Surgical drill for craniosynostosis and endoscopic procedures
View Patent ↗A surgical drill system for use with a drill bit includes a base and a drill head positioned forward of the base which is operatively connected to the base. The drill head includes a drill bit interface to which a shaft of the drill bit is attachable so that an axis of the shaft of the drill extends at an angle to an orientation of the drill head at the position of the drill bit interface. The surgical drill system further includes a drive system in operative connection with the drill bit interface which is configured to rotate the drill bit about the axis of the shaft of the drill bit when connected to the interface.
1 . A surgical drill system for use with a drill bit, comprising:
a base,
a drill head positioned forward of the base and being operatively connected to the base, the drill head comprising a drill bit interface to which a shaft of the drill bit is attachable so that an axis of the shaft of the drill bit extends at an angle to an orientation of the drill head at the position of the drill bit interface, wherein the drill head comprises a support, the drill bit interface being positioned on the support so that the shaft of the drill bit extends at the angle to the support at the position of the drill bit interface;
a drive system in operative connection with the drill bit interface which is configured to rotate the drill bit about the axis of the shaft of the drill bit when connected to the drill bit interface; and
a guard attachable to the support at a first position forward of the shaft of the drill bit, the guard extending forward from the first position to a second position beyond a forwardmost portion of the drill bit.
2 . The surgical drill system of claim 1 , wherein the angle is in the range of approximately 20° to approximately 100° to an axis of the support at the position of the drill bit interface, or in the range of approximately 30° to approximately 90° to the axis of the support at the position of the drill bit interface.
3 . The surgical drill system of claim 1 , wherein the guard is removably attached to the support or movably attached to the support.
4 . The surgical drill system of claim 1 wherein the drill head is rotatable relative to the base.
5 . The surgical drill system of claim 1 , wherein the drill head further comprises a second member which extends forward and is spaced from the support.
6 . The surgical drill system of claim 5 wherein the second member is positioned opposite the support and the drill bit is positioned between the support and the second member.
7 . The surgical drill system of claim 1 , further comprising an extending section that extends between the base and the support.
8 . The surgical drill system of claim 7 , wherein the base, the extending section, the support, and the guard define a tool shaft that extends along a longitudinal axis of the surgical drill system.
9 . The surgical drill system of claim 1 , wherein the guard defines a beveled edge extending to a point at the second position.
10 . The surgical drill system of claim 9 , wherein the guard comprises a first radial surface extending from the first position to the second position, wherein the guard comprises a second radial surface extending from the first position to a third position rearward of the second position, and wherein the beveled edge extends from the second radial surface at the third position to the first radial surface at the second position such that the beveled edge is angled relative to the first radial surface and the second radial surface.
11 . A surgical drill system for use with a drill bit, comprising:
a base,
a drill head positioned forward of the base and being operatively connected to the base, the drill head comprising a drill bit interface to which a shaft of the drill bit is attachable so that an axis of the shaft of the drill bit extends from the drill head at the position of the drill bit interface, the drill head further comprising a guard extending forward of the drill bit interface, wherein the drill head comprises a support, the drill bit interface being positioned on the support so that the shaft of the drill bit extends from the drill head at the position of the drill bit interface;
a drive system in operative connection with the drill bit interface which is configured to rotate the drill bit about the axis of the shaft of the drill bit when connected to the interface; and
the guard attachable to the support at a first position forward of the shaft of the drill bit, the guard extending forward from the first position to a second position beyond a forwardmost portion of the drill bit.
12 . A method of performing endoscopic surgery, comprising:
endoscopically inserting a surgical drill system, wherein the surgical drill system comprises
a base,
a drill head positioned forward of the base and being operatively connected to the base, the drill head comprising a drill bit interface to which a shaft of a drill bit is attachable so that an axis of the shaft of the drill bit extends at an angle to an orientation of the drill head at the position of the drill bit interface, wherein the drill head comprises a support, the drill bit interface being positioned on the support so that the shaft of the drill bit extends at the angle to the support at the position of the drill bit interface,
a drive system in operative connection with the drill bit interface which is configured to rotate the drill bit about the axis of the shaft of the drill bit when connected to the interface, and
a guard attachable to the support at a first position forward of the shaft of the drill bit, the guard extending forward from the first position to a second position beyond a forwardmost portion of the drill bit; and
advancing the drill bit in a generally forward direction into bone.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the angle is in the range of approximately 20° to approximately 100° to an axis of the support at the position of the drill bit interface, or in the range of approximately 30° to approximately 90° to the axis of the support at the position of the drill bit interface.
14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the guard is removably attached to the support or movably attached to the support.
15 . A method of performing endoscopic craniosynostosis surgery on a patient, comprising:
endoscopically inserting a surgical drill system, wherein the surgical drill system comprises
a base,
a drill head positioned forward of the base and being operatively connected to the base, the drill head comprising a drill bit interface to which a shaft of a drill bit is attachable so that an axis of the shaft of the drill bit extends at an angle to an orientation of the drill head at the position of the drill bit interface, wherein the drill head comprises a support, the drill bit interface being positioned on the support so that the shaft of the drill bit extends at the angle to the support at the position of the drill bit interface,
a drive system in operative connection with the drill bit interface which is configured to rotate the drill bit about the axis of the shaft of the drill bit when connected to the interface, and
a guard attachable to the support at a first position forward of the shaft of the drill bit, the guard extending forward from the first position to a second position beyond a forwardmost portion of the drill bit, and
removing bone via the surgical drill system.
16 . The method of claim 15 further comprising placing a component between the bone and underlying soft tissue during removal of the bone to protect the underlying soft tissue from contact with the drill bit.
17 . The method of claim 16 wherein the component is a portion of an instrument, independent from the drill system.