Flexible surgical screwdriver and methods of arthroscopic ligament reconstruction

A screwdriver comprising:

• (a) a rotable handle having a distal portion, and a central longitudinal axis;
• (b) a flexible shaft portion coupled to the distal portion of the handle, the flexible shaft portion having a plurality of linkage members disposed in series, each linkage member having a bore extending longitudinally therethrough and being joined to an adjacent linkage member via link, so as to permit adjacent linkage members to be pivotally movable with respect to one another about a pivot axis that is transverse to the longitudinal axis, so that the flexible shaft portion may transmit rotation from the handle while conforming generally to a curvature along the longitudinal axis;
• and
• (c) a cannulated drive tip attached to terminal linkage member of the flexible shaft portion for driving a cannulated screw with rotation transmitted from the flexible shaft portion;
• wherein each linkage member includes a male end and a female end, the female end being adapted to engage a male end of an adjacent linkage member, and
• wherein the male end includes a tongue lying generally in a first plane parallel to the longitudinal bore, and the female end includes a channel adapted to receive the tongue of an adjacent linkage member, the channel defining a second plane parallel to the longitudinal bore, wherein the first and second planes are perpendicular to one another.

A screwdriver comprising:

• (a) a rotable handle having a distal portion, and a central longitudinal axis;
• (b) a flexible shaft portion coupled to the distal portion of the handle, the flexible shaft portion having a plurality of linkage members disposed in series, each linkage member having a bore extending longitudinally therethrough and being joined to an adjacent linkage member via link, so as to permit adjacent linkage members to be pivotally movable with respect to one another about a pivot axis that is transverse to the longitudinal axis, so that the flexible shaft portion may transmit rotation from the handle while conforming generally to a curvature along the longitudinal axis;
• and
• (c) a cannulated drive tip attached to terminal linkage member of the flexible shaft portion for driving a cannulated screw with rotation transmitted from the flexible shaft portion;
• wherein each linkage member, being generally cylindrical in shape, includes a male end and a female end, the female end being adapted to engage a male end of an adjacent linkage member, and
• wherein each linkage member further includes a ring positioned circumferentially about the female end therof for securing the engagement between the female end and the male end of an adjacent linkage member.

A screwdriver comprising:

• (a) a rotable handle having a distal portion, and a central longitudinal axis;
• (b) a flexible shaft portion coupled to the distal portion of the handle, the flexible shaft portion having a plurality of linkage members disposed in series, each linkage member having a bore extending longitudinally therethrough and being joined to an adjacent linkage member via link, so as to permit adjacent linkage members to be pivotally movable with respect to one another about a pivot axis that is transverse to the longitudinal axis, so that the flexible shaft portion may transmit rotation from the handle while conforming generally to a curvature along the longitudinal axis;
• and
• (c) a cannulated drive tip attached to terminal linkage member of the flexible shaft portion for driving a cannulated screw with rotation transmitted from the flexible shaft portion
• wherein the handle includes a tunnel along the longitudinal axis so that the entire screwdriver possesses an axially disposed cannula.

A surgical screwdriver for rotationally advancing a screw into a bone, the screwdriver comprising:

• (a) a rotatable rigid shaft portion having a distal end, a proximal end, and a passageway extending from the distal end to the proximal end along a longitudinal axis;
• (b) a flexible shaft portion coupled to the distal end of the rotatable rigid shaft portion, the flexible shaft portion having a plurality of linkage members disposed in series, each linkage member having a bore extending longitudinally therethrough;
• (c) a plurality of links, each link joining a linkage member to an adjacent linkage member by a means for preventing adjacent linkage members from substantially rotating about the longitudinal axis relative to one another, so as to permit torque to be transmitted along the linkage members while permitting adjacent linkage members to be pivotally movable with respect to one another about a pivot axis that is transverse to the longitudinal axis;
• (d) a handle fixed to the proximal end of the rigid shaft portion for rotating the stiff shaft portion;
• and
• (e) a cannulated drive tip attached to a terminal linkage member of the flexible shaft portion for advancing, upon rotation of the handle, a cannulated screw situated on a guide wire.

A surgical screwdriver for rotationally advancing a screw into a bone, the screwdriver comprising:

• (a) a rotatable rigid shaft portion having a distal end, a proximal end, and a passageway extending from the distal end to the proximal end along a longitudinal axis;
• (b) a flexible shaft portion coupled to the distal end of the stiff shaft portion for being rotated upon rotation of the stiff shaft portion, the flexible shaft portion having a plurality of linkage members disposed in series, each linkage member having a bore extending longitudinally therethrough and being joined to an adjacent linkage member via a link so as to permit adjacent linkage members to be pivotally movable with respect to one another about a pivot axis that is transverse to the longitudinal axis;
• (c) a handle fixed to the proximal end of the rigid shaft portion for rotating the stiff shaft portion;
• and
• (d) a cannulated drive tip attached to a terminal linkage member of the flexible shaft portion for advancing, upon rotation of the handle, a cannulated screw situated on a guide wire;
• wherein the handle is cannulated and the passageway aligned so that the guide wire may extend up through the drive tip, through the flexible and rigid shaft portions, and out through the handle.

A surgical screwdriver for rotationally advancing a screw into a bone, the screwdriver comprising:

• (a) a rotatable rigid shaft portion having a distal end, a proximal end, and a passageway extending from the distal end to the proximal end along a longitudinal axis;
• (b) a flexible shaft portion coupled to the distal end of the stiff shaft portion for being rotated upon rotation of the stiff shaft portion, the flexible shaft portion having a plurality of linkage members disposed in series, each linkage member having a bore extending longitudinally therethrough and being joined to an adjacent linkage member via a link so as to permit adjacent linkage members to be pivotally movable with respect to one another about a pivot axis that is transverse to the longitudinal axis;
• (c) a handle fixed to the proximal end of the rigid shaft portion for rotating the stiff shaft portion;
• and
• (d) a cannulated drive tip attached to a terminal linkage member of the flexible shaft portion for advancing, upon rotation of the handle, a cannulated screw situated on a guide wire;
• wherein each linkage member includes a male end and a female end, the female end being adapted for engaging a male end of an adjacent linkage member, and
• wherein the male end includes a tongue lying generally in a first plane parallel to the longitudinal bore, and the female end includes a channel adapted to receive the tongue of an adjacent linkage member, the channel defining a second plane parallel to the longitudinal bore, wherein the first and second planes are perpendicular to one another.

A surgical screwdriver for rotationally advancing a screw into a bone, the screwdriver comprising:

• (a) a rotatable rigid shaft portion having a distal end, a proximal end, and a passageway extending from the distal end to the proximal end along a longitudinal axis;
• (b) a flexible shaft portion coupled to the distal end of the rotatable rigid shaft portion, the flexible shaft portion having a plurality of linkage members disposed in series, each linkage member having a bore extending longitudinally therethrough;
• (c) a plurality of links, each link joining a linkage member to an adjacent linkage member to permit torque to be transmitted along the linkage members while permitting adjacent linkage members to be pivotally movable with respect to one another about a pivot axis that is transverse to the longitudinal axis;
• (d) a handle fixed to the proximal end of the rigid shaft portion for rotating the stiff shaft portion;
• and
• (e) a cannulated drive tip attached to a terminal linkage member of the flexible shaft portion for advancing, upon rotation of the handle, a cannulated screw situated on a guide wire;
• wherein each linkage member, being generally cylindrical in shape, includes a male end and a female end, the female end being adapted to engage a male end of an adjacent linkage member;
• and
• wherein each linkage member further includes a ring positioned circumferentially about the female end thereof for securing the engagement between the female end and the male end of the adjacent linkage members.

A surgical screwdriver for rotationally advancing a screw into a bone, the screwdriver comprising:

• (a) a rotatable rigid shaft portion having a distal end, a proximal end, and a passageway extending from the distal end to the proximal end along a longitudinal axis;
• (b) a flexible shaft portion coupled to the distal end of the stiff shaft portion for being rotated upon rotation of the stiff shaft portion, the flexible shaft portion having a plurality of linkage members disposed in series, each linkage member having a bore extending longitudinally therethrough and being joined to an adjacent linkage member via a link so as to permit adjacent linkage members to be pivotally movable with respect to one another about a pivot axis that is transverse to the longitudinal axis;
• (c) a handle fixed to the proximal end of the rigid shaft portion for rotating the stiff shaft portion;
• and
• (d) a cannulated drive tip attached to a terminal linkage member of the flexible shaft portion for advancing, upon rotation of the handle, a cannulated screw situated on a guide wire;
• wherein the handle includes a longitudinal tunnel so that the screwdriver possesses an axially disposed cannula.

A screwdriver comprising:

• (a) a rotatable handle having a distal portion, and a central longitudinal axis;
• (b) a flexible shaft portion coupled to the distal portion of the handle, the flexible shaft portion having a plurality of linkage members disposed in series, each linkage member having a bore extending longitudinally therethrough;
• (c) a plurality of links, each link joining a linkage member to an adjacent linkage member, so as to permit torque to be transmitted along the linkage members while permitting adjacent linkage members to be pivotally movable with respect to one another about a pivot axis that is transverse to the longitudinal axis to conform generally to a curvature along the longitudinal axis;
• and
• (d) a cannulated drive tip attached to a terminal linkage member of the flexible shaft portion for driving a cannulated screw with rotation transmitted from the flexible shaft portion;
• wherein each linkage member includes a male end and a female end, the female end being adapted to engage a male end of an adjacent linkage member, and
• wherein the male end includes a tongue lying generally in a first plane parallel to the longitudinal bore, and the female end includes a channel adapted to receive the tongue of an adjacent linkage member, the channel defining a second plane parallel to the longitudinal bore, wherein the first and second planes are perpendicular to one another.

A screwdriver comprising:

• (a) a rotatable handle having a distal portion, and a central longitudinal axis:
• (b) a flexible shaft portion coupled to the distal portion of the handle, the flexible shaft portion having a plurality of linkage members disposed in series, each linkage member having a bore extending longitudinally therethrough;
• (c) a plurality of links, each link joining a linkage member to an adjacent linkage member, so as to permit torque to be transmitted along the linkage members while permitting adjacent linkage members to be pivotally movable with respect to one another about a pivot axis that is transverse to the longitudinal axis to conform generally to a curvature along the longitudinal axis;
• and
• (d) a cannulated drive tip attached to a terminal linkage member of the flexible shaft portion for driving a cannulated screw with rotation transmitted from the flexible shaft portion;
• wherein each linkage member, being generally cylindrical in shape, includes a male end and a female end, the female end being adapted to engage a male end of an adjacent linkage member, and
• wherein each linkage member further includes a ring positioned circumferentially about the female end thereof for securing the engagement between the female end and the male end of an adjacent linkage member.

A screwdriver comprising:

• (a) a rotatable handle having a distal portion, and a central longitudinal axis;
• (b) a flexible shaft portion coupled to the distal portion of the handle, the flexible shaft portion having a plurality of linkage members disposed in series, each linkage member having a bore extending longitudinally therethrough;
• (c) a plurality of links, each link joining a linkage member to an adjacent linkage member, so as to permit torque to be transmitted along the linkage members while permitting adjacent linkage members to be pivotally movable with respect to one another about a pivot axis that is transverse to the longitudinal axis to conform generally to a curvature along the longitudinal axis;
• and
• (d) a cannulated drive tip attached to a terminal linkage member of the flexible shaft portion for driving a cannulated screw with rotation transmitted from the flexible shaft portion;
• wherein the handle includes a tunnel along the longitudinal axis so that the entire screwdriver possesses an axially disposed cannula.

A surgical screwdriver for rotationally advancing a screw into a bone, the screwdriver comprising:

• (a) a rotatable rigid shaft portion having a distal end, a proximal end, and a passageway extending from the distal end to the proximal end along a longitudinal axis;
• (b) a flexible shaft portion coupled to the distal end of the rotatable rigid shaft portion, the flexible shaft portion having a plurality of linkage members disposed in series, each linkage member having a bore extending longitudinally therethrough;
• (c) a plurality of links, each link joining a linkage member to an adjacent linkage member to permit torque to be transmitted along the linkage members while permitting adjacent linkage members to be pivotally movable with respect to one another about a pivot axis that is transverse to the longitudinal axis;
• (d) a handle fixed to the proximal end of the rigid shaft portion for rotating the stiff shaft portion;
• and
• (e) a cannulated drive tip attached to a terminal linkage member of the flexible shaft portion for advancing, upon rotation of the handle, a cannulated screw situated on a guide wire;
• wherein the handle is cannulated and the passageway aligned so that the guide wire may extend up through the drive tip, through the flexible and rigid shaft portions, and out through the handle.

A surgical screwdriver for rotationally advancing a screw into a bone, the screwdriver comprising:

• (a) a rotatable rigid shaft portion having a distal end, a proximal end, and a passageway extending from the distal end to the proximal end along a longitudinal axis;
• a flexible shaft portion coupled to the distal end of the rotatable rigid shaft portion, the flexible shaft portion having a plurality of linkage members disposed in series, each linkage member having a bore extending longitudinally therethrough;
• (c) a plurality of links, each link joining a linkage member to an adjacent linkage member to permit torque to be transmitted along the linkage members while permitting adjacent linkage members to be pivotally movable with respect to one another about a pivot axis that is transverse to the longitudinal axis;
• (d) a handle fixed to the proximal end of the rigid shaft portion for rotating the stiff shaft portion;
• and
• (e) a cannulated drive tip attached to a terminal linkage member of the flexible shaft portion for advancing, upon rotation of the handle, a cannulated screw situated on a guide wire;
• wherein each linkage member includes a male end and a female end, the female end being adapted for engaging a male end of an adjacent linkage member, and
• wherein the male end includes a tongue lying generally in a first plane parallel to the longitudinal bore, and the female end includes a channel adapted to receive the tongue of an adjacent linkage member, the channel defining a second plane parallel to the longitudinal bore, wherein the first and second planes are perpendicular to one another.

A surgical screwdriver for rotationally advancing a screw into a bone, the screwdriver comprising:

• (a) a rotatable rigid shaft portion having a distal end, a proximal end, and a passageway extending from the distal end to the proximal end along a longitudinal axis;
• (b) a flexible shaft portion coupled to the distal end of the rotatable rigid shaft portion, the flexible shaft portion having a plurality of linkage members disposed in series, each linkage member having a bore extending longitudinally therethrough;
• (c) a plurality of links, each link joining a linkage member to an adjacent linkage member to permit torque to be transmitted along the linkage members while permitting adjacent linkage members to be pivotally movable with respect to one another about a pivot axis that is transverse to the longitudinal axis;
• (d) a handle fixed to the proximal end of the rigid shaft portion for rotating the stiff shaft portion;
• and
• (e) a cannulated drive tip attached to a terminal linkage member of the flexible shaft portion for advancing, upon rotation of the handle, a cannulated screw situated on a guide wire;
• wherein each linkage member, being generally cylindrical in shape, includes a male end and a female end, the female end being adapted to engage a male end of an adjacent linkage member;
• and
• wherein each linkage member further includes a ring positioned circumferentially about the female end thereof for securing the engagement between the female end and the male end of the adjacent linkage members.

A surgical screwdriver for rotationally advancing a screw into a bone, the screwdriver comprising:

• (a) a rotatable handle having a distal portion, and a central longitudinal axis;
• (b) a flexible shaft portion coupled to the distal portion of the handle, the flexible shaft portion having a plurality of linkage members disposed in series, each linkage member having a bore extending longitudinally therethrough;
• (c) a plurality of links, each link joining a linkage member to an adjacent linkage member, so as to permit torque to be transmitted along the linkage members while permitting adjacent linkage members to be pivotally movable with respect to one another about a pivot axis that is transverse to the longitudinal axis to conform generally to a curvature along the longitudinal axis;
• and
• (d) a cannulated drive tip attached to a terminal linkage member of the flexible shaft portion for driving a cannulated screw with rotation transmitted from the flexible shaft portion;
• wherein the handle includes a longitudinal tunnel so that the screwdriver possesses an axially disposed cannula.