Insertion handle for surgical implants
View Patent ↗An insertion handle for medical implants includes a handle with an elongate shaft extending therefrom and connection means for the implant disposed at the end of the shaft opposite the handle. The connection means includes a pivotable attachment for the implant that is controlled remotely from the handle. Both angle of the implant with respect to the handle and shaft as well as the attachment may be separately controlled and adjusted. Remote angular adjustment facilitates insertion of implants in to small surgical sites because the orientation of the implant may be repeatedly, remotely adjusted as the implant is inserted. Connectors may also be provided at the engagement surface between the handle and implant in order to provide communication with the implant or surgical site. The connectors also may serve as torque bearing members to avoid the need for separate torque bearing means such as keyways and the like.
1. An apparatus for inserting a medical implant, comprising:
a handle;
an outer shaft extending from the handle along a shaft axis;
an inner control shaft extending through the outer shaft along the shaft axis;
an actuator disposed with the handle and cooperating with the inner control shaft to move the inner control shaft within the outer shaft in response to user manipulation of the actuator; and
pivotable connection means disposed on the outer shaft opposite the handle and cooperating with the inner shaft to engage or release an implant, and to angularly position the implant with respect to the shaft axis in response to movement of the inner control shaft, said pivotable connection means including user selectable lock means for selectively locking an implant engaged thereon at a fixed angle relative to the shaft axis;
wherein the inner control shaft is rotatable in response to user manipulation of the actuator and the pivotable connection means comprises:
a pivot cage non-pivotally mounted on the outer shaft having an annular wall defining a central opening transverse to the outer shaft and a window opening in line with the outer shaft;
a pivot head disposed within the central opening of the pivot cage, the pivot head being rotatable within the pivot cage central opening about an axis transverse to the outer shaft; and
an attachment screw rotatably mounted in the pivot head and extending through said window opening along a screw axis, said attachment screw operatively connected to the inner shaft to permit rotational drive of the attachment screw through variable angles between the screw axis and shaft axis.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the user selectable lock means comprises: a pivot lock shaft extending between the handle and the pivot cage;
an actuator disposed on the handle and cooperating with the pivot lock shaft to axially move said shaft; and
a lock member disposed within the pivot cage and acted upon by the pivot lock shaft such that axial movement of the pivot lock shaft in a direction towards the pivot cage forces the lock member to bear against the pivot head to resist rotation thereof.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the user selectable lock means further comprises a threaded member formed inside the handle and the actuator is formed as a collar with internal threads mated to said threaded member such that rotation of the actuator causes said axial movement of the pivot lock shaft.