Patent ID: 6368330
Filing Date: 2002-04-09
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A chuck for neurosurgical stereotactic procedures comprising a body, a body extension to firmly secure said body to the distal end of an articulated arm, the body having a quadrangular cross-section with opposite base faces and two opposite side faces, a cylindrical body cavity having a first, circular, cavity opening at one of said two base faces, a cover plate removably covering the other one of said two base faces and having a second, circular, cavity opening in register with said first cavity opening, said first and second, circular, cavity openings having a smaller diameter than the diameter of said cylindrical body cavity, a ball member having a diametral through bore, located in said body cavity with a sliding fit and free to rotate about its center, a ball tightening member carried by said body, and protruding from one of said side faces to clamp said ball member in a selected oriented position of its through bore, a sleeve extending within said through bore and firmly secured to said ball member, said sleeve having an externally threaded, longitudinally slit, free end portion protruding from said body through at least one of said cavity openings and a locking nut surrounding and threaded on said free end portion and having an interfering fit with said slit free end portion to clamp in a selected longitudinal position, a surgical instrument of a cross-sectional size and shape to have a sliding fit with the inside of said sleeve, whereby the precise orientation and the longitudinal position of said instrument relative to said body can be successively and independently effected by respectively actuating said ball tightening member and said locking nut.