# US 2014/0155907 A1 · Surgical instrument with plantary gear system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0155907 A1 - Document ID: US20140155907A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/174,418 - Filed: 2014-02-06 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2010-10-29 - Assignees: Warsaw Orthopedic, Inc. - Applicants: Warsaw Orthopedic, Inc. - Inventors: Bradley E. Steele; Thomas V. McGahan; Jacob R. Zimmermann - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140155907A1 ## CPC - A61B 17/8875: {Screwdrivers, spanners or wrenches} - 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 17/8877: {characterised by the cross-section of the driver bit} - A61B 90/03: {Automatic limiting or abutting means, e.g. for safety} - B25B 15/001: {characterised by material or shape of the tool bit} - B25B 17/02: providing for torque amplification - A61B 17/8894: {holding the implant into or through which the screw is to be inserted (A61B17/7082, A61B17/7091 take precedence)} - A61B 2090/031: {torque limiting} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - B25B: TOOLS OR BENCH DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, FOR FASTENING, CONNECTING, DISENGAGING, OR HOLDING ## Abstract A surgical instrument for applying a rotational force to a structural element during a surgical procedure. The instrument may be designed for increasing an input force to produce an enlarged output force adequate for fracturing an excess section of the elongated element from a remainder of the structural element. The instrument may include an input mechanism that receives an external rotational input force, a planetary gear system that multiples the input force, and an output mechanism that attaches to and delivers the multiplied rotational output force to the excess section of the structural element. The output mechanism may also be configured to capture the separated excess section. The instrument may include a housing and a handle for grasping and manipulating during the surgical procedure. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-16. (canceled) ### Claim 17 A method of removing a section of a structural member that is positioned in a patient comprising: attaching a receptacle of an output shaft to the section of the structural member that is to be removed; moving the output shaft axially relative to a planetary gear system and engaging the output shaft with the planetary gear system; rotating in a first direction an input member that is engaged with the planetary gear system and rotating the planetary gear system; and rotating the output shaft in the first direction through the planetary gear system and applying a force to the section of the structural member. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein moving the output shaft axially relative to the planetary gear system and engaging the output shaft with the planetary gear system includes compressing a biasing member that biases the output shaft away from the planetary gear system and engaging a first member on the output shaft with a corresponding second member in the planetary gear system. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising moving the output shaft axially and into a hollow shaft that extends outward away from the planetary gear system. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising engaging a distal end of the hollow shaft that extends outward beyond the receptacle of the output shaft with a section of the structural member that remains within the patient. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the planetary gear system is positioned within a housing. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the input member is partially positioned in the housing and including an input portion that extends outward from the housing. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the input member further including a sun gear. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein output shaft is partially positioned in the housing and including a length to extend outward from the housing. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the planetary gear system is positioned in the housing and includes a plurality of planet gears that engage with and rotate around the sun gear. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the sun gear is in communication with an annular gear that extends around the sun gear and the plurality of planet gears, the annular gear includes interior teeth that engage with the plurality of planet gears. ### Claim 27 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the output shaft is movable relative to the housing from a first position with a proximal end of the output shaft spaced away from the planetary gear system and a second position with the proximal end spaced in closer proximity to the planetary gear system. ### Claim 28 A method of removing a section of a structural member that is positioned in a patient comprising: providing a surgical instrument, the surgical instrument comprising: a housing; an input member partially positioned in the housing and including an input portion that extends outward from the housing, the input member being rotatable relative to the housing, the input member further including a sun gear; an elongated output shaft partially positioned in the housing and including a length to extend outward from the housing and include a receptacle configured to engage with the element, the elongated output shaft being rotatable relative to the housing; a planetary gear system positioned in the housing and including a plurality of planet gears that engage with and rotate around the sun gear, and an annular ring gear that extends around the sun gear and the plurality of planet gears and includes interior teeth that engage with the plurality of planet gears, the plurality of planet gears being rotatable relative to the housing and the ring gear being non-rotatable relative to the housing; the input member, the output shaft, and the planetary gear system being operatively connected for rotation of the input member in a first rotational direction resulting in rotation of the output shaft in the first rotation direction; attaching the receptacle of the output shaft to the section of the structural member that is to be removed; moving the output shaft axially relative to the planetary gear system and engaging the output shaft with the planetary gear system; rotating in the first direction the input member that is engaged with the planetary gear system and rotating the planetary gear system; and rotating the output shaft in the first direction through the planetary gear system and applying a force to the section of the structural member. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, wherein moving the output shaft axially relative to the planetary gear system and engaging the output shaft with the planetary gear system includes compressing a biasing member that biases the output shaft away from the planetary gear system and engaging a first member on the output shaft with a corresponding second member in the planetary gear system. ### Claim 30 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, further comprising moving the output shaft axially and into a hollow shaft that extends outward away from the planetary gear system. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, further comprising engaging a distal end of the hollow shaft that extends outward beyond the receptacle of the output shaft with a section of the structural member that remains within the patient. ### Claim 32 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, wherein the output shaft is movable relative to the housing from a first position with a proximal end of the output shaft spaced away from the planetary gear system and a second position with the proximal end spaced in closer proximity to the planetary gear system. ### Claim 33 A system for removing a section of a structural member that is positioned in a patient comprising: a structural element comprising a shaft for engagement with tissue and an excess portion; and a surgical instrument comprising, a housing; an input member partially positioned in the housing; an elongated output shaft partially positioned in the housing opposite the input member, the output shaft configured to engage the structural element; a planetary gear system positioned in the housing and including a plurality of planet gears that engage with and rotate around the sun gear; ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The system of claim 33, wherein the input member, the output shaft, and the planetary gear system are operatively connected for rotation of the input member in a first rotational direction resulting in rotation of the output shaft in the first rotation direction ### Claim 35 (depends on 33) The system of claim 33, wherein the output shaft is movable relative to the housing from a first position with a proximal end of the output shaft spaced away from the planetary gear system and a second position with the proximal end spaced in closer proximity to the planetary gear system. ### Claim 36 (depends on 33) The system of claim 33, further comprising a biasing member that biases the output shaft away from the planetary gear system.