Apparatus and method for calibrating a surgical knife

摘要

An apparatus and method for zeroing, calibrating and setting a surgical knife. The surgical knife includes a blade that has a tip which can move relative to a footplate that extends from the body of the knife. The apparatus includes a calibration housing that is coupled to a surgical microscope. The calibration housing has a transparent sleeve coupled to a holder, which are both adapted to receive and support the surgical knife. The calibration housing is constructed so that the knife and sleeve are in the line of sight of the microscope. The knife typically has a sensor that can sense the position of the blade tip relative to the footplate. The sensor provides an output signal to a visual display which converts the signal to a visual readout. The visual display also has an input device that allows the surgeon to zero the visual display. To calibrate the knife, the surgeon inserts the knife into the calibration housing until the footplate is parallel with a marking on the sleeve. The surgeon then adjust the knife until the tip of the blade is parallel with the marking and the footplate. When the three members are parallel the surgeon " zeros" the visual display. Movement of the blade within the sleeve can also be used to calibrate the visual display and set the knife.