Abstract:
A plurality of osteotomes that are linked together via a recess and a matching projection such that the osteotomes remain linked when used to manipulate bone.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to currently U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/352,058, entitled “OSTEOTOMES WITH LINKING CAPABILITY,” filed on Jun. 7, 2010, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to osteotomes. More particularly, it relates to an osteotome system including a plurality of osteotomes linked together. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Orthopedic surgeons have used osteotomes for decades to cut bone. Osteotomes are available in a number of sizes with varying thickness, width, and handle styles. Many orthopedic surgical procedures require cuts that are wider than the width of the widest osteotomes available. In these cases, surgeons resort to using multiple osteotomes at once, with a row of osteotomes being advanced individually. This technique does not guarantee that the osteotomes will remain parallel and therefore the cut may not be linear and the accuracy of the cut may be compromised. Accordingly, what is needed is a system that enables multiple osteotomes to remain parallel during a procedure. However, in view of the prior art considered as a whole at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art how the limitations of the art could be overcome. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Generally speaking, the invention includes a plurality of osteotomes that are linked together via a recess and a matching projection such that the osteotomes remain parallel (or any other desired configuration) when used to manipulate bone. This enables surgeons to custom build osteotomes as needed. 
     In a first embodiment, the osteotome system includes at least one osteotome having a first and second end defining a length and a first and second side defining a width. The first side includes a coupling recess, while the second side includes a corresponding (or matching) coupling projection. Accordingly, in use, pluralities of the osteotomes are linked together by way of the coupling recess to the corresponding coupling projection to form a generally rigid structure for manipulating bone. 
     In a second embodiment, the osteotome system includes a “central” osteotome and at least one additional osteotome linked together. The central osteotome includes a first and second end defining a length and a first and second side defining a width. The first and second sides of the central osteotome includes a coupling recess. An additional osteotome(s) having a first and second end defining a length and a first and second side defining a width may be linked to the central osteotome via a corresponding coupling projection to the coupling recess of the central osteotome. Thus, the central osteotome and the additional osteotome(s) are linked by way of the coupling recess to the corresponding coupling projection to form a generally rigid structure for manipulating bone. 
     The first end of the osteotomes include a cutting edge. The cutting edge may be chosen from the group comprising a straight edge, curved edge, angled edge, and/or spherical edge . . . etc. 
     The coupling recess and the coupling projection are disposed substantially along the length of the osteotomes, with the coupling recess and the coupling projection being chosen from the group comprising of a matching frustum, T-shape, and/or keyhole . . . etc. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of an osteotome having two coupling recesses on each side; 
         FIG. 2(   a ) is a top view of an osteotome having two coupling recesses on each side; 
         FIG. 2(   b ) is a top view of an osteotome having two coupling recesses on each side; 
         FIG. 2(   c ) is a top view of an osteotome having two coupling recesses on each side; 
         FIG. 3(   a ) is a side view of an osteotome having a recess on one side and a projection on the other side; 
         FIG. 3(   b ) is a side view of an osteotome having a recess on one side and a projection on the other side; 
         FIG. 3(   c ) is a side view of an osteotome having a recess on one side and a projection on the other side; 
         FIG. 4(   a ) is a top view of an osteotome having a recess on one side and a projection on the other side; 
         FIG. 4(   b ) is a top view of an osteotome having a recess on one side and a projection on the other side; 
         FIG. 4(   c ) is a top view of an osteotome having a recess on one side and a projection on the other side; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of three osteotomes linked together via the recess and projection; and 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of three osteotomes linked together via the recess and projection. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The claimed invention is an osteotome system including a plurality of osteotomes linked together. One of the plurality of osteotomes that make up the system is generally referred to as reference numeral  10 . The osteotome  10  includes a first end  12  and a second end  14  defining a length and a first side  16  and a second side  18  defining a width. The first end  12  of the osteotome  10  includes a cutting edge  20 , as is typical in the prior art. 
     In an embodiment, as depicted in  FIGS. 1-2(   c ), the first side  16  and the second side  18  of the osteotome  10  includes a first coupling recess  22  and a second coupling channel  24 , respectively. The first coupling recess  22  and the second coupling recess  24  are disposed substantially along the length of the osteotome  10 , from an opening  26  at the second end  14  of the osteotome  10  to an end point  28  just before the cutting edge  20  at the first end  12  of the osteotome  10 . The coupling recesses  22 ,  24  may be any shape. For example, the coupling recesses  22 ,  24  may be chosen from the group comprising a frustum ( FIG. 2(   a )), T-shape ( FIG. 2(   b )), and/or keyhole ( FIG. 2(   c )). The osteotome  10 , as depicted in  FIGS. 1-2(   c ), is known as a “central” osteotome because it includes two coupling recesses. The coupling recesses allow for matching coupling projections to be inserted into the coupling recess thereby locking multiple osteotomes together. 
     In an embodiment, as depicted in  FIGS. 3(   a )- 4 ( c ), the osteotome  10  includes a first end  12  and a second end  14  defining a length and a first side  16  and a second side  18  defining a width. The first end  12  of the osteotome  10  includes a cutting edge  20  as is typical in the prior art, i.e., the cutting edge may be chosen from the group comprising a straight edge ( FIG. 3(   a )), curved edge ( FIG. 3(   b )), and/or angled edge ( FIG. 3(   c )). The first side  16  includes a coupling projection  30  that matches a corresponding coupling recess on an additional osteotome. Similarly, the second side  18  includes a coupling recess  32 . The coupling projection  30  and the coupling recess  32  are disposed substantially along the length of the osteotome  10  as described above. The coupling projection  30  and the coupling recess  32  may be any shape. For example, the coupling projection  30  and the coupling recesses  32  may be chosen from the group comprising a frustum ( FIG. 3(   a )), T-shape ( FIG. 3(   b )), and/or keyhole ( FIG. 3(   c )). 
     As depicted in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , in use, pluralities of the osteotomes  10  are linked together by way of the coupling recesses  34  to the corresponding coupling projections  36  to form a generally rigid structure  38  for manipulating bone. 
     The coupling recesses include multiple embodiments, i.e., frustum, T-shape, keyhole . . . etc. In a preferred embodiment, the inner portion of the recess is wider than the outer portion of the recess so that the osteotomes remains linked. The preferred embodiment is a T-shaped recess. 
     The osteotomes may include any width or thickness. They may also be straight or curved. If curved, they may include a curve along a longitudinal axis or along a cross-sectional axis. A longitudinal curve may include a single radius of curvature for all osteotomes. 
     The osteotome cutting surfaces may include a variety of shapes to allow custom-shaped cuts, as depicted in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . This enables the combined cutting surfaces of the osteotomes to form the shape of a bone in cross-section  40 , as depicted in  FIG. 6 . Use of linked osteotomes in this manner prevents significant portions of the osteotome cutting surfaces from exiting a cortex prior to completion of the cut, thereby limiting potential injury to crucial adjacent structures such as nerves or blood vessels. 
     The linked osteotomes can be manufactured with multiple styles of handles or without handles, as in the Lambotte style of osteotome. 
     The osteotome shafts can be manufactured to any length. 
     It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, and those made apparent from the foregoing disclosure, are efficiently attained. Since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matters contained in the foregoing disclosure or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. 
     It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein disclosed, and all statements of the scope of the invention that, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.