Patent Description:
When a spine is damaged by an accident, etc. or damaged or twisted by degenerative diseases or wrong postures, the spine generally compresses adjacent nerves and causes severe pain. Physical therapy is available in case of minor pain, but surgery is needed in case of the severe pain so as to correct a position of a spine by inserting a fixing device for pedicle fixation or relieve a compressed nerve.

A pedicle screw insertion surgery is to perform spinal fusion by inserting a pedicle screw into a plurality of pedicles, and coupling the pedicle screw and an adjacent pedicle screw by a rod, so that the spines can be corrected to widen a distance between a pedicle compressing a nerve and an adjacent pedicle, thereby preventing the pedicle from compressing the nerve.

Further, the pedicle screw insertion surgery is carried out in such a manner that a pedicle screw is inserted into a plurality of pedicles by a fastening tool, which is called a driver, and then the rod is coupled between the screw heads of the pedicle screws.

The pedicle screw insertion surgery is generally performed relying upon medical personnel, but research has recently been carried out to partially introduce or use a surgical robot in the pedicle screw insertion surgery. For example, the pedicle screw insertion surgery may be performed by medical personnel after a robot arm of the surgical robot is put in position for the surgery and a surgical tool is mounted to an end effector of the robot arm.

In various orthopedic operations such as the pedicle screw insertion surgery using the surgical robot, a marker may be installed in the surgical tool to accurately perform a surgical operation. Such a marker is installed to face the surgical tool so that the marker can be recognized by an optical tracking system (OTS). Therefore, it is possible to calculate and check an endpoint location of the tool, an insertion depth, location, etc. of the pedicle screw, based on change in the position of the marker.

However, if the driver or the like surgical tool installed with the marker is rotated or moved for a surgical operation, the position of the marker is also changed and it is therefore impossible to perform an accurate surgical operation. Further, when the marker is installed in the surgical tool, a surgical operation is not smoothly carried out because of interference or unsafe gripping. Accordingly, there has been required a handle device by which a surgical operation is accurately performed and a surgical process is conveniently carried out because the position of the marker is not changed even though the surgical tool moves during the surgical operation.

Document <CIT> discloses a universal instrument guide for use, with a robotic surgical system, in guiding surgical instruments, surgical instrument systems for use with a universal instrument guide, and methods of their use.

Document <CIT> relates to medical devices for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders, and to a surgical system and a method for treating a spine.

Document <CIT> discloses a modular portal for use with a computer-aided surgical navigation system.

Accordingly, the disclosure is conceived based on the foregoing disadvantages, and an aspect of the disclosure is to provide a handle device for a surgical tool, which is freely controllable and usable in a surgical operation because the surgical tool is supported while steadily maintaining a position of a marker.

According to an aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a handle device for a surgical tool, including: a handle body formed with a tool insertion hole for inserting the surgical tool therein; a grip member detachably installed in the handle body; and a marker member installed in the handle body.

The handle body includes:
a tool insertion portion in which the surgical tool is inserted in position; and a grip insertion portion formed with a plurality of grip coupling holes, in which the grip member is inserted, along a circumference of the tool insertion portion.

The grip member includes a grip to be gripped by a user; and a coupling projection protruding from the grip to be inserted in one of the grip coupling holes, and the handle device may include a separation preventor formed in a coupling portion and preventing the grip member coupled to the grip coupling hole from separation.

The separation preventor includes:
a stopper insertion hole formed in the coupling projection; a stopper member including a ball housing to be inserted in the stopper insertion hole, a ball to be inserted in the ball housing, and an elastic member inserted in the ball housing and applying elasticity to the ball; and a locking hole formed in the grip coupling hole and locking the ball thereto.

Further, the separation preventor may include a permanent magnet placed in at least one of the grip coupling hole and the coupling projection.

The marker member may include: a marker rod including a first end to be inserted in and fastened to a marker insertion hole formed in the grip insertion portion; a marker installation member formed in a second end of the marker rod; and a plurality of markers installed in the marker installation member.

The handle device for the surgical tool may further include a tool support member installed in the handle body and movable inwards and outwards in a direction of the tool insertion hole.

The tool support member may include a tool insertion portion to which a control tool is fitted, a threaded portion extended from the tool insertion portion and fastened to a fastening hole formed in the handle body, and a surgical tool supporter extended from the threaded portion and movable inwards and outwards in the direction of the tool insertion hole.

In a handle device for a surgical tool according to the disclosure, the surgical tool is stably supported, and the position of the marker is steadily maintained even though the surgical tool moves, so that an optical tracking system can accurately obtain position information because position change is prevented, thereby having effects on safely and accurately carrying out a surgical operation based on the position or the like of the surgical tool.

Further, in a handle device for a surgical tool according to the disclosure, a grip member is detachably installed to the handle body, so that the position of the grip member is freely changeable based on various variables or conditions in the state that a marker is facing toward the optical tracking system, thereby allowing the surgical tool to be easily gripped, and conveniently and safely carrying out a surgical operation.

Below, embodiments of the disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings of <FIG>, in which like numerals refer to like elements throughout.

Further, detailed descriptions about elements and their operations and effects, which are easily understood by a person having ordinary knowledge in the art from general technology, in the accompanying drawings will be simplified or omitted. In addition, the disclosure is characterized in a handle device for a surgical tool, and thus illustration and description will be made focusing on related parts while simplifying or omitting the other parts.

<FIG> is a perspective view of a handle device for a surgical tool according to an embodiment of the disclosure, <FIG> is an exploded perspective view of a handle device for a surgical tool according to an embodiment of the disclosure, and <FIG> is a partial exploded perspective view for describing a detachable structure of a grip member in a handle device for a surgical tool according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, a handle device for a surgical tool according to an embodiment of the disclosure is characterized in that a marker position is not changed even through the surgical tool t moves, and includes a handle body <NUM>, a marker member <NUM> and a grip member <NUM>.

The handle body <NUM> refers to an element that functions as a body to which the surgical tool t is mounted, and has a bar-shaped body internally formed with a tool insertion hole 11a in which the surgical tool is inserted along a lengthwise direction.

Further, the handle body <NUM> includes a tool insertion portion <NUM> into which the surgical tool is inserted in position, and a grip insertion portion <NUM> provided in the tool insertion portion <NUM> so that the grip member <NUM> can be inserted in the grip insertion portion <NUM>.

The tool insertion portion <NUM> has a structure that the tool insertion hole 11a is formed in the bar-shaped body having a plurality of uneven portions, but the tool insertion portion <NUM> may have various structures according to the shape or the like of the surgical tool without limitations.

The grip insertion portion <NUM> includes an insertion main body <NUM> formed on the outer side of the tool insertion portion <NUM>, and a plurality of grip coupling holes <NUM> formed to insert the grip member <NUM> therein along the circumference of the insertion main body <NUM>.

The insertion main body <NUM> may, but not limited to, protrude in the form of a disc so that the grip member <NUM> can be easily attached and detached thereto, and its protruding position may be at a predetermined distance downward from the top of the handle body <NUM> so as not to interfere with the surgical tool being attached and detached.

Further, there are no limits to the number and orientation of grip coupling holes <NUM>. In this embodiment, three grip coupling holes <NUM> are formed in the insertion main body at equiangular intervals of <NUM>° so that a user can freely select a gripping direction among three directions in the state that the marker member <NUM> is disposed facing toward an optical tracking system.

The grip member <NUM> refers to an element that is detachably installed in the handle body <NUM>, and includes a grip <NUM> to be gripped by a user, and a coupling projection <NUM> protruding from the grip <NUM> to be inserted in the grip coupling hole <NUM>.

In the handle device for the surgical tool according to the disclosure, the grip member <NUM> may have a detachable structure for being forcibly fitted to and pulled and separated from the handle body <NUM>. However, according to this embodiment, there is a separation preventor <NUM> for smooth and stable detachable-operation.

The separation preventor <NUM> is provided in the coupling portion of the grip member <NUM> so as to prevent the grip member <NUM> coupled to the grip coupling hole <NUM> from being easily separated.

In more detail, the separation preventor <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>, includes a stopper insertion hole <NUM> formed in the coupling projection <NUM>, a stopper member <NUM> installed in the stopper insertion hole <NUM>, and a locking hole <NUM> formed in the grip coupling hole <NUM> so that the stopper member <NUM> is locked thereto.

The stopper member <NUM> includes a ball housing <NUM> inserted in the stopper insertion hole <NUM>, a ball <NUM> inserted in the ball housing <NUM> and locked to the locking hole <NUM> when the grip member <NUM> is fastened, an elastic member (not shown) inserted in the ball housing <NUM> and applying elasticity to the ball <NUM>, and a separation preventing member <NUM> fastened to the ball housing <NUM>.

Further, besides the stopping structure based on the foregoing ball <NUM>, the separation preventor <NUM> may have various structures without any specific limits as long as it can prevent the grip member <NUM> coupled to the grip coupling hole <NUM> from being separate.

For example, the separation preventor <NUM> may be achieved by installing a permanent magnet to at least one of the grip coupling hole and the coupling projection when the handle body <NUM> and the grip member <NUM> include a magnetic substance.

<FIG> is a partial exploded perspective view for describing a detachable structure of a marker member in a handle device for a surgical tool according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, the marker member <NUM> refers to an element to be installed in the handle body <NUM>, and includes a marker rod <NUM> having a first end to be inserted in and fastened to a marker insertion hole <NUM> formed in a grip insertion portion <NUM>, a marker installation member <NUM> formed in a second end of the marker rod <NUM>, and a plurality of markers <NUM> installed in the marker installation member <NUM>. Here, the marker insertion hole <NUM> is formed as a groove having a cross-section approximately shaped like 'D. ' Further, the marker <NUM> is to provide reflected light to the optical tracking system (OTS) and obtain position information through a calculation process, and is achieved by a publicly-known common marker.

The marker rod <NUM> is formed with a rod coupling portion <NUM> which is cut in the form of 'D' in a portion to be inserted in the marker insertion hole <NUM>, thereby having a spin-preventing surface. Further, the rod coupling portion <NUM> is formed with a fastening hole 211b in which a fastening bolt <NUM> is inserted when fastened.

In addition, the handle device for the surgical tool according to the disclosure includes a tool support member <NUM> installed in the handle body <NUM> and supporting the surgical tool inserted in the direction of the tool insertion hole 11a.

For example, the tool support member <NUM> is retractably installed in the fastening hole <NUM> formed in the insertion main body <NUM>, and includes a tool insertion portion <NUM> into which an Allen wrench or the like tool is fitted, a threaded portion <NUM> extended from the tool insertion portion <NUM> and fastened to the fastening hole <NUM> formed in the insertion main body <NUM>, and a surgical tool supporter <NUM> extended from the threaded portion <NUM> and moves inwards and outwards in the direction of the tool insertion hole 11a.

Below, operations of a handle device for a surgical tool according to an embodiment of the disclosure will be described in short.

<FIG> and <FIG> are views for describing operations of a handle device for a surgical tool according to an embodiment of the disclosure, in which <FIG> is a perspective view showing that the surgical tool is mounted to the handle device, and <FIG> illustrates that the handle device mounted with the surgical tool is installed in a surgical robot.

As shown in <FIG>, the handle device for the surgical tool according to the disclosure is installed in an end effector e provided in a robot arm a of a surgical robot in the state that the screw surgical device t1 and the control tool t2 are coupled. Here, the end effector e includes a surgical tool holder e1 approximately shaped like a bushing and inserted in the end of a guide member formed like an inclined bar, and the handle device for the surgical tool is inserted and supported in the surgical tool holder e1.

Further, there are no specific limits to the kind or shape of the surgical tool t installed in the surgical tool handle device. For example, the surgical tool t according to this embodiment includes the screw surgical device t1 that performs a reaming process and a tapping process with regard to a pedicle, and a process of inserting a pedicle screw into the pedicle during the pedicle screw insertion surgery, and the control tool t2 for controlling the screw surgical device t1.

As described above, in the state that the handle device with the surgical tool t is mounted to the robot arm a, and the marker member <NUM> is in position to face toward and be scanned by the optical tracking system (OTS, not shown), the surgical tool t is controlled to perform a surgical operation. In this case, a user can turn the control tool t2 with one hand while gripping the grip member <NUM> with the other hand, thereby smoothly turning only the control tool t2 without turning the handle device for the surgical tool. Therefore, the marker member <NUM> fastened to the handle body <NUM> is not turned but maintained facing toward the optical tracking system, thereby allowing the optical tracking system (OTS) to stably receive reflected light from the marker <NUM> and continuously obtain position information based on a calculation process.

Further, as described above, when the gripping position of the handle device for the surgical tool is needed to be changed as a patient or user's surgical site or the like condition is changed in a surgical process, the gripping position is changeable in such a manner that the grip member <NUM> is pulled out and separated from the grip insertion portion <NUM> and then inserted again into the grip coupling hole <NUM> at a position convenient for the surgical operation.

As described above, in a handle device for a surgical tool according to an embodiment of the disclosure, the surgical tool t is rotatably installed in the handle device, and therefore the position of the marker is steadily maintained even though the surgical tool t is turned, thereby easily and safely carrying out the surgical operation while changing the position of the grip member <NUM> as necessary.

Although the features and operations of a handle device for a surgical tool according to the embodiments of the disclosure have been described above, these are for illustrative purposes only, and it is understood by a person having ordinary knowledge in the art that change or replacement can be made in the foregoing embodiments of the disclosure without departing from technical scope of the disclosure.

Therefore, it is appreciated that the scope of the invention is the appended claims.

Claim 1:
A handle device for a surgical tool, comprising:
a handle body (<NUM>) formed with a tool insertion hole (11a) for inserting the surgical tool therein;
a grip member (<NUM>) detachably installed in the handle body (<NUM>); and
a marker member (<NUM>) installed in the handle body (<NUM>),
wherein the handle body (<NUM>) comprises a tool insertion portion (<NUM>) in which the surgical tool is inserted in position; and a grip insertion portion (<NUM>) formed with a plurality of grip coupling holes (<NUM>), in which the grip member (<NUM>) is insertable, along a circumference of the tool insertion portion (<NUM>),
wherein the grip member (<NUM>) comprises a grip (<NUM>) to be gripped by a user; and a coupling projection (<NUM>) protruding from the grip (<NUM>) to be inserted in one of the grip coupling holes
wherein handle device further comprises a separation preventor (<NUM>) formed in a coupling portion and preventing the grip member (<NUM>) coupled to the grip coupling hole (<NUM>) from separation, and
characterised in that
the separation preventor (<NUM>) comprises a stopper insertion hole (<NUM>) formed in the coupling projection (<NUM>); a stopper member (<NUM>) comprising a ball housing (<NUM>) to be inserted in the stopper insertion hole (<NUM>), a ball (<NUM>) to be inserted in the ball housing (<NUM>), and an elastic member inserted in the ball housing (<NUM>) and applying elasticity to the ball (<NUM>); and a locking hole (<NUM>) formed in the grip coupling hole (<NUM>) and locking the ball (<NUM>) thereto.