Midas Rex, L.p.

Medtronic, Inc.

Gary B Gage

Glenn T Carlson

Larry Dale Estes

Ray E Umber

Townesend R Scantlebury

Durrell G Tidwell

Devices and methods are described to rapidly and easily install a control device in a resecting tool system. The motor portion of the resecting tool can be readily separated from the air conduit to which it is attached. In a preferred embodiment, modular hand-operated control is then inserted between the air conduit and motor and interconnected with both components. The modular hand-control provides a housing with an actuatable lever, or handle, which controls an internal valve assembly.

Modular hand control for pneumatic resecting tool

A resecting tool contains a rotatable chuck inside a base for engaging the drive shaft of a motor. The chuck extends into a tubular casing that has an outer actuator sleeve. The sleeve is limited to rotation relative to the casing and is used to move a pair of locking elements or balls in separate helical slots in the casing. Each ball is seated in a collar that abuts a collet receiver inside the casing. During implement changeover, the collar abuts the collet receiver and acts as a brake to prevent accidental actuation of the chuck of the tool. The collet receiver is spring-biased into contact with a first collet which closely receives a tool implement within the resecting tool. The sleeve is used to manipulate the collet to clamp onto and unclamp the tool implement. A collet coupling is located on the front end of the casing and has a collet nut on its forward end. The collet nut houses a second collet with a serpentine cut for engaging and retaining a guide sleeve for supporting the tool implement. Both collets are designed to engage and lock onto tool implements and guide sleeves at variable distances along their axial lengths.

Resecting tool with independent variable axial extension for tool implements and guide sleeves

A pneumatic surgical tool for cutting bone during surgical procedures includes a pneumatic motor having a rotary shaft, a resecting tool having a cutting element rotated by the motor, a chuck sleeve to surround and support the resecting tool, and anti-friction bearings for further rotatably supporting the resecting tool. The rotor and chuck sleeve are formed of an electrically nonconductive material. The resecting tool is formed of titanium. The bearings are formed of a ceramic, composite or plastic material.

Resecting tool for magnetic field environment

A disposable irrigation device for a motorized surgical tool comprises a cannula with a cylindrical clip bonded near one end. The clip has a C-shaped cross-section with a slot. Both the cannula and the clip are formed from malleable material which may be manually formed into a resilient desired shape. The surgical tool has a rotatable tool implement extending from a cylindrical guide member. The device is attached to the tool by inserting the guide member into the clip so that one end of the cannula is located near the implement. The malleable clip clamps around and frictionally engages the guide member. The malleable cannula may be bent to precisely direct the flow of irrigation fluid relative to the implement. For implements of greater length, the device may be inverted and attached in the opposite direction.

Irrigation clip

A surgical instrument has a motor which rotates a tubular shaft about an axis. The shaft drives an implement and has an aperture which contains a ball. When the implement is installed, the ball extends through the aperture to engage the implement and lock it in. The tool has an actuation sleeve which is axially movable between locked and released positions for engaging and disengaging the ball to the implement. The actuation sleeve has an axial slot and a safety sleeve located radially outward from the actuation sleeve. The safety sleeve has a pin which extends radially inward and a cylinder extending radially outward. The cylinder contains a ball which is biased inward. The outer surface of the tool has a pair of detents for receiving the ball. The safety sleeve has locked and unlocked positions. In the unlocked position, the pin is aligned with the slot and the ball engages the first detent to permit the actuation sleeve to move between the locked and released positions. In the locked position, the safety sleeve is rotated so that the pin is misaligned with the slot and the ball engages the second detent to prevent the actuation sleeve from moving to the released position.

Redundant safety lock mechanism

A surgical tool for resecting bone has a pneumatic motor within a tool body which rotates a coaxial tool implement. The tool implement is provided with irrigation fluid from a fluid reservoir. The reservoir and the motor are charged with pressurized air from a pressurized air source. A fluid control valve is located between the reservoir and the tool, and an air control valve is located between the air pressure source and the motor. The air control valve is controlled by a variable foot pedal or hand valve so that the speed of the motor is variably actuated by the foot valve.

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Arlington, TX, United States of America

Gary B Gage