Internal breakoff set screw and driver
AssigneeWarsaw Orthopedic, Inc.
InventorWilliam A. Rezach
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An approach is provided for engaging a set screw to an implant. The approach includes a surgical instrument. The surgical instrument may include a shaft having an elongated rigid structure, and a driver head positioned on a distal end of the surgical instrument. The driver head may include at least one groove or at least one protrusion extending in a longitudinal direction of the surgical instrument and a pin positioned at least partially within the driver head. The pin may be configured to deploy and retract in a lateral direction from with the driver head portion.
Claims18
A surgical instrument comprising:
- a shaft having an elongated rigid structure extending in a longitudinal direction from a first end to a second end, and
- a driver head positioned on a distal end of the surgical instrument,
- wherein the driver head comprises:
- a magazine retention portion extending in the longitudinal direction from the second end towards the distal end of the surgical instrument a distance sufficient for simultaneously storing a plurality of broken-off breakoff head portions of a corresponding plurality of set screws;
- at least one groove or at least one protrusion extending in the longitudinal direction along the magazine retention portion,
- a coil spring and pin positioned at least partially within the driver head, the coil spring and pin being positioned between the distal end of the surgical instrument and the magazine retention portion, and
- wherein the coil spring applies a biasing force urging the pin outward from the driver head in a lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction such that in a deployed position a head portion of the pin extends laterally farther than a lateral edge of the driver head and in a retracted position the coil spring is compressed within the driver head portion.
A system for engaging a set screw to an implant, the system comprising:
- a first set screw comprising a first breakoff head and a first threaded portion coupled together via a first breakoff region and a first interlocking portion,
- a second set screw comprising a second breakoff head and a second threaded portion coupled together via a second breakoff region and a second interlocking portion;
- and
- a surgical instrument comprising:
- a shaft having an elongated rigid structure extending in a longitudinal direction from a first end to a second end, and
- a driver head positioned on a distal end of the surgical instrument,
- wherein the driver head comprises:
- a magazine retention portion extending in the longitudinal direction from the second end towards the distal end of the surgical instrument;
- at least one interlocking portion extending in the longitudinal direction along the magazine retention portion,
- a coil spring and pin positioned within a recessed detent of the driver head between the distal end of the surgical instrument and the magazine retention portion,
- wherein the at least one interlocking portion of the driver head is configured to interlock with the first interlocking portion of the first breakoff head and/or the second interlocking portion of the second breakoff head,
- wherein the spring applies a biasing force urging the pin outward from the driver head in a lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction such that in a deployed position a head portion of the pin extends laterally farther than an outside surface of the driver head and in a retracted position the spring is compressed within the recessed detent of the driver head, and
- wherein, in a stacked position, the first breakoff head of the first set screw is disposed on the magazine retention portion and the distal end of the surgical instrument is engaged with the second set screw.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.