# US 8,771,274 B2 · Surgical drill for providing holes at an angle

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- Number: US 8,771,274 B2
- Document ID: US8771274B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/297,590
- Filed: 2011-11-16
- Published: 2012-03-08
- Granted: 2014-07-08
- Earliest claimed: 2007-12-17
- Assignees: Karl Storz GmbH & Co. KG
- Applicants: Bradley Michael Homan; Rickey Hart
- Inventors: Bradley Michael Homan; Rickey Hart
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8771274B2

## CPC

- A61B 17/1714: {for applying tendons or ligaments (implements for applying tendons or ligaments A61F2/0805)}
- A61B 17/1764: {for the knee}
- A61B 17/1631: {Special drive shafts, e.g. flexible shafts (A61B17/1642, A61B17/164 take precedence)}
- A61B 17/1675: {for the knee}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

A surgical drill for providing holes at an angle for use in repair and replacement of the ACL is disclosed, generally comprising a drill guide having a head that is angularly adjustable with respect to a body, a flexible guide pin and a flexible drill. The adjustable head of the drill guide allows a surgeon to drill a hole in the femur at an angle to a tunnel provided in the tibia. Because the surgeon can access the femur via the hole in the tibia, the surgical drill of the present invention obviates the need for a second hole in the tissue and also makes placement of femur hole more precise for securement of the ligament or tendon graft within the hole.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of drilling a hole in a human femur comprising the steps of:
providing a hole in a human tibia along an axis x;
providing a surgical drill comprising a guide pin, a drill guide for accepting said guide pin, and a drill, said drill guide comprising a body having a first longitudinal axis and a head pivotally mounted to a distal end of said body at a pivot point said pivot point defining a second axis orthogonal to said first longitudinal axis, said head adapted to pivot about said second axis;
inserting said drill guide into said hole in the tibia;
inserting said guide pin into said drill guide until the pin comes into contact with and is anchored to the femur;
removing said drill guide from the hole in the tibia while leaving the guide pin anchored to the femur;
inserting the drill around the anchored guide pin until the drill comes into contact with the femur;
drilling a hole in said femur along an axis y, at an angle relative to axis x.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said drill guide further comprises a longitudinal channel passing through said body and into said head for releasably accepting the guide pin.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of adjusting the angle of said drill guide head with respect to said body until a desired angle is achieved.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said drill guide further comprises an actuator for adjusting the angular orientation of the head with respect to the body.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4 wherein said actuator comprises:
a rod;
a screw; and
a knob threadably connected to said screw;
said rod connected at a distal end to the head and connected at a proximal end to the screw, such that rotation of said knob causes said screw and said rod to advance in a distal direction or retract in a proximal direction, further causing said head to rotate about the pivot point.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5 wherein said rod further passes through the body of the drill guide.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5 wherein said rod is connected to said head at a point radially spaced from the pivot point, such that linear movement of said rod translates into angular rotation of said head.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5 wherein clockwise rotation of said knob causes said screw and said rod to advance in a distal direction, further causing said head to rotate clockwise about a pivot point.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5 wherein counter-clockwise rotation of said knob causes said screw and said rod to retract in a proximal direction, further causing said head to rotate counter-clockwise about a pivot point.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said guide pin is made of a flexible material.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said drill is flexible.