Patent ID: 9033990
Filing Date: 2015-05-19
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A directed structure placement guide for assisting with positioning at least one directed structure in at least one of a predetermined insertion trajectory and a predetermined insertion location with respect to a patient tissue surface, the guide comprising: a guide base having longitudinally opposed proximal and distal base surfaces and a plurality of coarse location apertures extending longitudinally between the proximal and distal base surfaces, each coarse location aperture substantially corresponding to a desired coarse location for the directed structure with respect to the patient tissue surface, the distal base surface being substantially located nearer to the patient tissue surface than is the proximal base surface; a plurality of guide spheres, each guide sphere having a guide bore extending therethrough and defining a trajectory path substantially longitudinally therethrough, each guide sphere corresponding with a different selected coarse location aperture, and each guide sphere being movable with respect to the coarse location aperture to intersect the trajectory path with the coarse location aperture at a desired fine location, the desired fine location being indicative of the predetermined insertion location of the directed structure into the patient tissue surface; and a guide retainer having a plurality of retainer apertures, each retainer aperture corresponding with a different selected guide sphere, the guide spheres being substantially longitudinally interposed between the guide base and the guide retainer, the guide retainer being longitudinally movable between loose and tight retainer positions, wherein longitudinal movement of the guide retainer into the tight retainer position causes exertion of a longitudinal compressive force upon the guide spheres to maintain position of the guide spheres with respect to the guide base; wherein each guide sphere is manipulated to place the trajectory path into the predetermined insertion trajectory at the desired fine location before the guide retainer achieves the tight retainer position and the guide bore guides a directed structure passed therethrough into contact with the patient tissue surface at the predetermined insertion trajectory and location.