# US 10,441,326 B2 · Driver instruments and related methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,441,326 B2 - Document ID: US10441326B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/389,587 - Filed: 2016-12-23 - Published: 2018-06-28 - Granted: 2019-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2016-12-23 - Assignees: Medos International Sérl - Applicants: Medos International Sarl - Inventors: John Divincenzo; Thomas Martin; Nicholas Pavento; James Murray - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10441326B2 ## CPC - A61B 17/7082: {for driving, i.e. rotating, screws or screw parts specially adapted for spinal fixation, e.g. for driving polyaxial or tulip-headed screws} - A61B 17/7091: {for applying, tightening or removing longitudinal element-to-bone anchor locking elements, e.g. caps, set screws, nuts or wedges} - A61B 17/8877: {characterised by the cross-section of the driver bit} - A61B 17/888: {the driver bit acting on the central region of the screw head} - A61B 17/8888: {at its central region} - A61B 17/8894: {holding the implant into or through which the screw is to be inserted (A61B17/7082, A61B17/7091 take precedence)} - A61B 17/7083: {Tools for guidance or insertion of tethers, rod-to-anchor connectors, rod-to-rod connectors, or longitudinal elements} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein applying the axial force comprises sliding the handle of the instrument distally along the driver shaft to exert an axial force on a shoulder of the driver shaft. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein retaining the fastener comprises wedging a tapered portion of the drive tip within the drive recess of the fastener. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the tapered portion tapers continuously from a reduced distal diameter to an enlarged proximal diameter, and wherein the drive recess of the fastener has a diameter that is greater than or equal to the reduced distal diameter and less than the enlarged proximal diameter. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising locking the handle at a fixed longitudinal position along the driver shaft. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, 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. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, 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. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein, when the locking collar is in the locked position, an indicator finger of the locking collar is received within a groove formed in the handle to maintain the locking collar in the locked position and provide an indication to a user that the locking collar is in the locked position. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising unlocking the handle from a fixed longitudinal position along the driver shaft. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein unlocking 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 an unlocked position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein, when the locking collar is in the unlocked position, a projection formed in a central passage of the locking collar is positioned outside of a corresponding recess formed in the driver shaft to allow longitudinal translation of the locking collar relative to the driver shaft. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein, when the locking collar is in the unlocked position, an indicator finger of the locking collar is received within a groove formed in the handle to maintain the locking collar in the unlocked position and provide an indication to a user that the locking collar is in the unlocked position. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising 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. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising, without separating the driver shaft from the fastener, sliding the handle to a distal position along the driver shaft, attaching a second handle to a proximal end of the driver shaft, and rotating the second handle to further tighten the fastener to the bone anchor. ### Claim 15 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. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein, when the locking collar is in the locked position, an indicator finger of the locking collar is received within a groove formed in the handle to maintain the locking collar in the locked position and provide an indication to a user that the locking collar is in the locked position. ### Claim 17 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.