Bone anchors and surgical instruments with integrated guide tips

Abstract

Bone anchors and surgical instruments (e.g., bone taps, drivers, etc.) are disclosed herein that include integrated guide tips. Use of these anchors or instruments can eliminate one or more of the steps in a conventional bone anchor installation procedure, improving surgical efficiency and safety. For example, a surgical instrument (510) can include a guide projection (502) configured for insertion through a cannulation formed in a bone anchor when the surgical instrument is coupled to the bone anchor. The surgical instrument can also include various mechanisms for adjusting the position of the guide projection relative to the bone anchor. The guide projection can replace the needle, stylet, and guidewire used in typical insertion procedures. The bone anchor can also include integrated tapping features to eliminate the need for a separate bone tap instrument. Thus, in some embodiments, targeting, tapping, and driving the bone anchor can be performed in a single step.

Description

technical field [0001] Bone anchors and associated instruments and methods are disclosed herein. Background technique [0002] Bone anchors may be used in orthopedic surgery to secure bone during healing, fusion, or other procedures. For example, in spinal surgery, bone anchors may be used to secure spinal fixation elements to one or more vertebrae to rigidly or dynamically stabilize the spine. [0003] In conventional procedures for coupling bone anchors to bone, access to the bone is obtained, for example, by making a skin incision and resecting soft tissue disposed on the bone or by using minimally invasive techniques. An insertion needle (sometimes called a Jamshidi needle) with the stylet disposed therein is then driven into the bone to establish a trajectory for the bone opening. Next, the stylet is removed and the guidewire is inserted through the needle. The needle is then withdrawn over the guidewire, thereby retaining the guidewire in place. A hollow tap is the...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Additionally, advancing the anchor or advancing tap can inadvertently cause the guidewire to advance within the bone opening, potentially damaging the fragile anatomy disposed adjacent to the bone

Advancing the anchor or advancing the tap can also cause the guidewire to become kinked, making it very difficult to remove

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