Reconstructive joint tunnel drilling locator

Abstract

An acromioclavicular joint guide for forming multiple drill tunnels spaced apart by a predetermined distance employs two drill guides in a pivoting arrangement allowing one drill guide to pivot around the axis of the other. The drill guides are each disposed in a respective sleeve of a pivot block for insertion toward the surgical member along nonintersecting axes defined by the sleeve. An elongated arm attaches to the pivot block at a proximate end and has a aimer point at a distal end, in which the arm may extend around the surgical member via an inverted portion or bend such that that aimer point is on the insertion axis of the primary drill guide. In this manner the aimer point locates an exit of the hole from the insertion point defined by the primary drill guide, and the pivotal drill guide defines a second tunnel at the predetermined distance.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for locating insertion sites for surgical joint repair of a surgical joint member comprising:
 providing a surgical aiming devices for compressing a surgical member between a primary insertion member and an aimer point for disposing an insertion wire along an primary insertion axis defined by the insertion member, the aimer point coupled to the insertion member by an inverted, elongated arm;   disposing the aimer point at a target location on the surgical member coaxial with the primary insertion member;   locating a primary insertion point by disposing the primary insertion member on an opposed side of the surgical member;   advancing the primary insertion member to the surgical site via a pivot block having a primary sleeve, the primary sleeve defining a primary insertion axis through a primary aperture in the pivot block, the primary insertion member slideably engaging the primary sleeve for ratcheting movement along the primary insertion axis;   locating a second insertion point by rotating the pivot block around the primary insertion axis, the pivot block further comprising:
 a secondary sleeve in the pivot block, the second sleeve defining a secondary insertion axis through a pivoting aperture in the pivot block, the secondary sleeve in pivotal communication with the primary sleeve via the pivot block; and 
 a pivoting insertion member, the secondary sleeve receptive to the pivoting insertion member for ratcheting movement along the secondary insertion axis, the pivot block maintaining a predetermined distance between the primary and secondary sleeves and orienting the primary insertion axis and secondary insertion axis on nonintersecting paths; 
 advancing the second insertion member to contact a second insertion site on the surgical member; and 
 compressing the surgical member by ratcheting at least one of the first and second insertion members to compress the surgical member between the insertion members and the aimer point. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the aimer point is disposed at a distal end of an elongated arm having a proximate end extending from the pivot block away from the primary axis, and a distal end extending toward the primary axis, the proximate end and distal ends coupled by a bend, the distal end terminating in the aimer point on the primary insertion axis disposed on an intersecting path with the primary insertion member. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  where in the primary insertion member is configured for directing a drilling wire into a primary insertion location of a surgical site. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the secondary sleeve is adaptive to pivot around the primary insertion axis for pivotally disposing the pivoting insertion member around the primary insertion axis at the predetermined distance for locating the second insertion point. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising directing a drilling wire at a secondary insertion location at the predetermined distance from the primary insertion location to dispose the second sleeve in alignment with the second insertion point. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein locating the primary insertion member further comprises
 disposing, via a slot in the pivot block for receiving the proximate end of the elongated arm, the aimer point to the opposed side of the surgical member, wherein the proximate end has an arcuate contour adapted for slideable movement along the slot in the pivot block, the aimer point maintaining alignment on the primary insertion axis through a range of the slideable movement. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein advancing the primary insertion member includes advancing such that the primary insertion member is disposed via the fixed aperture and travels an intersecting path with the aimer point, the aimer point configured for compressing a surgical member between the primary insertion member and the aimer point for fixing the primary insertion member on a path toward the aimer point for surgical entry defined by the primary insertion axis.