GB2278282A

GB2278282A - Rotary tool for medical or veterinary use

Info

Publication number: GB2278282A
Application number: GB9407720A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Graham David Thomas
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-04-21
Filing date: 1994-04-19
Publication date: 1994-11-30
Also published as: GB9407720D0; GB9308180D0

Abstract

A manually operatable rotary tool (1) for medical or veterinary use comprises an elongate barrel (2) terminating at one end in a nose and adapted, in use, to bear on a nail or bone to be sampled or treated. An external sleeve (6) is co-axial with, and surrounds, an upper portion of the barrel and is connected to a rotatable spindle (9) located internally and co-axially of the barrel. A cutting head, e.g. a drill bit or burr, is attached, to the end of the spindle and the spindle and cutting head are telescopically displaceable, within limits, with respect to the barrel when the sleeve is rotated. <IMAGE>

Description

ROTARY TOOL FOR MEDICAL OR VETERINARY USE This invention relates to a rotary tool for medical or veterinary use, such as the obtaining of samples of finger or toe nail particles, or bone particles, e.g. of a skull, for subsequent analysis, or for nail penetration to relieve the pressure of a septic finger or toe to allow both drainage of puss and an antiseptic treatment.

In the investigation of possible fungal infections of a nail for example, two sampling techniques are currently in use, one being to take clippings from the terminal end of a nail, and the other being to take scrapings from the top of a nail, with the clippings/scrapings then subjected to microbiological analysis to establish the nature of any fungal infection and a course of treatment that may be desirable.

However, it is medically established, that whilst the taking of clippings represents the simplest sampling technique, clipping analysis is in fact largely inconclusive, as fungal spores have a minimal activity and hence presence at the distal end of a nail, and a maximum activity and presence midway and towards the other, proximal end of a nail. Thus, a negative result from clippings analysis does not necessarily signify that no fungal infection exists, and hence the patient may receive no treatment, and/or unnecessary further diagnosis to check possible other causes - such as vitamin deficiency.

With septic fingers and toes, the standard treatment is to inject a local anaesthetic and totally remove the nail, causing discomfort to the patient until the nail re-grows rather than attempting to save the nail by puss drainage and antiseptic introduction.

According to the present invention, there is provided a rotary tool for medical or veterinary use comprising: (i) an elongate barrel terminating at one end in a nose adapted, in use, to bear on a nail or bone to be sampled or treated; (ii) an external sleeve co-axial with, and surrounding, a portion of the barrel remote from the nose and connected to (iii) a rotatable spindle located internally and co axially of the barrel, with a cutting head attached, or attachable, to the end of the spindle adjacent the nose, and the sleeve, and with it the spindle and cutting head, being telescopically displaceable, within limits, with respect to the barrel.

The rotary tool in accordance with the invention enables a clinician to obtain in the case of investigation of fungal infection, of nails, a penetrative sample of nail particles/debris from the cuticle area, where any fungus would be most active, and hence a more reliable laboratory analysis of the nail particles/debris is to be expected and similarly a correct clinical decision can then be taken as to what treatment is or is not required. In use, the clinician holds the barrel between one finger and thumb and engages the barrel nose on the nail, and in particular at the cuticle area, to be sampled. With the other finger and thumb the clinician rotates the sleeve and hence the cutting head either in the same direction or repeatedly in forward and reverse directions - with sufficient axial pressure to achieve nail penetration by the cutting head, which can be readily observed by the clinician, with rotation being halted when the required quantity of nail particles/debris has been obtained.

In contrast, in the treatment of a septic finger or toe, the drilling action is continued until the nail is completely penetrated, so that puss may be drained through the hole (or several holes if required) with antiseptic then introduced to the underside of the nail via the hole(s). Bone particle samples, e.g. from the skull, are obtainable by the same technique.

The cutting head can for instance consist of a drill bit, or a drill burr as used in dentistry. with a drill bit, this may have a flat cutting face and a cutting angle to give a scraping cut producing turnings and other particles. With a drill burr, a relatively fine dust is produced, largely adhereing to the burr and which may be deposited into a sampling container simply by knocking or tapping the burr on the container.

Conveniently, an end cap may interconnect the sleeve and spindle. Thus, a socketed end cap with a terminal outer flange may receive the sleeve externally, as a push-fit, until the sleeve abuts the flange, while the end of the spindle may be a push-fit into the cap socket. Gripping of the sleeve may be enhanced by the external surface of the sleeve being interrupted e.g. by knurling, longitudinal score lines, or cross hatching. Bearings are preferably interposed between the barrel and the spindle. Two longitudinally spaced apart bearings are satisfactory, preferably providing some slight resistance to rotation of the sleeve. A third bearing may be a push-fit into the end of the barrel remote from its nose.

The latter is preferably frusto-conical with its terminal, annular surface interrupted, e.g. by small spikes, ribs etc., to provide some bite into a nail etc., to assist in nonrotation of the barrel.

The end of the spindle adjacent the nose may be machined, e.g. slotted, to receive an industry-standard dental burr with an anti-rotation pin to lock the burr to the spindle, and with the sleeve axially displaceable to its maximum telescoping position (e.g. approximately 30 mm) to expose the burr for fitting and replacement, and then retracted for use. When retracted, penetration depth markings provided externally on the barrel are visible. Such markings may be provided by an outer bearing located in an external circumferential recess of the barrel.

For repeated use with different patients, clearly sterilisation is required, and preferably the various components of the tool, with the possible exception of the cutting head, are made of stainless steel. The drill bit/spindle may be sterilised by conventional techniques, e.g.

methylated spirits and flaming.

One example of tool in accordance with the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which; Figure 1 is a full size view of the tool; Figure 2 is a part sectional view of the tool of Figure 1, to a larger scale, partly in section, and in its operational position; and Figure 3 is an axial sectional view through Figure 2, but showing the cutting head in its maximum extended position.

In the drawings, a rotary tool 1 for medical or veterinary use comprises an elongate barrel 2 knurled externally at 3 and terminating at a lower end in a push-fit nose 4 provided with a ribbed or other high friction surface 5 for contact with a nail or bone to be sampled or treated. An external sleeve 6 knurled externally at 7 co-axially surrounds an upper portion of the barrel 2 and by means of a common end cap 8 is drivably connected to a rotatable spindle 9 located internally, telescopically, and co-axially of the barrel 2.

The end cap 8 has a terminal outer flange 10 and the upper end of the sleeve 6 is a push-fit on a spigot portion 11 of the cap, until the sleeve 6 abuts the flange 10. The end cap 8 has a socket 12 and the upper end of the spindle 9 is a pushfit into the socket 12.

Bearings 13, 14 and 15 are interposed between the spindle 9 and the internal periphery of the barrel 2 to provide for both rotation, and telescopic axial movements of the spindle 9 with respect to the barrel 2. The bearings 13 and 14 are retained in circumferential grooves 16 and 17 in the spindle 9, whilst the upper end of the spindle 9 slidably and rotatably passes through the bearing 15, the latter having a flange 18 in permanent abutting engagement with the upper end of the barrel 2. It will be observed from Figure 3, that the end cap 8 abuts the bearing 15, in the position of maximum telescopic advance of the spindle 9. Maximum advance is indicated by the arrow A. It follows that the position of maximum telescopic retraction occurs when the bearing 14 abuts the bearing 15.

The lower end of the spindle 8 has a slot 19 into which is releasably fitted a dental burr 20, whilst an antirotation pin 21 is also provided to latch the burr 20 to the spindle 9, and a circlip 22.

The external periphery of the barrel 2 is provided with a plurality of circumferential markings or grooves 23 visible when the external sleeve 6 is in the operational position of the tool 1 illustrated in Figure 2 so that the user has an accurate knowledge of the depth of penetration of the burr 20 into the nail or bone under investigation or treatment. The grooves 23 are provided in an outer bearing 24 located in a circumferential recess 25 of the barrel 2.

In the use of the tool 1 for obtaining, for example, a sample of a patients nail for subsequent analysis, the cap 8 and barrel 2 are manoeuvred to the position of Figure 2 and the nose 4 is placed on the patients nail at the zone where a sample is required, and the sleeve 6 is rotated by hand by the clinician until the burr 20 has penetrated the nail to the desired depth determined by checking the markings 23. As a relatively fine dust is produced by the burr 20, this may be deposited into a sampling container (not shown) by knocking or tapping the burr 20 on the container.

Advantageously, most components of the tool 1 are of stainless steel to permit sterilisation and repeat use on different patients.

Claims

1. A rotary tool for medical or veterinary use comprising: (i) an elongate barrel terminating at one end in a nose adapted, in use, to bear on a nail or bone to be sampled or treated; (ii) an external sleeve co-axial with, and surrounding, a portion of the barrel remote from the nose and connected to (iii) a rotatable spindle located internally and co axially of the barrel, with a cutting head attached, or attachable, to the end of the spindle adjacent the nose, and the sleeve, and with it the spindle and cutting head, being telescopically displaceable, within limits, with respect to the barrel.

2. A tool as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the cutting tool consists of a drill bit.

3. A tool as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the drill bit has a flat cutting face and a cutting angle to give a scraping cut producing turnings and other particles.

4. A tool as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the cutting tool consists of a drill burr.

5. A tool as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein an end cap interconnects the sleeve and spindle.

6. A tool as claimed in Claim 5, wherein a socketed end cap with a terminal outer flange receives the sleeve externally, as a push fit, until the sleeve abuts the flange.

7. A tool as claimed in Claim 5 or Claim 6, wherein the end of the spindle is a push-fit into the cap socket.

8. A tool as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the external surface of the sleeve is interrupted e.g. by knurling, longitudinal score lines, or cross hatching.

9. A tool as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein bearings are interposed between the barrel and the spindle.

10. A tool as claimed in Claim 9, wherein two longitudinally spaced apart bearings are incorporated, providing some slight resistance to rotation of the sleeve.

11. A tool as claimed in Claim 10, wherein a third bearing is a push-fit into the end of the barrel remote from its nose.

12. A tool as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the nose is frusto-conical with its terminal, annular surface interrupted, e.g. by small spikes, ribs etc.

13. A tool as claimed in Claim 4, and any Claim appendant thereto, wherein the end of the spindle adjacent the nose is machined, e.g. slotted, to receive an industrystandard dental burr with an anti-rotation pin to lock the burr to the spindle, and with the sleeve axially displaceable to its maximum telescoping position (e.g. approximately 30 mm) to expose the burr for fitting and replacement, and then retracted for use.

14. A tool as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein penetration depth markings are provided externally on the barrel.

15. A tool as claimed in Claim 14, wherein the markings are visible when the barrel is retracted.

16. A tool as claimed in Claim 14 or 15, wherein the markings are provided by an outer bearing located in an external circumferential recess of the barrel.

17. A tool as claimed in any preceding Claim of stainless steel.

18. A tool substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.