Vacuum Drill Guide

Abstract

A method for operating vacuum drill guide having an elongated structure having an internal axial passageway and having a drill bushing attached to a first end of the elongated structure, the drill bushing having an axial slot formed in a wall thereof communicating with the internal axial passageway, the drill bushing further having a longitudinal bore formed therethrough to receive a drill bit, a vacuum hose fitting communicating with the axial passageway at a second end of the elongated structure, a chip recovery chamber disposed along the internal axial passageway, and a vacuum filter disposed in the internal axial passageway between the chip recovery chamber and the first end the method comprising providing the vacuum drill guide, inserting a drill bit into the drill bushing, pulling a vacuum from the second end of the elongated structure, positioning the drill bit, and rotating the drill bit to perform a drilling procedure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for operating vacuum drill guide having an elongated structure having an internal axial passageway formed therethrough, a drill bushing attached to a first end of the elongated structure, the drill bushing having an axial slot formed in a wall thereof and communicating with the internal axial passageway of the elongated structure, the drill bushing further having a longitudinal bore formed therethrough to receive a drill bit and allow the received drill bit to rotate, a second end of the elongated structure opposite the first end terminating in a vacuum hose fitting communicating with the axial passageway, a chip recovery chamber disposed along the internal axial passageway between the first end and the second end of the elongated structure, and a vacuum filter disposed in the internal axial passageway between the chip recovery chamber and the first end of the elongated structure, the method comprising:
 providing the vacuum drill guide;   inserting a drill bit into the drill bushing;   pulling a vacuum from the second end of the elongated structure;   positioning the drill bit to perform a drilling procedure; and   rotating the drill bit to perform the drilling procedure.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein inserting the drill bit into the drill bushing comprises inserting the drill bit into the drill bushing to a depth that exposes at least a portion of flutes on a shaft of the drill bit to the axial slot of the drill bushing. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 ending the drilling procedure; and 
 removing drill waste from the drilling procedure that has accumulated in the chip recovery chamber. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 providing the vacuum drill guide comprises providing a vacuum drill guide including four detachable segments, a first segment including the drill bushing, a second segment including the drill receiver arm, a third segment including the chip recovery chamber having a first end attached to the drill receiver arm, the fourth segment including the vacuum hose fitting attached to a second end of the chip recovery chamber; and   wherein removing drill waste from the drilling procedure accumulated in the chip recovery chamber comprises detaching the third segment from the second and fourth segments and removing the drill waste from the third segment.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein positioning the drill bit to perform a drilling procedure comprises positioning the drill bit to perform a drilling procedure on a bone.