Limited artifact skull pin
OwnerCharles E. Dinkler, IIinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A skull pin assembly for a head fixation device that allows for effective imaging with limited artifact is disclosed. The skull pin assembly comprises two components, a tip and a housing. The conical-shaped tip component engages the skull at a point and is configured to fit within the bore of the substantially cylindrical non-conductive housing component. The conical skull pin tip can be comprised of a material that causes limited artifact in medical imaging procedures. The conical skull pin tip can taper away from the point engaging the skull at a first angle and can seamlessly transition into a conical-shaped surface of the housing component. In one embodiment, a third surface of the housing component can also be tapered to meet the first surface of the tip component at the identical first angle of tapering.
Claims19
A skull pin assembly, the assembly comprising:
- a tip component for engaging a skull of a patient, the tip component comprising
- a conical point to be positioned against the skull,
- a first conical surface that tapers away from the conical point at a first angle,
- a second conical surface that tapers in an opposite direction from the first surface at a second angle, and
- a substantially cylindrical elongation section connected to the second conical surface,
- wherein the tip component is comprised of a material that produces limited artifact during image scanning;
- and
- a substantially cylindrical non-conductive housing component comprising,
- a first end, wherein the first end has an opening configured to engage the second surface and the cylindrical elongation section of the tip component into the housing component,
- a third conical surface tapering from the first end at the first angle such that the transition from the first conical surface of the tip component to the third conical surface of the housing component is seamless, and
- a second end configured to securely engage with a head fixation device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.