Bone fixation system
AssigneeSpinal Generations, LLC
InventorPatrick Sweeney
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bone fixation system includes a bone screw having a longitudinal axis. A passage in the bone screw extends along the longitudinal axis and has a proximal opening at the proximal end of the bone screw and a distal opening at a distal end of the bone screw. A drill extends through the passage, a first end of the drill extending out the distal opening. The combination of the bone screw and the drill is self-drilling.
Claims33
A bone fixation system, comprising:
- a bone screw having a longitudinal axis;
- a passage in the bone screw extending along the longitudinal axis, the passage having a proximal opening at a proximal end of the bone screw and a distal opening at a distal end of the bone screw;
- and
- a drill extending through the passage, a first end of the drill extending out the distal opening, whereby the combination of the bone screw and the drill is self-drilling.
A bone fixation instrumentation kit, comprising:
- a bone screw having a passage extending along a longitudinal axis of the bone screw, the passage having a proximal opening at a proximal end of the screw and a distal opening at a distal end of the screw;
- and
- a driver adapted to extend through the passage, whereby the combination of the bone screw and the driver is self-drilling.
A method for connecting a bone screw to a bone, comprising:
- opening an aperture in a patient to permit access to a bone;
- providing a bone screw having a passage extending along a longitudinal axis of the bone screw, the passage having a keyed portion, a proximal opening at a proximal end of the bone screw, and a distal opening at a distal end of the bone screw;
- providing a drill having a shaft, a cutting tip, and a keyed segment configured to interlock with the keyed portion;
- inserting the drill into the passage wherein the cutting tip protrudes from the distal opening and the keyed segment interlocks with the keyed portion;
- rotating the drill and therefore the bone screw to drill a pilot hole and screw the bone screw into the bone;
- and
- removing the drill from the bone screw without also removing the bone screw from the bone.
A method for attaching a bone screw to a plurality of bone segments comprising:
- opening an aperture in a patient to permit access to a first bone segment and a second bone segment;
- providing a bone screw having a passage extending along a longitudinal axis of the bone screw, the passage having a proximal opening at a proximal end of the bone screw and a distal opening at a distal end of the bone screw;
- providing a driver;
- inserting the driver into the passage;
- driving the screw into and through the first bone segment and into the second bone segment;
- removing the driver from the passage without removing the bone screw from the first and second bone segments.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.