This disclosure relates to drill guides and depth control apparatus for use with a variety of customized or standardized surgical instruments. In embodiments, the apparatus comprises at least a body portion and a collar portion, one or more of which are configured to be coupled to a cutting instrument, such as a drill bit, in a specified location and manner to prevent unwanted movement. In embodiments, the assembly of the body and collar portions may be incrementally adjusted to alter the desired depth of the cutting instrument. Methods for using the foregoing apparatus are also disclosed herein.

A bone anchor delivery system device (10) has a retractable punch driver assembly and a locking mechanism (32). The punch driver assembly has a retractable punch shaft (30) and a guide (20) for receiving the retractable punch shaft (30). The guide (20) is rotatable relative to the punch shaft (30) and the shaft has an extended length with bone penetrating tip (35) at a first end (33). The locking mechanism (32) for locking the retractable punch shaft (30) from linear movement and rotational movement relative to the guide (20) is positioned at an opposite second end. The retractable punch shaft (30) has a reduced diameter end (33) extending from the tip (35) toward a shoulder stop for receiving a releasable punch (12). The releasable punch (12) has a hollow opening for receiving the reduced diameter end (33) of the punch shaft (30). The punch (12) is profiled to pierce and form a bone anchor hole.

Disclosed are devices and methods for creating a bore in bone. The devices and methods described involve driving a rotating bit in an axial direction such that both rotation and linear movement are controlled and measurable. The instrument is useful for a surgeon to control and simultaneously measure the travel of the tool into the bone and prevent injury to surrounding structures.

A method of assembling an orthopaedic surgical instrument may include selecting a surgical reamer for use in resecting a portion of a patient's bone. The method may also include aligning an outer sleeve of a stem trial component with a distal end of a shaft of the surgical reamer. The method may also include advancing the outer sleeve into engagement with the distal end of the reamer shaft. The method may also include advancing a central rod of the stem trial component along a passageway defined in the outer sleeve into engagement with the distal end of the reamer shaft. The method may also include threading the central rod into the distal end of the reamer shaft to couple the stem trial component to the surgical reamer for use in resecting the portion of the patient's bone.

A system for penetrating the lateral cortex of a long bone includes a tubular cortex penetrator having an inner surface and an outer surface, a proximal end, and a distal end comprising a beveled cutting edge configured to penetrate the lateral cortex. A guide wire is configured to pass over the tubular cortex penetrator, and a guide sleeve is configured to surround the outer surface of the tubular cortex penetrator. A hollow extraction screw with an axial bore, a proximal end, a distal end, and a threaded cutting edge is configured to pass through the axial bore of the hollow extraction screw; and the hollow extraction screw is configured to retract into a distal end of a bore through the tubular cortex penetrator.

Described herein are various implementations of systems and methods for accessing and modulating tissue (for example, systems and methods for accessing and ablating nerves or other tissue within or surrounding a vertebral body to treat chronic lower back pain). Assessment of vertebral endplate degeneration or defects (e.g., pre-Modic changes) to facilitate identification of treatment sites and protocols are also provided in several embodiments. Several embodiments comprise the use of biomarkers to confirm or otherwise assess ablation, pain relief, efficacy of treatment, etc. Some embodiments include robotic elements for, as an example, facilitating robotically controlled access, navigation, imaging, and/or treatment.

A tool for a bone implant includes a sleeve and a transmission rod including a transmission member disposed on an end of a shaft. Another end of the shaft is located outside of the sleeve. The transmission member is received in the sleeve and includes a first compartment and a plurality of first teeth surrounding the first compartment. A drilling rod includes a second compartment and a plurality of second teeth surrounding the second compartment. A coupling portion is disposed between the second compartment and a bit. The coupling portion is coupled with the sleeve. The bit is located outside of the sleeve. Two magnets are disposed in the first and second compartments, respectively. Two same poles respectively of the two magnets face each other.

A medical device includes an elongated sleeve having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end and a distal end. A cutting member having sharp edges formed from a wear-resistant ceramic material is carried at the distal end of the elongated sleeve. A motor drive is coupled to the proximal end of the elongated sleeve to rotate the sleeve at cutting member at high speed to cut bone and other hard tissue. An electrode is carried in a surface portion of ceramic cutting member for cautery or radiofrequency ablation of tissue when the sleeve and cutting member are is a stationary position.

Surgical tools for removal of tissue, namely instruments, devices and methods for surgical tissue cutting with a cylindrical cutting burr bit extending from an elongated hollow member and connected to a shaft for actuating rotation motion of said burr bit to cut/remove tissue from a target location, while mitigating the harm of damaging surrounding tissue.

A medical device includes an elongated sleeve having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end and a distal end. A cutting member having a plurality of sharp edges is formed from a wear-resistant ceramic material is carried at the distal end of the elongated sleeve. A motor drive is coupled to the proximal end of the elongated sleeve to rotate the sleeve at cutting member at high RPMs to cut bone and other hard tissue. An electrode is carried in a distal portion of ceramic cutting member for RF ablation of tissue when the sleeve and cutting member are is a stationary position. In methods of use, (i) the ceramic member can be engaged against bone and then rotated at high speed to cut bone tissue, and (ii) the ceramic member can be held in a stationary (non-rotating) position to engage tissue and RF energy can be delivered to the electrode to create a plasma that ablates tissue.