Instruments and methods for delivering bone cement to a bone screw

A system, comprising:

• a cannulated bone screw including a head having a truncated sphere shape and defining a proximal recess and a distal recess;
• an alignment guide defining a central lumen, the alignment guide having a distal end configured to couple to the proximal recess in the head of the cannulated bone screw such that a delivery channel extending between the cannulated bone screw and the central lumen is formed;
• wherein the distal end of the alignment guide includes a proximal threaded portion and a distal non-threaded portion, the proximal threaded portion being configured to engage corresponding threads within the proximal recess in the head and the distal non-threaded portion configured to be received within the distal recess of the head;
• and
• a cannulated shaft extending through the alignment guide,
• wherein the delivery channel is sized to receive and seat the cannulated shaft such that the cannulated shaft extends through the central lumen and at least partially into the cannulated bone screw.

A system, comprising:

• a cannulated bone screw having a shank extending distally from a head, the head having a truncated sphere shape and defining a proximal recess and a distal recess;
• and
• an instrument for delivering bone cement to the cannulated bone screw, the instrument comprising
• a hollow alignment guide configured to couple within the proximal recess in the head of the cannulated bone screw;
• a cannulated shaft extending through the alignment guide and configured to extend at least partially into the shank of the cannulated bone screw, the cannulated shaft being configured to deliver bone cement received at a proximal end thereof to the cannulated bone screw;
• and
• a coupling element including a plurality of arms configured to engage a corresponding connection feature of the alignment guide to releasably couple the cannulated shaft to the alignment guide.