Stryker Corporation

Howmedica Leibinger Inc.

Christopher D Philipp

Donald W Malackowski

Bruce D Henniges

Richard Franklin Huyser

Dennis Alan Stratton

Erik Vaclav Chmelar

Michael W Steffler

Don Malackowski

Andrew Lee Wallner

John M Izenbaard

James A Evans

Mehmet Rona

Jeffrey Lee Vanoss

Douglas J Ely

Lisa D Sertic

Matthew S Alves

A surgical system including a surgical tool and a navigation system for tracking the position of the surgical tool. The surgical tool comprising a housing including a variable speed motor and control module disposed within the housing. The navigation system comprising a navigation console in communication with the control module of the surgical tool, the navigation console may be configured to communicate instructions to the control module of the surgical tool based on the position of the surgical tool relative to a defined zone. The navigation console may be configured to deactivate the surgical tool based on the position of the surgical tool relative to the defined zone. The navigation console may also be configured to provide a user-selectable override option to allow continued operation of the surgical tool within the defined zone.

Navigated surgical system

A system for detecting disposal of metallic objects into an opening of a medical waste container, including: an indicator for indicating passage of metallic objects through the opening, a pair of receive coils and a transmit coil spaced therebetween shaped for receiving waste therethrough adjacent to the opening, and a controller in electrical communication with the coils. The controller generates and communicates a transmit signal to the transmit coil, which generates a magnetic field that induces voltage in each of the receive coils, which each generate a receive signal. The controller generates a waveform based on the receive signals with a baseline corresponding to absence of metallic objects, and analyzes the waveform with respect to opposite first and second thresholds. The controller activates the indicator in response to metallic objects passing through the coils when the waveform first exceeds the first threshold and then subsequently exceeds the second threshold.

Metal detection system for use with medical waste container

A mobile cart that holds a bag for receiving solid waste generated during a medical or surgical procedure. The cart includes a sensor that monitors whether or not an object containing metal is placed in the bag. A processor monitors the signal output by the sensor. If the sensor signal indicates that an object with a minimal amount of metal is placed in the bag, the processor momentarily asserts an audible alarm and continuously asserts a light alarm. The light alarm remains asserted until turned off. If, while the light alarm is on, the sensor signal indicates a second object with the minimal amount of waste is placed in the container, the processor again momentarily asserts the audible alarm. This provides notice that it may be necessary to investigate the contents of the bag to determine if not one but two or more objects were inadvertently discarded.

System and method for collecting medical waste that monitors the waste for objects that may have been inadvertently discarded

Navigated surgical system including override option

A powered surgical tool that includes a housing with a head and a handle that extends from the head. An electric motor is disposed in the head. A trigger extends from the handle. There is a void space in the handle. A plate separates the motor from the handle. Internal to the handle void space there is a rotor sensor and a control circuit. The rotor sensor is able to monitor the magnetic fields emitted by the motor rotor and that pass through the plate. The control circuit receives signals from the rotor sensor representative of the rotational orientation of the rotor and is further able to monitor the actuation of the trigger. Based on the rotor orientation signals and the actuation of the trigger, the control circuit generates signals that result in the selective generation of power signals to the motor rotor.

Auxiliary unit for surgical tool

Motorized surgical tool with sensor assembly in the handle for monitoring the rotational orientation of the motor rotor

A control module for a motorized powered surgical tool. The module includes a trigger sensor, a motor rotor position sensor and control circuit. The trigger sensor and motor rotor position sensor output their signals by monitoring magnetic fields associated with, respectively the trigger and the motor rotor. Based on signals from the trigger sensor and the motor rotor position sensor, the control circuit selectively applies energization signals to the windings of the motor. The module includes a shell that separates the trigger sensor, the motor rotor position sensor and the control circuit from the motor. The shell is formed from material that both shields the components within the shell from affects of the ambient environment and that allows the magnetic fields to be detected by the sensors.

Control module for a motorized surgical tool, the module including a trigger sensor, a motor rotor sensor and a control circuit that are sealed from the ambient environment

A powered surgical tool with a housing that contains a power generating unit such as a motor. A control module is disposed in a shell that is mounted in the housing. The control module contains a control circuit for regulating the actuation of the power generating unit. The power generating unit emits a signal representative of the operating state of the unit that is transmitted through the structural material forming the shell. Also internal to the control module shell is a sensor that monitors the signal emitted by the power generating unit. This signal output by the sensor is applied to the control circuit. The control circuit, based on the sensor signal regulates actuation of the power generating unit. Wherein the power generating unit is a motor, the signal emitted is the magnetic field that varies with rotor position. The sensor monitors the strength of this field.

Powered surgical tool with control module that contains a sensor for remotely monitoring the tool power generating unit

A light emitting device includes a hollow truncated spherical housing having an inner surface and an outer surface. The housing is substantially transparent. A light source, that generates a plurality of light rays, is positioned with respect to the housing to minimize an angle of incidence associated with each of the plurality of rays as they intersect the inner surface of the housing thereby minimizing the refractive effects of the housing as the rays of light generated by the light source pass through the housing.

Precision light emitting device

A femoral nail which can be implanted in a bone has a transverse hole, and an arrangement is provided for generating a magnetic field which has a maximum strength along an axis of the transverse hole and which decreases in strength in directions radially away from the axis. A drill guide for axially aligning a drill with the transverse hole has an axial drill opening through it, and first and second sensor arrangements are provided at axially spaced locations on the drill guide and each have a plurality of sensors which are at angularly spaced locations and are spaced radially from the opening through the drill guide. An arrangement responsive to the first and second sensor arrangements detects a deviation of the drill opening in the drill guide from coaxial alignment with the axis of the hole in the member, and provides an operator perceptible indication of a radial direction from the drill opening to the axis.

Distal targeting system

A compact surgical handpiece comprises a motor energizable for moving a tool member, electric energy supply actuable for energizing the motor and a manually actuable trigger actuable to control motor operation. A motor control circuit interconnects the motor electric energy supply and trigger for running and braking the motor in response to actuation and release of the trigger. The control circuit includes a compact regulated voltage supply, a motor overcurrent limiting feature and a motor braking feature which is effective even if the operator fails to fully disconnect the electrical supply to the motor upon releasing the trigger.

DC powered surgical handpiece having a motor control circuit

A battery charger for alternately receiving batteries having substantially different charging rate requirements in which the charger has contacts engaged by a battery pack to be recharged, for the purpose of carrying out such recharging. A difference in at least one of the charger contacts is engageable by one of the high and low charge rate battery packs, but not the other. Whether or not that one charger contact is engaged by a battery pack causes the battery charger to supply charging current at different levels to automatically charge such high and low charge rate battery packs at corresponding high and low charge rates.

Growing community of inventors

Portage, MI, United States of America

Christopher D Philipp