PUSH-OFF DRIVER AND METHOD FOR INSERTING BONE SCREWS

• US 20080045970A1
• Filed: 08/17/2007
• Published: 02/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DePuy Synthes Products LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: DePuy Synthes Products LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: SAIDHA, SEAN, Strausbaugh, William, Wolf, Boyd
• Granted Patent: US 8,460,307 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/104
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7032 Screws or hooks with U-shaped head or back through which longitudinal rods pass
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7035 Screws or hooks, wherein a rod-clamping part and a bone-anchoring part can pivot relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7082 for driving, i.e. rotating, screws or screw parts specially adapted for spinal fixation, e.g. for driving polyaxial or tulip-headed screws driving other bone screws A61B17/8875
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8615 at the central region of the screw head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/862 at the periphery of the screw head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/888 the driver bit acting on the central region of the screw head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8883 the driver bit acting on the periphery of the screw head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8886 holding the screw head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00407 Ratchet means
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/0035 Connection means between socket or screwdriver bit and tool
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/0042 Connection means between screwdriver handle and screwdriver shaft
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/101 for hand-driven screw-drivers B25B23/105 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 606/916 Tool for installing or removing orthopedic fastener

Abstract

A method and device for inserting screws into a patient, such that when the device is removed the device does not stick to the screw. The device, being a push-off driver, may have a handle, an inner driver, and a threaded driver sleeve having a button mechanism and a plurality of spheres, and an inner sleeve. The method includes the steps of assembling a push-off driver attaching a bone screw to the push-off driver inserting the bone screw and detaching the bone screw from the driver by unthreading the threaded driver sleeve from the polyaxial screw which causes the spheres in the recess of the inner driver to back up against the start of the recess and causing the threaded driver sleeve to “push-off” the polyaxial screw from the inner driver.

Claims

1. A driver for inserting a bone screw, the driver comprising:

a handle;

a driver sleeve connectable at its distal end to the bone screw;

an inner driver releasably moveable inside the driver sleeve and having a drive structure to drive the bone screw; and

a release mechanism for locking and unlocking the driver sleeve relative to the inner driver,

wherein operation of the release mechanism permits the screw to be pushed off of the inner driver.

2. The driver of claim 1, wherein the inner driver further comprises a cross pin that protrudes perpendicularly from the inner driver'"'"'s distal end that prevents rotation of the bone screw when connected to the bone screw.

3. The driver of claim 1 further comprising a button mechanism and one or more spheres, an inner sleeve, the inner sleeve comprising one or more bores to house the spheres.

4. The driver of claim 3 wherein the inner driver further comprises one or more recesses in communication with the one or more spheres when the release mechanism is operated.

5. The driver of claim 1 further comprising a button mechanism, an inner sleeve and one or more spring-loaded pins.

6. The driver of claim 5 wherein the inner driver further comprises one or more recesses in communication with the one or more spring-loaded pins when the release mechanism is operated.

7. The driver of claim 1 wherein the driver further comprises a knurled member connectable at its distal end to the proximal end of the driver sleeve and operation of the release mechanism includes moving the knurled member proximally to come in contact with the handle.

8. The driver of claim 1 wherein the driver further comprises a ratchet mechanism and a knurled member, the knurled member connectable at its distal end to the proximal end of the driver sleeve and operation of the release mechanism includes moving the knurled member proximally, and the knurled member being engaged with the ratchet mechanism.

9. The driver of claim 8 wherein the ratchet mechanism comprises a button mechanism and one or more jaws wherein the one or more jaws are in communication with the knurled member during operation of the release mechanism.

10. The driver of claim 1 wherein the driver sleeve is in contact with the handle.

11. A driver for inserting a bone screw, the driver comprising:

a driver sleeve;

an inner driver having a drive structure, the inner driver being releasably insertable into the driver sleeve;

a release mechanism, wherein operation of the release mechanism releasably attaches the driver sleeve to the inner sleeve allowing the bone screw to be pushed off of the inner driver when the driver is unthreaded from the bone screw.

12. The driver of claim 11 further comprising a button mechanism and one or more spheres, an inner sleeve, the inner sleeve comprising one or more bores to house the spheres and the inner driver further comprises one or more recesses in communication with the one or more spheres when the release mechanism is operated.

13. The driver of claim 11 further comprising a button mechanism, an inner sleeve and one or more spring-loaded pins and the inner driver further comprises one or more recesses in communication with the one or more spring-loaded pins when the release mechanism is operated.

14. The driver of claim 11 wherein the driver further comprises a knurled member connectable at its distal end to the proximal end of the driver sleeve and operation of the release mechanism includes moving the knurled member proximally to come in contact with the handle.

15. The driver of claim 11 wherein the driver further comprises a ratchet mechanism and a knurled member, the knurled member connectable at its distal end to the proximal end of the driver sleeve and operation of the release mechanism includes moving the knurled member proximally, and the knurled member being engaged with the ratchet mechanism.

16. A driver for inserting a bone screw, the driver comprising:

a handle;

a driver sleeve comprising a releasing mechanism and one or more sliding members;

an inner driver releasably movable within the driver sleeve and further comprising one or more recesses;

wherein operation of the releasing mechanism permits the one or more sliding members to engage the one or more recesses and permits the screw to be pushed off of the inner driver.

17. The driver of claim 16 wherein the sliding members are spheres.

18. The driver of claim 16 wherein the sliding members are pins.

19. The driver of claim 18 wherein the pins are held in place by a spring element.

20. The driver of claim 16 where the releasing mechanism comprises, an inner sleeve, the inner sleeve comprising one or more bores to house the spheres.

21. The driver of claim 16, wherein the inner driver further comprises a cross pin that protrudes perpendicularly from the inner driver'"'"'s distal end that prevents rotation of the bone screw when connected to the bone screw.

22. A method of releasing a driver from a bone screw, the method comprising the steps of:

assembling a driver comprising;

a driver sleeve connectable at its distal end to the bone screw;

an inner driver releasably moveable inside the driver sleeve and having a drive structure to drive the bone screw; and

a release mechanism for locking and unlocking the driver sleeve relative to the inner driver;

attaching the bone screw to the driver sleeve and inner driver;

inserting the bone screw into a patient; and

detaching the driver from the bone screw by unthreading the driver sleeve from the bone screw,

wherein the release mechanism locks the driver sleeve relative to the inner driver preventing the threaded driver from further moving distally.