K-wire and method for surgical procedures

Abstract

A surgical guide wire or K-wire and method of use are provided. The K-wire or guide wire has opposite end portions and a shank portion in between. One end portion has a deformable end portion that, once outside of a confining guide passage, can be deformed to present a projected forward facing area that is larger than the transverse cross section of the K-wire or guide wire while in the passage. The increased area will provide increased resistance to additional forward axial movement into the surgical site.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of conducting a medical procedure using a guide wire, the method including: placing a surgical tool end at a surgical site, said surgical tool having a guiding through bore opening at the tool end; guiding a guide wire to the site by passing the guide wire through the passage, said guide wire having an operative end portion; and deforming a portion of the operative end portion after its exit from the passage such that the deformed portion presents a projected area greater than the cross sectional area of the guide wire when in the passage, wherein said operative end portion comprising a first independent deformable leg and a second independent deformable leg, each said independent deformable leg diverging from a common area of said guide wire, said independent deformable legs predisposed to move in an outward direction with respect to each other and forming a first gap extending the length of said independent deformable legs; one independent deformable leg being longer than said second independent deformable leg, said longer independent deformable leg including a tip portion that is constructed to overlap a tip portion of the said shorter independent deformable leg and forming a second gap between said tip portions, said second gap formed generally perpendicular to the guide wire longitudinal axis when in the non-deformed state, wherein each said opposing deformable legs contains a bend positioned distally from the point where said opposing independent deformable leg diverge from said common area of said guide wire, wherein at least one independent deformable leg contains a groove sized to receive a projection and said opposite independent deformable leg contains a projection sized and shaped to fit within said groove. 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein the deforming occurs automatically. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  wherein the deforming is induced by increasing the temperature of the operative end portion. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  wherein the operative end portion has a deformable portion constructed of memory metal alloy. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  wherein the deforming is induced by relieving stress induced into the operative end portion when in the guiding passage. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  wherein the operative end portion has a deformable portion constructed of a spring material. 
     
     
       7. A method of conducting a medical procedure using a K-wire, the method including: placing a surgical tool end at a surgical site, said surgical tool having a guiding through bore opening at the tool end; guiding a K-wire to the site by passing the K-wire through the passage, said K-wire having an operative end portion; and deforming a portion of the operative end portion after its exit from the passage such that the deformed portion presents a projected area greater than the cross sectional area of the K-wire when in the passage, wherein said operative end portion comprising a first independent deformable leg and a second independent deformable leg, each said independent deformable leg diverging from a common area of said K-wire, said independent deformable legs predisposed to move in an outward direction with respect to each other and forming a first gap extending the length of said independent deformable legs; one independent deformable leg being longer than said second independent deformable leg, said longer independent deformable leg including a tip portion that is constructed to overlap a tip portion of the said shorter independent deformable leg and forming a second gap between said tip portions, said second gap formed generally perpendicular to the K-wire longitudinal axis when in the non-deformed state, wherein each said opposing deformable legs contains a bend positioned distally from the point where said opposing independent deformable leg diverge from said common area of said K-wire, wherein at least one independent deformable leg contains a groove sized to receive a projection and said opposite independent deformable leg contains a projection sized and shaped to fit within said groove. 
     
     
       8. A method of conducting a medical procedure using a guide wire, the method including:
 contacting a surgical tool at a surgical site;   placing a guide wire through the surgical tool, the guide wire having an operative end portion in a first position while in the surgical tool, the guide wire being monolithic and bifurcating into first and second portions at the operative end portion; and   inserting the operative end portion of the guide wire into the surgical site, the operative end portion moving to a second position when inserted in the surgical site,   wherein a projected area of the operative end in the second position is greater than a cross sectional area of the operative end in the first position.   
     
     
       9. The method of claim 8, wherein the surgical site is a vertebral body. 
     
     
       10. The method of claim 8, wherein the first portion includes a first independent deformable leg and the second portion includes a second independent deformable leg, each independent deformable leg diverging from a common area of the guide wire. 
     
     
       11. The method of claim 10, wherein the independent deformable legs are predisposed to move in an outward direction with respect to each other to form a first gap extending the length of the independent deformable legs. 
     
     
       12. The method of claim 10, wherein each independent deformable leg contains a bend positioned distally from the point where the opposing independent deformable leg diverges from said common area of the guide wire. 
     
     
       13. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one independent deformable leg contains a groove sized to receive a projection and the other independent deformable leg contains a projection sized and shaped to fit within the groove. 
     
     
       14. The method of claim 8, wherein the first and second portions include substantially linear first and second independent deformable legs, the independent deformable legs being substantially parallel to each other in the first position and diverging from a longitudinal axis of the guide wire in the second position. 
     
     
       15. The method of claim 8, wherein the movement between the first and second positions occurs automatically. 
     
     
       16. The method of claim 8, wherein the operative end portion has a deformable portion constructed of memory metal alloy. 
     
     
       17. The method of claim 8, wherein the movement between the first and second positions is induced by relieving stress induced into the operative end portion when in the surgical tool. 
     
     
       18. The method of claim 8, wherein the surgical tool is a jamshidi needle. 
     
     
       19. The method of claim 8, further including the step of using the operative end of the guide wire as a marker or a stop for placing a second surgical tool. 
     
     
       20. The method of claim 8, further including the step of removing the surgical tool by pulling on the surgical tool and pushing down on the guide wire. 
     
     
       21. A method of conducting a medical procedure using a guide wire, the method including:
 contacting a surgical tool with a surgical site;   placing a guide wire having at least two deformable legs through the surgical tool, the deformable legs being in a first position in the surgical tool, the guide wire being monolithic and bifurcating into the two deformable legs at a distal end of the guide wire; and   inserting the deformable legs into the surgical site, the deformable legs moving to a second position when inserted in the surgical site,   wherein the deformable legs are separated a greater distance from each other in the second position than in the first position.   
     
     
       22. The method of claim 21, wherein the surgical site is a vertebral body. 
     
     
       23. The method of claim 21, wherein the two deformable legs are substantially linear, the deformable legs being substantially parallel to each other in the first position and diverging from a longitudinal axis of the guide wire in the second position. 
     
     
       24. The method of claim 21 wherein the surgical tool is a jamshidi needle. 
     
     
       25. The method of claim 21, further including the step of using the deformable legs as a marker or a stop for placing a second surgical tool. 
     
     
       26. A method of securing a guide wire in a surgical site, the method comprising:
 placing a distal end of a surgical tool on a predetermined location on a surgical site, the surgical tool including a through bore having an bore diameter;   guiding a guide wire through the through bore; and   securing the guide wire to the surgical site by extending the guide wire beyond the distal end of the surgical tool;   
       wherein the guide wire is monolithic and bifurcates at a distal end of the guide wire into first and second substantially linear legs each having a free end, such that the distance between the free ends measured perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the guide wire is less than or equal to the bore diameter when in the through bore and greater than the bore diameter when extended past the distal end of the surgical tool. 
     
     
       27. The method of claim 26, wherein the surgical site is a vertebral body.