Patent ID: 6171312
Filing Date: 2001-01-09
Classification: A61B,A61C

Abstract:
A method for developing a bore in living bone, said method comprising the steps of:developing a pilot hole through an exterior surface of said bone, said pilot hole being defined by a first wall that is generally cylindrical;providing an elongated tool having a central axis, a lower end, an upper end and an engaging surface between said lower and upper ends, said tool having a generally circular cross-section taken perpendicular to said central axis, said cross-section having an area that decreases from said upper end to said lower end, said lower end being dimensioned for insertion into said pilot hole;providing a driving mechanism capable of providing movement to said tool;coupling said driving mechanism to said tool;inserting said lower end of said tool into said pilot hole;activating said movement of said driving mechanism;moving said upper end of said tool toward said pilot hole so that said engaging surface of said tool forces said first wall radially outward with respect to said central axis of said tool to create a bore wall with high-density bone tissue at a region of said bore that is adjacent to said exterior surface; andextracting said tool from said bore with generally no effect on the bone density at said region of said bore wall adjacent to said exterior surface.