The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 27, 1996
Filed:
Dec. 06, 1994
Paul Bremer, Jacksonville, FL (US);
Other;
Abstract
A craniotomy pin is used to hold a flap of skull in place with respect to the surrounding skull after brain surgery. The pin is preferably an integral piece of biocompatible sterilizable material such as titanium or carbon fiber reinforced plastic. The head of the pin preferably comprises a first spherical segment having side reverse cut edges, and devoid of openings which can collect bacteria. The pin also includes a spherical segment locking portion, and a shaft connecting the head and locking portions. The shaft has a length less than the thickness of a human skull (e.g. about 3.5 mm or less). The locking portion preferably has sharp side edges and corners, and a sphere diameter and spherical extent less than that of the first spherical segment. The reverse cuts allow the head to be grasped with a tool and twisted when the shaft is in an elongated opening formed in the skull during brain surgery, so that the locking portion cuts into the skull and holds the skull flap to the surrounding skull. Typically at least three craniotomy pins at spaced locations are used to positively hold the skull flap in place.