Drill bit and method for preparing a bone for a fixation screw
AssigneeSpinal Generations, LLC
InventorPatrick J. Sweeney
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of preparing a bone to receive a fixation screw through a fixation device includes providing a drill bit sized and configured to pass through a bore in a fixation device positioned in the bone and drilling a passage into the bone and through the bore. At least a distal portion of the drill bit passes through the bore in the drilling step. At least an outer portion of the distal portion of the drill bit has a hardness that is less than a hardness of the fixation nail.
Claims23
A method of preparing a bone to receive a secondary fixation element through a fixation device, comprising:
- providing a drill having a drill bit sized and configured to pass through a bore in a fixation device positioned in the bone;
- and
- drilling a passage in the bone, wherein the passage extends through the bore;
- wherein at least a distal portion of the drill bit passes through the bore in the drilling step;
- and
- wherein at least an outer portion of the distal portion of the drill bit has a hardness that is less than a hardness of the fixation device.
A bone fixation system, comprising:
- a fixation device configured to be positioned at a target area of bone comprising two ends connected by a shaft and further comprising a bore formed through the shaft configured to receive a fixation screw;
- a drill bit sized and configured to pass through the bore to prepare the surrounding bone to receive a second fixation device;
- wherein at least a distal portion of the drill bit is configured to pass through the bore;
- wherein the fixation device is made of a first material and wherein the distal portion of the drill bit comprises at least an outer portion made of a second material;
- and
- wherein the second material of the drill bit has a hardness that is less than the hardness of the first material of the fixation device.
A drill bit for preparing a hole in a bone, comprising:
- a drill bit shaft having a distal portion sized and configured to be received through a bore in a fixation device,
- wherein the distal portion has a hardness greater than the hardness of the bone and less than a Brinell hardness of 160 HB.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.