IP Library Granted Patent US 8,540,676
Granted Patent B2
US 8,540,676 · App. 13/722,667 · Granted Sep 24, 2013

Guidewire and method for surgical procedures

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,540,676
App. No.
13/722,667
Granted
Sep 24, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A surgical guide wire or K-wire and method of use are provided. The K-wire, or guide wire, has opposite end portions and a shank portion in between. One end portion has a deformable end portion that, once outside of a confining guide passage, can be deformed to present a projected forward facing area that is larger than the transverse cross section of the K-wire, or guide wire, while in the passage. The increased area will provide increased resistance to additional forward axial movement into the surgical site.

Claims (16)

1. A guide wire for introduction of surgical implants and surgical instruments to a surgical site within a body, the guide wire comprising: a manipulative end, a center portion and an operative end; the operative end portion rigidly attached to distal face plane end of said center portion, said operative end attachable to said surgical site, said operative end portion having two helically wound wires extending around a central core, wherein proximal end of said central core rigidly attached to said distal face plane end of said center portion, said two helically wound wires extending outwardly with respect to said core for engaging bone tissue within said surgical site, wherein said two helically wound wires attached at a distal end thereof to distal end of said central core, and said two helically wound wires rigidly attached at a proximal end thereof to said distal face plane end of said center portion, whereby said manipulative end may be rotated in a first direction for engaging said guide wire to a bone and wherein said manipulative end may be rotated in a second direction to release said guide wire from a bone.

2. The guide wire of claim 1 wherein said at least one ridge extends helically about said central core.

3. The guide wire of claim 2 wherein said center portion of said guide wire is constructed from a flexible material.

4. The guide wire of claim 3 wherein said center portion of said guide wire is constructed from a memory metal alloy.

5. The guide wire of claim 4 wherein said memory metal alloy is a super-elastic material.

6. The guide wire of claim 1 wherein the operative end portion is constructed from a memory metal alloy.

7. The guide wire of claim 6 wherein the memory metal alloy includes Nitinol.

8. The guide wire of claim 1 wherein said operative end portion is constructed of a resiliently deformable spring material.

9. The guide wire of claim 1 wherein said operative end portion has a deformable portion made of a plastically deformable material.

10. A guide wire for use in a surgical procedure, the guide wire comprising: a manipulative end, a center portion and an operative end, said operative end rigidly attached to distal face plane end of said center portion and including a helical thread, said manipulative end rotatable in a first direction for engaging said helical thread to a surgical site and said manipulative end rotatable in a second direction to release said helical thread from said surgical site, wherein said helical thread includes two helically wound wires attached at a distal end thereof to a distal end of a central core member, wherein proximal end of said central core member rigidly attached to said distal face plane end of said center portion; said two helically wound wires rigidly attached at a proximal end thereof to said distal face plane end of said center portion.

11. The guide wire for use in surgical procedures of claim 10 wherein said helical thread is deformable.

12. The guide wire of claim 10 wherein said center portion of said guide wire is constructed from a flexible material.

13. The guide wire of claim 12 wherein said flexible material is a memory metal alloy.

14. The guide wire of claim 13 wherein said memory metal alloy is a super-elastic material.

15. The guide wire of claim 10 wherein the operative end portion is constructed from a memory metal alloy.

16. The guide wire of claim 15 wherein the memory metal alloy includes Nitinol.

Assignments (7)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 8, 2025
From: STRYKER EUROPEAN HOLDINGS I, LLC; STRYKER EUROPEAN OPERATIONS HOLDINGS LLC; STRYKER CORPORATION; STRYKER EUROPEAN OPERATIONS LIMITED; HOWMEDICA OSTEONICS CORP.
To: VB SPINE US OPCO LLC
Reel/Frame 073031/0754 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 23, 2025
From: HOWMEDICA OSTEONICS CORP.
To: VB SPINE US OPCO LLC
Reel/Frame 072925/0848 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNMENT EXECUTION DATE FROM 11/8/2020 TO 11/8/2023 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 065734 FRAME 0863. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Dec 7, 2023
From: ORTHOVITA, INC.
To: HOWMEDICA OSTEONICS CORP.
Reel/Frame 065819/0377 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 1, 2023
From: ORTHOVITA, INC.
To: HOWMEDICA OSTEONICS CORP.
Reel/Frame 065734/0863 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 18, 2016
From: SAFEWIRE, LLC; SAFE WIRE HOLDING, LLC
To: ORTHOVITA, INC.
Reel/Frame 038636/0487 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE'S NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 031091 FRAME: 0873. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Mar 9, 2016
From: GEIST, WYATT DRAKE; GEIST, ARDEN ALLEN, SR.
To: SAFE WIRE HOLDING, LLC
Reel/Frame 038045/0478 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 27, 2013
From: GEIST, WYATT DRAKE; GEIST, ARDEN ALLEN, SR.
To: SAFE WIRE HOLDINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 031091/0873 →