WO2016005895A2

WO2016005895A2 - Surgical tool for reconstructive bone surgery

Info

Publication number: WO2016005895A2
Application number: PCT/IB2015/055125
Authority: WO
Inventors: Villiam Dallolio
Original assignee: Promev S.R.L.
Priority date: 2014-07-07
Filing date: 2015-07-07
Publication date: 2016-01-14
Also published as: WO2016005895A3

Abstract

A surgical tool (1A, 1B) for reconstructive bone surgery, comprising at least a substantially elongated body (2) comprising at least a first end (3) having a grip handle and at least a second end (4) having a removable housing seat (5) for at least one of a fixing plate (6) and/or a fixing screw (7).

Description

SURGICAL TOOL FOR RECONSTRUCTIVE BONE SURGERY

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a surgical tool for reconstructive bone surgery, usable in particular in neurosurgery, maxillofacial surgery and orthopedics. Background Art

It is well known that in many fields of bone surgery, the reconstruction of the bone structure has to be performed by means of the fixing of prostheses or other elements.

In particular, with reference to the reconstruction of the skull in the neurosurgical field, the fixing of the prosthesis or bone operculum is achieved by connecting the portions concerned by means of small plates having two or more holes which are anchored to the bone and to the prosthesis with special screws.

In particular, such plates are conventionally known in the surgical field as "miniplates" and may have different shapes, sizes and numbers of holes according to the conformation of the specific bone portion and/or prosthesis to be fixed.

It is well known that the fixing of the miniplates is carried out manually by the surgeon.

Usually, a single miniplate is gripped with forceps and subsequently directly with the surgeon's fingers covered with gloves.

This manual operation has several drawbacks.

In fact, the small size of the miniplate and low sensitivity due to the gloves cause gripping difficulty, with the possible falling of the miniplate itself.

The same applies to the screws. In fact, these being very small in size, it is impractical for the surgeon to fix them manually.

A particular type of miniplate is known made of polymeric material and equipped with suitable projecting and removable appendices able to facilitate manual gripping.

Once the miniplates have been fixed to the bone with the screws, the appendices can be broken and removed.

In this case too, drawbacks exist related to the limited manual dexterity with which it is possible to perform the miniplate positioning operation.

In fact, the limited size of the miniplate and respective appendix involve in any case a hard grip.

The problems relating to the gripping and positioning of the screws still remain. First of all, the falling and loss of a miniplate or of one of the screws causes a loss of time for the surgeon and the surgeon's assistants, time that can in some cases be decisive for the successful outcome of the surgical operation.

In any case, the loss of the miniplates or screws involves a considerable increase in health service expenditure because both the miniplates and the screws are themselves expensive.

Furthermore, miniplates and screws are sold in pre-defined numbers inside special kits and, therefore, the falling or loss of even one of the screws or miniplates can make the whole kit unusable.

Description of the Invention

The main aim of the present invention is to provide a surgical tool for reconstructive bone surgery which allows to position the miniplates and fixing screws with ease and in a short time.

Another aim of the present invention is to provide a surgical tool for reconstructive bone surgery able to allow the correct positioning of the miniplate on the surface of the skull or of other bone structures without hindrance.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a surgical tool for reconstructive bone surgery which allows to overcome the mentioned drawbacks of the prior art within the ambit of a simple, rational, easy, effective to use and affordable solution.

The objects stated above are achieved by the present surgical tool for reconstructive bone surgery having the characteristics of claim 1.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more evident from the description of two preferred but not exclusive embodiments of a surgical tool for reconstructive bone surgery, illustrated by way of an indicative, but non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an axonometric view of a first embodiment of the tool according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of one end of the tool of Figure 1 according to a section plane II-II;

Figure 3 is an axonometric view of a second embodiment of the tool according to the invention;

Figures 4, 5, 6 illustrate different stages of use of the tool according to the invention.

Embodiments of the Invention

With particular reference to such figures, by reference numbers 1A and IB two possible embodiments have been indicated of a surgical tool for reconstructive bone surgery, usable in particular in neurosurgery, maxillofacial surgery and orthopedics.

Each of the tools 1A and IB is composed of at least a substantially elongated body 2 which comprises at least a first end 3 and at least a second end 4.

The first end 3 has a grip handle which allows the surgeon to grasp the tool 1 with his/her fingers.

With reference to the first embodiment, shown in Figures 1 and 2, the tool 1A can be used to support and position a fixing plate 6.

In particular, in such first embodiment the second end 4 of the tool 1A has a removable housing seat 5 for at least one fixing plate 6.

With reference to the second embodiment, illustrated in Figure 3, the tool IB can be used to support and position a fixing screw 7.

In particular, in this second embodiment the second end 4 of the tool IB has a removable housing seat 5 for at least a fixing screw 7.

Advantageously, the second end 4 is positioned at a lower height than the first end 3.

In particular, it is noticed that by the wording "positioned at a lower level", as well as by words such as "vertical" and "horizontal", used hereinafter, reference is made to the orientation of the tools 1A and IB shown in the figures and substantially maintained during normal use of the tools themselves.

Preferably, the elongated body 2 is substantially S-shaped. This configuration makes the tools 1A and IB ergonomic and allows the surgeon to place the fixing plate 6 and the fixing screw 7 with precision, thus reducing the possibility of touching the areas surrounding the area of operation. In particular, the first end 3 is substantially flattened and has a substantially vertical lying plane.

However, embodiments are not ruled out in which the lying plane of the first end 3 is substantially horizontal.

The first end 3 constitutes the handle of the tool 1.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the first end 3 comprises at least a grip surface shaping 8.

In the present embodiments the shaping 8 is obtained by means of surface knurls, but alternative solutions are not ruled out, e.g. suitable surface recesses or holes able to facilitate the grip by the surgeon.

The second end 4 is also substantially flattened and has a lying plane substantially orthogonal to the lying plane of the first end.

However, embodiments are not ruled out in which the lying plane of the first end 3 is horizontal.

In this case, the lying plane of the second end 4 can be parallel to the lying plane of the first end 3.

In any case, the second end 4 is substantially horizontal to allow an easy affixing of the plate 6 and of the screw 7.

With reference to the first embodiment, shown in Figures 1 and 2, the housing seat 5 comprises a substantially widened opening 9 for housing at least a portion of the fixing plate 6.

The opening 9 has a cross section diverging from the inside outwards of the second end 4.

In particular, as shown in figure 3, the cross section widens from the inside outwards, opening from the innermost point of the housing seat 5 outwards. The particular conformation of the opening 9 and, in general, of the housing seat 5, permits inserting, with different orientations, different types of plates 6, both in terms of shape (two-hole plates, rosette plates, L-shaped plates, etc.) and thickness. The opening 9 comprises two opposing inner walls 10 defining an inner housing volume.

More particularly, the inner walls 10 extend from the peripheral edges of the opening 9 and delimit the space able to house one end of the plate 6.

As shown in figure 2, in the present embodiment, the inner walls 10 comprise respective and opposing protruding portions 11 able to retain the fixing plate 6. With reference to the second embodiment, shown in figure 3, the housing seat 5 comprises at least a through hole 12 able to retain the fixing screw 7.

The screw 7 in fact has a threaded shank 13 insertable into the hole 12.

In turn, the hole 12 has a diameter such as to prevent the passage of the head 14 of the screw 7.

Still with reference to Figure 3, the housing seat 5 comprises a plurality of flexible elements 15 substantially elongated and supported by the second end 4. In particular, the flexible elements 15 are arranged substantially opposite to each other so as to define and delimit the through hole 12.

More particularly, the housing seat 5 comprises at least a through opening 16 formed at the second end 4.

The through opening 16 is substantially a hole with a larger diameter than the hole 12.

On the inner walls of this through opening 16 are keyed the flexible elements 15 which extend overhanging from the edge and towards the center of the through opening itself.

Preferably, the flexible elements 15 are composed of substantially triangular fins with one base fixed to the inner wall of the through opening 16.

The free ends of each of the flexible elements 15 delimit the hole 12 intended to house the screw 7.

The operation of the present invention is shown in the figures 4, 5 and 6.

Preferably both tools 1A and IB are used: the tool 1A to position a fixing plate 6, the other tool IB to implant the fixing screws 7.

The screws 7 are inserted in the tool IB and the plate 6 in the tool 1A.

In this description the plate 6 is of the "two-hole" type, with two guiding holes designed to house the respective screws 7. In this example, a first guiding hole 17 is coming out from the housing seat 5 while a second guiding hole 18 is placed in the same seat.

As shown in figure 4, the user grips the tools 1A and IB by the ergonomic handle made up of the first end 3.

With the tool 1 A the user positions the plate 6 in the desired place, whereas with the tool IB he/she approaches the screw 7 to the plate 6 itself and inserts it in the seat dedicated to it.

With the special tool, the screw 7 is tightened in the bone portion to retain on it the plate 6.

Figure 5 shows the screw 7 positioned, with the tool IB which is lifted by it. The flexible elements 15, in fact, under the resistant action of the now-anchored screw 7, tend to flex, gradually increasing the diameter of the hole 12 and allowing the head 14 of the screw 7 to pass, by releasing the screw 7 itself from the tool IB.

Subsequently, as shown in figure 6, the user also releases the tool 1A from the plate 6, always exploiting the resistant action of the anchored screw 7.

By doing so the plate 6 remains in position with the second guiding hole exposed.

At this point, the tool IB, comprising a new screw 7, is approached to the second guiding hole to repeat the screwing operation.

The whole can be supplied in a special kit for reconstructive bone surgery, which comprises at least one tool 1A and IB, at least one fixing plate 6 and at least one fixing screw 7.

Preferably the kit comprises three tools 1A already inclusive of plates 6 and ready for use, and three tools IB with 2 screws 7 each.

In has in practice been ascertained how the described invention achieves the proposed objects and, in particular, the fact is underlined that the described tool for reconstructive bone surgery allows easily and quickly positioning the screws and the miniplates, without impediments or conflicts and as part of an affordable and effective solution.

The conformation of the tool, moreover, is such as to make it particularly ergonomic and versatile, thereby favoring the success of the surgeon's work. Finally, the particular housing seat provided makes the surgical tool forming the subject of the present universal patent, i.e., suitable for working with all types of miniplates existing on the market, with consequent advantages from the point of view of both practicality and cheapness.

Claims

1) Surgical tool (1A, IB) for reconstructive bone surgery, characterized in that it comprises at least a substantially elongated body (2) comprising at least a first end (3) having a grip handle and at least a second end (4) having a removable housing seat (5) for at least one of a fixing plate (6) and/or a fixing screw (7).

2) Tool (1A, IB) according to claim 1, characterized in that said second end (4) is arranged at a lower height than said first end (3).

3) Tool (1A, IB) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said elongated body (2) is substantially S-shaped.

4) Tool (1A, IB) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first end (3) is substantially flattened with a substantially vertical lying plane.

5) Tool (1A, IB) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said second end (4) is substantially flattened.

6) Tool (1A, IB) according to claim 5, characterized in that said second end

(4) has a lying plane substantially orthogonal to said lying plane of the first end. 7) Tool (1A, IB) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said housing seat (5) comprises a substantially widened opening (9) for housing at least a portion of said fixing plate (6).

8) Tool (1A, IB) according to claim 7, characterized in that said opening (9) has a cross section diverging from the inside outwards of said second end (4). 9) Tool (1A, IB) according to one or more of claims 7 and 8, characterized in that said opening comprises at least a supporting inner wall (10) defining an inner housing volume.

10) Tool (1A, IB) according to claim 10, characterized in that said inner wall (10) comprises at least a protruding portion (11) able to retain said fixing plate (6)·

11) Tool (1A, IB) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said housing seat (5) comprises at least a through hole (12) able to retain said fixing screw (7).

12) Tool (1A, IB) according to claim 11, characterized in that said housing seat

(5) comprises a plurality of substantially elongated flexible elements (15), supported by said second end (4) and arranged substantially opposite to each other to define and delimit said through hole (12).

13) Tool (1A, IB) according to one or more of claims 11 and 12, characterized in that said housing seat (5) comprises at least a through opening (16) made at said second end (4), and in that said flexible elements (15) extend overhanging from the edge and towards the center of said through opening (16).

14) Kit for reconstructive bone surgery, characterized in that it comprises at least a tool (1A, IB) according to one or more of the preceding claims, at least a fixing plate (6) and at least a fixing screw (7).