A guide wire for introduction of surgical implants and surgical instruments to a surgical site within a body, the guide wire comprising: a manipulative end, a center portion and an operative end; the operative end portion rigidly attached to distal face plane end of said center portion, said operative end attachable to said surgical site, said operative end portion having two helically wound wires extending around a central core, wherein proximal end of said central core rigidly attached to said distal face plane end of said center portion, said two helically wound wires extending outwardly with respect to said core for engaging bone tissue within said surgical site, wherein said two helically wound wires attached at a distal end thereof to distal end of said central core, and said two helically wound wires rigidly attached at a proximal end thereof to said distal face plane end of said center portion, whereby said manipulative end may be rotated in a first direction for engaging said guide wire to a bone and wherein said manipulative end may be rotated in a second direction to release said guide wire from a bone.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The guide wire of claim 1 wherein said at least one ridge extends helically about said central core.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The guide wire of claim 2 wherein said center portion of said guide wire is constructed from a flexible material.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The guide wire of claim 3 wherein said center portion of said guide wire is constructed from a memory metal alloy.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The guide wire of claim 4 wherein said memory metal alloy is a super-elastic material.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The guide wire of claim 1 wherein the operative end portion is constructed from a memory metal alloy.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The guide wire of claim 6 wherein the memory metal alloy includes Nitinol.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The guide wire of claim 1 wherein said operative end portion is constructed of a resiliently deformable spring material.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The guide wire of claim 1 wherein said operative end portion has a deformable portion made of a plastically deformable material.

### Claim 10

A guide wire for use in a surgical procedure, the guide wire comprising: a manipulative end, a center portion and an operative end, said operative end rigidly attached to distal face plane end of said center portion and including a helical thread, said manipulative end rotatable in a first direction for engaging said helical thread to a surgical site and said manipulative end rotatable in a second direction to release said helical thread from said surgical site, wherein said helical thread includes two helically wound wires attached at a distal end thereof to a distal end of a central core member, wherein proximal end of said central core member rigidly attached to said distal face plane end of said center portion; said two helically wound wires rigidly attached at a proximal end thereof to said distal face plane end of said center portion.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The guide wire for use in surgical procedures of claim 10 wherein said helical thread is deformable.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The guide wire of claim 10 wherein said center portion of said guide wire is constructed from a flexible material.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The guide wire of claim 12 wherein said flexible material is a memory metal alloy.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The guide wire of claim 13 wherein said memory metal alloy is a super-elastic material.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The guide wire of claim 10 wherein the operative end portion is constructed from a memory metal alloy.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The guide wire of claim 15 wherein the memory metal alloy includes Nitinol.