Patent ID: 7507244

Claim:
An apparatus for use with a radiolucent skull clamp supporting a head of a patient comprising: a skull pin assembly adapted to be mounted to the skull clamp, the skull pin assembly comprising a skull pin adapted to be movable into contact with the head of the patient; an engagement shaft adapted to be slidable but not rotatable with respect to the skull clamp; a lock nut threaded on an inner end of the engagement shaft to limit slidable motion of the engagement shaft in a direction extending outward from the skull clamp; an insert adapted to be mounted to the skull clamp the insert receiving and supporting the skull pin assembly; and a pin load applicator adapted to be removably connectable to the skull clamp comprising a loading shaft in mechanical communication with the skull pin, a biasing element operable to apply a force on the loading shaft, the loading shaft in turn transferring the force to the skull pin contacting the head of the patient, and a load force indicator connected to the loading shaft and providing an indication of the force being applied by the skull pin contacting the head of the patient, the loading shaft, the biasing element and the load force indicator being contained in a unitary component that is connectable to and disconnectable from the skull clamp as a single component, the pin load applicator being movable to adjust the force applied by the skull pin contacting the head of the patient, and thereafter, the pin load applicator being removable from the skull clam without changing the force being applied by the skull pin contacting the head of the patient.