Surgical impact tool

Abstract

A surgical impact tool comprises an electromagnetic impactor hermetically sealed within a sterilizable housing having one or more external mechanical coupling for transmitting an impact to an object external to the tool. The housing also contains an energy storage medium rechargeable through the hermetic seal, and electronic controls operable through the hermetic seal.

1 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A surgical hammer comprising an impact tool and a separate control interface;
 wherein the impact tool comprises an electrically powered impactor and an impact head connected thereto;   the control interface being provided in a separate sealed sterile package;   the control interface being configured to be coupled to the impact tool;   a system of wireless communication between the control interface and the impact tool, wherein the control interface controls operation of the impact tool.   
     
     
         25 . A surgical hammer according to  claim 24  wherein the system of wireless communication comprises radio frequency transmission. 
     
     
         26 . A surgical hammer according to  claim 24  wherein the system of wireless communication comprises a Hall Effect Sensor. 
     
     
         27 . A surgical hammer according to  claim 24  wherein the control interface provides control of the actuation of the impact tool. 
     
     
         28 . A surgical hammer according to  claim 27  wherein the control interface provides an impact adjustment control. 
     
     
         29 . A surgical hammer according to  claim 24  wherein the control interface controls an impaction rate of the impact tool. 
     
     
         30 . A surgical hammer according to  claim 24  wherein the control interface controls a magnitude of the impact delivered by the impact tool. 
     
     
         31 . A surgical hammer according to  claim 24  wherein the control interface comprises a readout of a charging status of the impact tool. 
     
     
         32 . A surgical hammer according to  claim 24  wherein the control interface is configured to instruct the impact tool to deliver a predetermined number of impacts upon a single actuation instruction. 
     
     
         33 . A method for delivering an impact at a desired location in a surgical site in a patient, the method comprising the steps of:
 removing a first control interface from a sealed sterile package;   connecting the first control interface to an impact tool;   positioning the impact tool at the location in the surgical site; and   communicating wirelessly an actuation signal from the control interface to the impact tool and with the impact tool delivering the impact to the desired location.   
     
     
         34 . A method according to  claim 33  wherein a user determines a magnitude of the impact delivered by the impact tool by choosing the first control interface from a selection of control interfaces providing different magnitudes of impact. 
     
     
         35 . A method according to  claim 33  wherein a user determines a repetition rate of impact delivered by the impact tool by choosing the first control interface from a selection of control interfaces providing different repetition rates of impact. 
     
     
         36 . A method according to  claim 33  and further comprising the steps of:
 after delivering one or more impacts to the patient, removing the first control interface and sterilizing the impact tool; 
 removing a second control interface from a sealed sterile package; 
 connecting the second control interface to the impact tool; 
 delivering an impact to a different patient with the impact tool.