Electromagnetically tracked K-wire device

1. A device for image guided surgery that includes a k-wire for insertion in an anatomical body, the k-wire comprising:

at least one electromagnetic position-indicating element, located in a distal end of the elongated member and capable of providing the position and orientation of the location of the position-indicating element;

at least one conductive lead-wire from which signals are carried from the at least one electromagnetic position-indicating element at the distal end along at least a portion of a length of the k-wire to a proximal end;

a plurality of connection bands associated with the k-wire, wherein the plurality of connection bands are located at the proximal end and connect the at least one conductive lead-wire to an electromagnetic position sensor system.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the connection bands are configured to facilitate axial rotation of the k-wire while maintaining contact with the electromagnetic position sensor system.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the connection bands connect the at least one conductive lead wire to the electromagnetic position sensor system via a rotary slip coupling that permits rotational movement of the k-wire while maintaining electrical contact between the electromagnetic sensor system and the position indicating element.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein a tip of the k-wire includes a sharp point.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein at least part of the k-wire is threaded.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one position-indicating element contains radio-opaque markings.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the radio-opaque markings further form a pattern that can be used to encode information relating to the k-wire.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the information can be decoded using X-rays.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the k-wire includes an integrated identification system encoding information relating to the elongated member.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the identification information includes at least one of:

a pattern of dark and light regions that effectively constitute barcode or other similar code and that can be optically determined;

a plurality of switches that can be used to construct a binary number that encodes information;

a memory device; or

an RFID device.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the conductive elements are of the same or smaller diameter than the remainder of the k-wire.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the k-wire includes recesses, and the plurality of connection bands are located in the recesses.

13. The device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of connection bands is located in recesses of the k-wire and is flush with the k-wire.

14. The device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of connection bands are substantially near each other and are separated by an insulating portion of the k-wire.

15. The device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of connection bands are rings located around the k-wire.

16. The device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of connection bands are rings located around the k-wire in recesses of the k-wire.

17. The device of claim 1 , wherein the k-wire includes a groove along a length of the k-wire between the at least one electromagnetic position-indicating element and plurality of connection bands, and wherein the at least one conductive lead-wire is located in the groove.

18. The device of claim 17 , wherein the k-wire includes a further groove at the distal end, and wherein the at least one electromagnetic position-indicating element is located in the further groove.

19. An apparatus for dynamically referencing a portion of an anatomy of a patient, the apparatus comprising an electromagnetic position sensor system and at least one instrumented K-wire, the at least one instrumented K-wire including at least one electromagnetic position-indicating element located in a distal end of an elongated member insertable in an anatomical body, the at least one electromagnetic position-indicating element being capable of providing position and orientation of a location of the position-indicating element, wherein the at least one instrumented K-wire further includes a plurality of connection bands located at a proximal end of the elongated member, and at least one conductive lead-wire for carrying signals from the at least one electromagnetic position-indicating element at the distal end along at least a portion of a length of the elongated member to the proximal end.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , further comprising a computer system, the computer system including a readable storage medium tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the apparatus to track a portion of the anatomical body to which the at least one instrumented K-wire is secured by tracking the position and orientation of the at least one position-indicating element.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the elongated member includes recesses, and the plurality of connection bands are located in the recesses.