Compression/neutral drill guide sleeve

A drill guide assembly for use with a bone plate, comprising:

• a drill guide including:
• a drill guide tube including a ring on the drill guide tube and a distal end, wherein the distal end of the drill guide tube is configured to extend through a plate hole in the bone plate;
• a drill guide body with a distal end and a central opening configured to receive the drill guide tube;
• and
• a spring positioned between the drill guide body and the ring on the drill guide tube;
• and
• a drill guide sleeve with a central opening configured to receive the drill guide including:
• a ring stop configured to engage the ring, and
• a sleeve distal end configured to engage the plate hole on the bone plate upon application of force on the drill guide sleeve toward the sleeve distal end;
• wherein the spring is configured to bias the drill guide tube in a distal direction so that a distal end of the drill guide tube extends from the sleeve distal end.
• .

A. drill guide assembly configured to engage a drill bit, comprising:

• a drill guide with a proximal end, a distal end, and a drill guide passage extending from the proximal end to the distal end;
• a drill guide sleeve with a proximal end member having a grip, a distal end member, and a spring connecting the proximal end member to the distal end member, wherein the grip is secured to a proximal end of the drill guide;
• wherein the drill guide sleeve is configured to receive the drill guide so that the distal end of the drill guide extends beyond the distal end of the drill guide sleeve by a first distance;
• and
• a shell surrounding the drill guide sleeve, a distal end of the shell being fixed to the distal end member of the drill guide sleeve;
• wherein the shell is configured to allow the spring of the drill guide sleeve to compress reversibly within the shell;
• wherein the spring is configured to compress upon application of a downward force on the drill guide, causing the distal end of the drill guide to extend beyond the distal end of the drill guide sleeve by a second distance which is greater than the first distance.