This invention relates to apparatus that is used to target a surgical incision site and more particularly to a targeting instrument that is utilized with an imaging device for placing the incision site in line with the area being operated on and the method thereof.
As is well known in this technology, one of the more difficult tasks for a surgeon performing spinal surgery or for that matter any type of surgery within the body of a patient, is to precisely select the incision site so that the location of the pathology or anatomical location being addressed is within or in-line with the incision site. One of the areas that is of particular concern is that of accurately placing implants at the targeted area. To best understand and appreciate the problems and concerns of the surgeon is to consider the surgical procedure a surgeon follows in, for example, large reconstructive spinal fusion, where the surgeon approximates the area of incision by gently approximating the anatomical landmarks, as for example, the iliac crest. The surgeon may perform an immediate incision on the area of concern or may otherwise wait to make an incision in conjunction with or depending on the outcome of an x-ray. The incisions are usually large and typically cover several vertebral levels, consequently, large or gross dissection of the soft paraspinal tissues is necessarily substantial.
Typically, the surgeon follows one of two techniques. In the first technique, the surgeon feels for an anatomical landmark on the patient. As mentioned above, for example, in a spinal surgery procedure, the surgeon would feel the iliac crest and then approximate the targeted anatomy and immediately begin the incision. At this point, the surgeon calls for an x-ray technician to come to the room and take a plain film x-ray image. Without exaggeration, the time involved before the technician arrives in the room, develops the x-ray film and returns to the room, more than ten (10) minutes have elapsed. While the technician is performing, the surgeon typically continues with the procedure by dissecting muscle and other soft tissue to expose the spine. Unless the x-ray shows the surgeon that he is on target, the surgeon will, of necessity, expand the incision in either direction, with the aim of reaching the intended target. It is readily apparent, that this procedure requires more dissection than would otherwise be required if precise targeting were available,
In another technique, the surgeon, after anesthetizing a patient, will insert a number of small needles, typically 2-4, in the back of the patient or alternatively, insert a wire rather than a needle or merely lay an object on the back of the patient. Like in the other technique, an x-ray will be taken and based on the x-ray, the surgeon will make an incision adjacent to the needle, wire or object, whatever the case may be, that is closest to the surgical target. While the first mentioned technique is the more widely used technique and the other technique is used with less regularity, consensus has it that the second technique is more accurate.
A significant effort has been made to assist the surgeon with inter-operative targeting and particularly directed to the accurate placement of implants. While there has been progress in this field, these apparatus are significantly sophisticated, typically utilizing a computer, infra-red camera, LED lights, and/or guide frames, etc., resulting in very expensive, complex hardware and requiring a significant amount of time to use. Moreover, the operators of this type of equipment needs to be versed in the use of this mechanism and often requires a number of courses before one could be considered an expert for operating this machinery.
As noted above, when the incisions are so large notwithstanding intuitive targeting or targeting by sophisticated mechanism where the area exposed by dissection is often many inches in length, the need for precision at this stage of the procedure is not very important. Hence, it is obviously apparent that where it is desirable to minimize the dissection of soft paraspinal tissue or the disruption of any other soft tissue, such procedures noted above are inadequate. Thus, many minimal invasive operations such as, microdiscectomies, laminectomies, foraminotomies, facetectomies, minimally invasive fusions, would require precision targeting in order to keep the disruption of soft tissue and the incision wound to a minimum.
I have found that I can precisely target the area being operated on with the targeting mechanism of this invention. Hence, with this invention, a more accurate method is utilized in providing targeting assistance prior to making the surgical incision. While experimental tests have shown that this invention is efficacious in a spinal procedure, as one skilled in this art will appreciate, it will also be efficacious in other areas of the body where targeting is of importance to the operating procedure.
In accordance with this invention, a generally planar circular or cross-hair or other identifying structure attached to a long handle, in one embodiment or without a handle in another embodiment, is placed over the skin of the patient in proximity to where the target is located and underneath an imaging device for the purpose of determining the anatomy below the skin level. The device is made so that a technician or surgeon can hold the instrument in the position noted immediately above and move it until it is in line with the target. The surgeon can then mark the skin with the use of this mechanism so that the incision will coincide with the markings and will be in-line with the target. It is contemplated within the scope of this invention, that the inventive surgical device and the method for its use, in addition to that described above, can be used as follows (these items are listed without intending to limit the scope of this invention):
It is contemplated that this invention will be made in both a disposable and reusable model; that the material could be metal or plastic or a combination thereof; that it could be made to retain ink or other marking ingredient for providing a temporary stain on the patient prior to contact; it could include numerical markings on the instrument which can be employed to allow for measurements to be taken; one embodiment of this invention will have a space or outline such as a stencil or template to permit the drawing of a line or lines on the skin of a patient with a marking pen; and the long shaft of the instrument could be placed laterally beside the patient to determine surgical level. The instrument of this invention, also, has utility in a procedure where the incision precedes the targeting.
An object of this invention is to provide an instrument used to target an area intended to be operated on beneath the skin of a patient.
An object of this invention is to provide a hand-held instrument that is usable with a plain film x-ray machine or imaging machine for aligning the point of entry into the patient that aligns with the target being operated on by the surgeon. In another embodiment, the instrument may be a uniquely configured instrument that is placed on the skin of the patient and the handle being an option.
A feature of this invention is a planar indicating portion extending from a handle in one embodiment and without a handle on another embodiment. The indicating portion could be a template with a guiding portion for allowing the passage of a marking instrument to identify the area of the incision on the skin of the patient. In a circular configuration the diameter of the circle portion will coincide with the diameter of a cannula intended to be used in the surgical procedure. Another configuration can be a cross hair with or without a stencil portion for marking the target area with a pen or other marker. The instrument could be made from metal, plastic or a combination of both, could be either disposable or re-usable and is characterized as being relatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to manufacture and use and has the propensity of requiring a minimum amount of time than is required for heretofore known techniques and targeting equipment.
The foregoing and other features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings.
These figures merely serve to further clarify and illustrate the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope thereof.
This invention is shown in its preferred embodiment with a given number of different configurations, and as one skilled in this art will appreciate, the particular configuration is one of choice and this would typically be made by the surgeon. It will be understood that the intent of this disclosure is to show how this invention would be employed as a targeting device and the particular configuration of the device or instrument should not alter the scope of this invention. In one embodiment, the configuration of the instrument is a circle whose diameter is equal to the diameter of the cannula that will be used in the surgical procedure. Obviously, the configuration could be other than a circle, as for example an ovoid, or any polygonal configuration, etc. without departing from the scope of this invention. Further, it will be appreciated that in certain operating procedures, the physician utilizes a skin drape to place various markings on the patient or otherwise marks directly on the skin, in accordance with this invention, either procedure is covered by the scope of this invention.
Reference is now made to all of the Figs. which best describes this invention where the targeting instrument is generally referred to as reference numeral 10 in all of the different embodiments. In
In operation of this invention, reference should be made to
The following is an example of the procedure that would be followed by a surgeon when utilizing this invention.
It is apparent from the foregoing that many procedures can take advantage of this targeting instrument.
What has been shown by this invention is a simple, yet useful instrument that can be used in operating and identifying medical procedures where targeting is of importance. While only a few species of targeting instruments were depicted in this patent application, the number and types of targeting instruments are many. As has been emphasized in the descriptive material of this patent application, the configurations of these targeting instruments can be predicated on the size of the operation, the type of operation, the location of the malady, the preference of the surgeon. The instrument could include a stencil or not, a handle or not, or include the ink or the provision to accommodate a marking pen. It could be configured to match the size and shape of the retractor or cannula being used in the operation, and a single handle could incorporate a plurality of indicating portions with different sizes and shapes.
Although this invention has been shown and described with respect to detailed embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated and understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail thereof may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 10112784 | Mar 2002 | US |
Child | 11125763 | May 2005 | US |