Nevada Patent of the Month – March 2021
Drilling into bone is not uncommon in the medical world. These holes can be used for screws, implants, collection of bone marrow cores and many other reasons. Drilling into bone is a precarious procedure as going too deep could cause significant injury. After drilling, it is important to determine the depth of the bore using a depth gauge and radiographs. However, the depth gauges have conventionally had measurement errors or broken while inside the bone. Smart Medical Devices, Inc. has developed a device that drills into the bone with controlled depth and precision.
SMD believes that many surgeons, especially orthopedic surgeons, are limited by out-of-date surgical tools. They work hard to develop effective tools and devices that simplify and improve surgery. Their new drill design uses a tool guide surrounding the drill bit. This device also uses software to sense torque and convey changes in measurements. Changes in torque can indicate density of work penetrated. The tool guide helps to stabilize the tool during use and limit the ability to drill too deep. Increasing control and sensing capabilities of the tool helps to reduce errors like overheating the surrounding tissue, or penetrating a nearby nerve. It also allows the tool to measure as it goes, ensuring the appropriate depth to be drilled. This helps both the patient and the surgeon and also eliminates the need to measure afterwards which reduces the time and cost associated with the procedure.
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