System and method for a medical implant with integrated propulsors

An insertion instrument for a surgical implant, comprising:

• a torque inducer having a distal and proximal end,
• an actuating shaft having a distal end portion and a proximal end, wherein the distal end of the torque inducer is fixedly coupled to the proximal end of the actuating shaft,
• a first secondary drive shaft having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion;
• a second secondary drive shaft having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion;
• and
• a drive train coupled to the distal end portion of the actuating shaft and coupled to the proximal end of the first secondary drive shaft and coupled to the proximal end of the second secondary drive shaft such that when the actuating shaft is rotated in a first direction, the first secondary drive shaft is rotated in an opposite direction and the second secondary drive shaft is rotated in the first direction.

An insertion instrument for deploying an orthopedic implant having two propulsors arranged at a fixed spacing, the insertion instrument comprising:

• a handle;
• an elongate mounting unit extending distally from the handle;
• a primary actuating shaft coupled to the handle and extending through the mounting unit;
• first and second secondary shafts extending through the mounting unit and having distal ends spaced apart from one another by substantially the same distance as a spacing between longitudinal axes of the two propulsors of the implant;
• and
• a transmission system within the mounting unit operatively coupling the primary shaft to the first and second secondary shafts such that rotation of the handle produces simultaneous, opposite-direction rotation of the first and second secondary shafts to drive the propulsors of the implant in opposite directions.