Driver instruments and related methods
AssigneeMedos International Sérl
InventorsJohn Divincenzo, Thomas Martin, Nicholas Pavento, James Murray
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Abstract
Driver instruments and related methods are disclosed herein, e.g., for applying a fastener to a bone anchor. Various features are disclosed for retaining the fastener to the driver instrument, such as tapered drive tips, as are various features for impacting the driver instrument into the fastener, such as slidable slap-hammer type handles. Driver instruments with interchangeable handles or handle geometries that can be changed without separating the instrument from an attached fastener are also disclosed.
Claims17
A method of applying a fastener to a bone anchor, comprising:
- inserting a drive tip of a driver instrument into a drive recess of the fastener;
- applying an axial force to a driver shaft of the instrument to impact the drive tip into the drive recess of the fastener and retain the fastener to the drive tip by an interference fit;
- sliding a handle of the instrument along a longitudinal axis of the driver shaft;
- positioning the instrument and the fastener retained thereto with respect to a bone anchor;
- and
- rotating the driver shaft to apply the fastener to the bone anchor,
- wherein the fastener is a set screw and wherein applying the fastener comprises threading the set screw into opposed threaded arms the bone anchor to retain a spinal rod within the bone anchor.
A method of applying a fastener to a bone anchor, comprising:
- inserting a drive tip of a driver instrument into a drive recess of the fastener;
- applying an axial force to a driver shaft of the instrument to impact the drive tip into the drive recess of the fastener and retain the fastener to the drive tip by an interference fit;
- positioning the instrument and the fastener retained thereto with respect to a bone anchor;
- rotating a handle of the instrument to rotate the driver shaft and apply the fastener to the bone anchor;
- and
- locking the handle at a fixed longitudinal position along the driver shaft;
- wherein locking the handle comprises rotating a locking collar coupled to the handle with respect to the handle about a central longitudinal axis of the driver shaft to a locked position;
- wherein, when the locking collar is in the locked position, a projection formed in a central passage of the locking collar is received within a corresponding recess formed in the driver shaft to prevent longitudinal translation of the locking collar relative to the driver shaft.
A method of applying a fastener to a bone anchor, comprising:
- inserting a drive tip of a driver instrument into a drive recess of the fastener;
- applying an axial force to a driver shaft of the instrument to impact the drive tip into the drive recess of the fastener and retain the fastener to the drive tip by an interference fit;
- positioning the instrument and the fastener retained thereto with respect to a bone anchor;
- rotating a handle of the instrument to rotate the driver shaft and apply the fastener to the bone anchor;
- and
- rotating a locking collar of the instrument to lock or unlock a longitudinal position of the handle with respect to the driver shaft, wherein rotating the locking collar comprises rotating a plurality of retention fingers extending from the locking collar within an annular groove formed in the handle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.