Patent ID: 9681889
Date: 2017-06-20
CPC Classifications: A61B

Claim:
1. A needle assembly comprising: an elongated needle configured to form a hole in bone, the elongated needle having a sharp distal tip and a handle coupled to a proximal end of the needle; a cannula sub-assembly comprising an elongated shaft having a lumen therethrough, the lumen of the cannula shaft configured to receive the needle, and a handle coupled to a proximal end of the cannula shaft; a sheath comprising a lumen therethrough, the cannula shaft disposed in the lumen of the sheath and the sheath configured to slide longitudinally relative to the cannula shaft; a collar coupled to a proximal portion of the sheath, the collar configured to slide along the cannula sub-assembly; and a hollow attachment member disposed about the cannula shaft, wherein the cross-sections of the at least a portion of the attachment member and the at least a proximal portion of the lumen of the sheath are plus-sign shaped; wherein the handle of the needle is configured to lockingly engage the handle of the cannula sub-assembly to selectively lock the needle to the cannula sub-assembly and the sheath is adjustable to and configured to be locked at a plurality of discrete positions relative to the cannula shaft when the needle is locked to the cannula sub-assembly to adjust a length of the cannula shaft exposed distal to the sheath, wherein the plurality of discrete positions are positioned such that the length of the cannula shaft exposed distal to the sheath corresponds to a desired depth for the hole formed in bone to allow for control of the depth of the hole formed in bone; and wherein the collar continuously encircles the attachment member and is configured to slide along the attachment member and releasably engage the attachment member to adjust the sheath to one of the plurality of discrete positions relative to the cannula.