Drilling Guide for Cranial Burr Hole Plug (09-Feb-2012)
Neurosurgery often involves inserting an electrode such as a recording or stimulating electrode (for recording brain signals or providing stimulating pulses), or other instrument (for example, a catheter for fluid aspiration or drug infusion) through a burr hole or other entry portal into a subject's brain towards a target region of the brain. One such neurosurgery is Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS). DBS and other related procedures involve the implantation of medical devices such as leads or catheters. During the implantation procedures, a lead, or other medical device is strategically placed at a target site in the brain. The brain is accessed through burr holes that are cut in the patient's skull.
Drilling Guide for Cranial Burr Hole Plug
SUMMARY:
Neurosurgery often involves inserting an electrode such as a recording or stimulating electrode (for recording brain signals or providing stimulating pulses), or other instrument (for example, a catheter for fluid aspiration or drug infusion) through a burr hole or other entry portal into a subject's brain towards a target region of the brain. One such neurosurgery is Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS).
DBS and other related procedures involve the implantation of medical devices such as leads or catheters. During the implantation procedures, a lead, or other medical device is strategically placed at a target site in the brain. The brain is accessed through burr holes that are cut in the patient's skull.
After inserting an appropriate medical device into the brain, the body of the device then exits through a burr hole cut in the skull. The device must be secured as it exits the skull and the burr hole must be filled with an appropriate plug. Current burr hole plug placement methods does not guarantee torque control of mounting screws or trajectory of the screws engaging into a skull bone.
A craniotomy is a surgical operation in which a bone flap is temporarily removed from the skull to access the brain. In the case of DBS a craniotome tool for drilling burr holes in the skull is used. After inserting an appropriate medical device into the brain, the burr hole needs to be covered with an appropriate plug.
DESCRIPTION:
During placement of a burr hole plug, slight bending or deflection of a screw may cause a problem with proper fixation by breaking a screw or stripping thread made into the skull by a screw. Removing the remains of a broken screw is very difficult. Consequently, when a force is applied by a screwdriver, a screw may not engage in a straight direction. Furthermore, a screw head can be easily stripped, which creates sharp edges in the place of engagement with the screwdriver. This can cause an internal hemorrhage in the future or skin erosion.
When inappropriate tools are used, this can often lead to a long and intense process that otherwise can be easily avoided. There is a need to provide a relatively simple guiding tool for secure and safe burr hole plug fixation that adequately and permanently secures its base onto the skull. Furthermore, there is a need to provide a method of fixation a burr hole plug that mitigates human error.
The present idea addresses the needs for a safe and firm fixation of the burr hole plug by providing a tool for pre-drilling the pilot holes for mounting screws. The method of fixating the burr hole plug includes securing the retaining screws in pre-drilled holes by using a suitable torque limiting screwdriver and guiding inserts. In this method the retaining screws will be mounted perpendicular to a skull surface with controlled tension.
The components of the drilling guide for a cranial burr hole plug include a guide base used for guiding a drill bit, guid...
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