Surgical depth instrument
A device configured to provide a faster and more accurate measurement of depths of holes for placement of bone screws and fastener for bone implant fixation procedures. The device includes a combination of a bone probe for physical examination of a hole drilled in a bone and a depth gauge member for determining a depth of the hole and providing digital measurement of the depth.
1 . A device for examination and measurement of a hole formed through a bone, the device comprising:
a handle;
a bone probe fixed to the handle and extending from a distal end thereof, the bone probe comprising a shaft including a distal end defining a probing tip configured to be advanced through a hole formed through a bone and establish purchase with an exterior surface of the bone adjacent to a hole;
a depth gauge cylinder slidably mounted to a portion of the handle, the depth gauge cylinder comprising a lumen in which at least a portion of the handle and the bone probe shaft are received, wherein the depth gauge cylinder is operable to slide along a longitudinal axis of the handle;
a tip member releasably couplable to a distal end of the depth gauge cylinder, the tip member comprising an opening through which at least the bone probe shaft is received; and
a sensor configured to generate an electronic signal based on a distance traveled by the depth gauge cylinder relative to the handle and bone probe.
2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the depth gauge cylinder is slidable along a length of the handle between a most-proximal position and a most-distal position and a plurality of positions therebetween.
3 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the sensor is configured to sense a first position and a second position of the depth gauge cylinder along the length of handle.
4 . The device of claim 3 , wherein the electronic signal is based on a measurement of distance between the first position and the second position of the depth gauge cylinder along the length of handle.
5 . The device of claim 4 , wherein the sensor is in electronic communication with a printed circuit board.
6 . The device of claim 5 , wherein the handle and the depth gauge cylinder are retained to one another by way of a member to thereby prevent the depth gauge cylinder from disengaging with the handle.
7 . The device of claim 4 , wherein the portion of handle received by the depth gauge cylinder comprises a cylindrical body.
8 . The device of claim 4 , wherein the handle comprises a rigid material.
9 . The device of claim 4 , wherein the tip member comprises a distal end including a profile corresponding to an opening in a bone plate through which a screw is to be received, wherein the distal end is a universal distal end configured to fit a variety of bone plates.
10 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the profile of the universal distal end comprises a stepped profile including at least two or more distinct and separate stepped portions, wherein each stepped portion including a different diameter.
11 . The device of claim 10 , wherein the diameters of the at least two or more stepped portions decrease from a most proximal stepped portion to a most distal stepped portion.
12 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the universal tip comprises sloped surfaces between the stepped portions.
13 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a display on the handle configured to visually provide a digital readout of a depth measurement of the hole based on the electronic signal from the sensor.
14 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a display on the depth gauge cylinder configured to visually provide a digital readout of a depth measurement of the hole based on the electronic signal from the sensor.
15 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a wireless transmitter/receiver configured to wirelessly communicate and exchange information, including the electronic signal, with a wireless display or computing device for at least visually providing a depth measurement of the hole based on the electronic signal from the sensor.