Multiple member interconnect for surgical instrument and absorbable screw fastener
AssigneeTyco Healthcare Group LP
InventorEarl M. Zergiebel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An absorbable screw fastener and a method of firing with an applicator capable of applying a surgical fastener to tissue in order to form tissue connection to secure objects to tissue, the fastener including a body portion having a helical thread, a head portion disposed at the proximal end of the body portion. The head portion includes a driver receiving configuration on its outer surface. The screw fastener further includes a cannulated center lumen with an opening extending from the head portion through the longitudinal length of the body portion.
Claims15
An instrument for inserting an absorbable screw fastener, the instrument comprising:
- a distal portion having an elongated outer tube;
- a proximal portion having a trigger mechanism;
- and
- a driver/torque subassembly disposed within the outer tube and being movable relative to the outer tube including at least a pair of resilient force transmitting arms extending distally therefrom, wherein the arms provide at least a partial passage for a fastener therethrough, to selectively retain a head of an absorbable screw therebetween, and to transmit both an axial and a rotational force to the absorbable screw.
An absorbable screw fastener and instrument for inserting the absorbable screw fastener, comprising:
- an instrument having an outer tube on a distal end and a trigger mechanism on its proximal end;
- a driver/torque subassembly disposed within the outer tube, the driver/torque subassembly including at least a pair of resilient force transmitting arms extending distally therefrom;
- and
- an absorbable screw fastener having a body portion and a head portion disposed at the proximal end of the body portion, the fastener being inserted on the distal end of the instrument, the head of the absorbable screw fastener having a driver receiving configuration formed in an outer radial side surface of the outer diameter for selective engagement with at least the pair of resilient force transmitting arms of the drive/torque subassembly, wherein the resilient force transmitting arms allow at least a partial passage for the fastener therethrough, wherein the resilient force transmitting arms transmit both linear and rotational motion to the driver receiving configuration of the absorbable screw fastener.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.