Computer-assisted tomography stereotactic system

Claim 1

An apparatus for performing surgical procedures through a patient's skull to a target within the skull by utilizing a computer-assisted tomography scanner (hereinafter "CT scanner") comprising, a base platform of material registerable on the CT scanner and having opposite sides and first and second ends, means for removably mounting said base platform on the table of the scanner, a vertically disposed support member selectively longitudinally movably mounted at each of said opposite sides of said platform, said sides of said base platform having positioning indicia thereon for indicating the longitudinal positioning of said support members relative to said base platform, an arc carrier support selectively vertically movably mounted on each of said support members, an arc carrier selectively pivotally mounted on said arc carrier supports and extending upwardly therefrom, said arc carrier comprising first and second spaced-apart legs having upper and lower ends and a top portion extending between the upper ends thereof, the lower ends of said legs being operatively pivotally secured to said arc carrier supports, an arcuate arc selectively movably mounted on said top portion of said arc carrier for movement parallel to the pivotal axis of said legs, said arc having a radius greater than one-half the distance between said legs, a probe holder assembly selectively movably mounted on said arc, said probe holder assembly having a cylindrical bore provided therein for receiving an elongated probe or the like, the pivotal connection between said legs and said arc carrier supports being longitudinally offset from said support members towards said one end of said base platform, said legs being longitudinally offset from said pivotal connection, at least one of said arc carrier supports having vertical indicia thereon for indicating the pivotal axis of said pivotal connection, said cylindrical bore in said probe holder assembly being positioned so that its longitudinal axis intersects the central axis of said pivotal connection between said legs and said arc carrier supports, said base platform having a longitudinal groove centered therein, said groove registerable on the CT scanner and indicative of the lateral center of said platform, and a head holder assembly selectively longitudinally movably mounted on said base platform.

Claim 2

An apparatus for performing surgical procedures through a patient's skull to a target within the skull by utilizing a computer-assisted tomography scanner (hereinafter "CT scanner") comprising, a base platform of material registerable on the CT scanner and having opposite sides and first and second ends, means for removably mounting said base platform on the table of the scanner, a vertically disposed support member selectively longitudinally movably mounted at each of said opposite sides of said platform, said sides of said base platform having positioning indicia thereon for indicating the longitudinal positioning of said support members relative to said base platform, an arc carrier support selectively vertically movably mounted on each of said support members, an arc carrier selectively pivotally mounted on said arc carrier supports and extending upwardly therefrom, said arc carrier comprising first and second spaced-apart legs having upper and lower ends and a top portion extending between the upper ends thereof, the lower ends of said legs being operatively pivotally secured to said arc carrier supports, an arcuate arc selectively movably mounted on said top portion of said arc carrier for movement parallel to the pivotal axis of said legs, said arc having a radius greater than one-half the distance between said legs, a probe holder assembly selectively movably mounted on said arc, said probe holder assembly having a cylindrical bore provided therein for receiving an elongated probe or the like, the pivotal connection between said legs and said arc carrier supports being longitudinally offset from said support members towards said one end of said base platform, said legs being longitudinally offset from said pivotal connection, at least one of said arc carrier supports having vertical indicia thereon for indicating the pivotal axis of said pivotal connection, said cylindrical bore in said probe holder assembly being positioned so that its longitudinal axis intersects the central axis of said pivotal connection between said legs and said arc carrier supports, said base platform having a longitudinal groove centered therein, said groove registerable on the CT scanner and indicative of the lateral center of said platform, and a head holder assembly selectively longitudinally movably mounted on said base platform.