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:
Mar. 14, 2011
Filed:
Jun. 11, 2006
Kevin T Foley, Germantown, TN (US);
John B Clayton, Superior, CO (US);
Anthony Melkent, Memphis, TN (US);
Michael C Sherman, Memphis, TN (US);
Kevin T Foley, Germantown, TN (US);
John B Clayton, Superior, CO (US);
Anthony Melkent, Memphis, TN (US);
Michael C Sherman, Memphis, TN (US);
Medtronic Navigation, Inc., Louisville, CO (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and procedures for percutaneous placement of surgical implants and instruments such as, for example, screws, rods, wires and plates into various body parts using image guided surgery. The invention includes an apparatus for use with a surgical navigation system, an attaching device rigidly connected to a body part, such as the spinous process of a vertebrae, with an identification superstructure rigidly but removably connected to the attaching device. This identification superstructure, for example, is a reference arc and fiducial array which accomplishes the function of identifying the location of the superstructure, and, therefore, the body part to which it is fixed, during imaging by CAT scan or MRI, and later during medical procedures.