Adjustable instruments for use with an electromagnetic localizer

1. A system for tracking the position of an instrument relative to an area of interest, comprising:

an instrument;

an instrument guide mounted to said instrument, said instrument guide having an elongated handle extending at an angle relative to a longitudinal axis of a guide sleeve and carrying a first localizer proximate said instrument, said first localizer being movable relative to said instrument and rotatable with respect to said elongated handle, said elongated handle being rotatable with respect to said first localizer;

a fixator configured to be attached to the area of interest, said fixator carrying a second localizer proximate said area of interest, said second localizer being movable with respect to the fixator, said first and second localizers being movable in order that one of said first and second localizers directly communicates with the other of said first and second localizers such that the position of one of said first and second localizers is known relative to the position of the other of said first and second localizers;

wherein the instrument guide includes a localizer assembly that is connected to said elongated handle at concentric collars, said collars receiving said instrument along a longitudinal axis, said localizer assembly carrying said first localizer, said collars being rotatable relative to each other such that said first localizer is rotatable about said longitudinal axis relative to said instrument and elongated handle;

wherein said fixator includes a block receiving screws in channels therein, said second localizer being connected to said block and said screws being inserted into the area of interest, said block being adjustable along said screws in order to adjust the position of said second localizer relative to the area of interest;

wherein said fixator includes first and second clamps and a post, said first and second clamps being adjustably connected to said block and each other and said post being adjustably connected to said first and second clamps, said post receiving said second localizer such that said second localizer is adjustable relative to said block along said first and second clamps and said post;

wherein the concentric collars define a central bore;

wherein the concentric collars comprise a first collar and a second collar;

wherein the guide sleeve and the elongated handle are rigidly attached to the first collar;

wherein a bore of the guide sleeve defines the central bore; and

wherein the first localizer is rigidly attached to the second collar.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said first localizer is an electromagnetic receiver and said second localizer is an electromagnetic transmitter, said transmitter and receiver being connected to a computer that analyzes the communications therebetween to calculate the position of said receiver relative to said transmitter.

3. The system of claim 1 , further including an imaging device that takes images of the area of interest, said images being stored on a computer system that calculates the position of said second localizer on said images and calculates the position of said first localizer relative to said images.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein said instrument is a surgical drill guide and the area of interest is an area of a patient's body, said first and second localizers being connected to a computer carrying images of the area of interest, said computer analyzing the communication between said first and second localizers to calculate the position of said instrument relative to said images.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein said first and second localizers are light emitting diodes.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein said fixator includes a post, said post having a shaft with a spring and dowel mechanism thereon, said second localizer receiving said shaft such that said dowel engages said second localizer and said spring is loaded between said second localizer and said post to secure said second localizer to said post.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the position of the first localizer relative to the instrument and the position of the second localizer relative to the fixator may be adjusted such that the positions of the first and second localizers relative to each other may be adjusted to optimize communication therebetween.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the position of the first localizer relative to the instrument and the position of the second localizer relative to the fixator may be adjusted such that the positions of the first and second localizers relative to a third localizer may be adjusted to optimize communication between the three localizers.