Orthopedic fastener, retainer, and guide

Abstract

Implants, instruments, and methods for connecting and/or stabilizing first and second bone portions relative to one another are presented including fasteners and retainers connectable in axial force transmitting relationship and instruments for their installation. In one example a guide is configured to clamp two bone portions together while a fastener is inserted through at least one of the bone portions to engage a retainer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system operable to fix first and second bone portions relative to one another, the system comprising:
 a retainer having a receiver defining a receiver longitudinal axis;   a screw threadably engageable with the receiver, the screw having a shaft portion defining a longitudinal axis, the shaft having a distal shaft width dimension perpendicular to the screw longitudinal axis in a width direction, a proximal shaft width dimension perpendicular to the screw longitudinal axis in the width direction, the proximal shaft width dimension being greater than the distal shaft width dimension; and   a guide having a handle, a bone contacting member mounted to the handle, a retainer supporting member mounted to the handle opposite the bone contacting member, the retainer supporting member having a portion operable to releasably support the retainer opposite the bone contacting member, the bone contacting member and retainer supporting member being mounted for translation relative to one another and being resiliently biased toward one another, the guide being operable to clamp an object between the retainer and bone contacting member while the screw is engaged with the retainer.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the guide comprises a first guide tube defining an insertion axis and operable to guide a drill having a diameter less than the proximal shaft width dimension and operative to permit passage of the screw along the insertion axis. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , comprising a removable guide tube reducer having a central bore, the guide tube reducer being removably received in the first guide tube coaxial with the insertion axis, the central bore operable to receive a drill to guide the drill along the insertion axis. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the first guide tube is rigidly mounted to the retainer supporting member and the bone contacting member includes a second guide tube, the first and second guide tubes being spaced apart longitudinally and coaxially aligned. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the bone contacting member and the retainer supporting member engage the handle in a rack and pawl arrangement in which a pawl is moveable between a first position in which a rack is moveable longitudinally relative to the pawl in a first rack direction but is prevented from moving longitudinally relative to the pawl in a second rack direction opposite the first rack direction due to engagement of the pawl with the rack, and a second position in which the rack is moveable in the second rack direction, the retainer supporting member being resiliently biased in the first rack direction. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the retainer supporting member comprises a first grip and a second grip such that pressing the first grip and the handle toward one another moves the bone contacting member and the retainer supporting member away from one another and pressing the second grip and the handle toward one another moves the bone contacting member and retainer supporting member toward one another. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the guide is responsive to pressing the first grip and the handle toward one another to move the pawl into the second position and move the bone contacting member and retainer supporting member away from one another to permit an object to be placed between the bone contacting member and retainer supporting member, the guide being responsive to releasing compression between the first grip and the handle to bias the bone contacting member and retainer supporting member toward one another under spring pressure to grip the object with a first compressive force and bias the pawl into the first position, the guide being responsive to pressing the second grip and the handle toward one another to grip the object with a second compressive force greater than the first compressive force and maintain the second compressive force by engagement of the rack and pawl. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the retainer supporting member comprises a retainer seat operable to receive the retainer in a direction transverse to the receiver longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the retainer and retainer seat engage in a tongue and groove arrangement that resists translation of the retainer relative to the retainer seat along the receiver longitudinal axis;   the retainer seat comprises a pair of resilient arms that grip the retainer; and   the arms surround a portion of the periphery of the retainer, the arms being operable to receive and release the retainer in a snap-fit relationship.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a retainer handle removably engageable with the retainer, the retainer handle being engageable with and releasable from the retainer receiver along the receiver longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a retainer handle releasably engaged with the retainer and operable to apply a transverse force to the retainer as it is engaged with the arms, the retainer handle being removable from the retainer after the retainer is engaged with the arms. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the retainer handle is threadably engageable with the retainer in a first direction parallel to the motion axis and the screw is threadably engageable with the retainer in a second direction opposite the first direction. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the retainer handle and screw are threadably engageable with a single threaded bore through the retainer. 
     
     
         14 . A system for fixing first and second bone portions relative to one another, the system comprising:
 a retainer;   a fastener engageable with the retainer;   a guide comprising:   a handle;   a bone contacting member mounted to the handle;   a retainer supporting member mounted to the handle opposite the bone contacting member, the retainer supporting member having a portion operable to releasably support the retainer opposite the bone contacting member, the bone contacting member and retainer supporting member being mounted for translation relative to one another, the retainer supporting member having a first grip and a second grip such that pressing the first grip and the handle toward one another moves the bone contacting member and retainer supporting member away from one another and pressing the second grip and the handle toward one another moves the bone contacting member and retainer supporting member toward one another.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the retainer supporting member engages the handle in a rack and pawl arrangement in which a pawl is moveable between a first position in which a rack is moveable longitudinally relative to the pawl in a first rack direction but is prevented from moving longitudinally relative to the pawl in a second rack direction opposite the first rack direction due to engagement of the pawl with the rack, and a second position in which the rack is moveable in the second rack direction, the retainer supporting member being resiliently biased in the first rack direction, the pawl being resiliently biased into the first position and the pawl including an extension positioned adjacent the handle such that applying pressure to press the first grip and the handle toward one another moves the pawl into the second position allowing the rack to move in the second rack direction and releasing pressure allows the pawl to be biased to the pawl first position. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the guide is responsive to pressing the first grip and the handle toward one another to move the pawl into the second position and move the bone contacting member and retainer supporting member away from one another to receive a bone portion between the bone contacting member and retainer supporting member, the guide being responsive to releasing compression between the first grip and the handle to bias the bone contacting member and retainer supporting member toward one another under spring pressure to grip the bone portion with a first compressive force and bias the pawl into the first position, the guide being responsive to pressing the second grip and the handle toward one another to grip the bone portion with a second compressive force greater than the first compressive force and maintain the second compressive force by engagement of the rack and pawl. 
     
     
         17 . A system for fixing first and second bone portions relative to one another, the system comprising:
 a retainer;   a screw threadably engageable with the retainer;   a guide having a bone contacting portion, an opposed retainer supporting portion operable to releasably retain the retainer opposite the bone contacting portion, the bone contacting portion and retainer supporting portion defining a motion axis and being mounted for axial translation parallel to the motion axis toward and away from one another; the retainer supporting portion comprising spaced apart arms defining a perimeter greater than one half a perimeter of the retainer and being operable to spread apart to receive the retainer as the retainer is pressed between the arms and spring back to positively grip the retainer.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the retainer and arms engage in torque transmitting relationship operable to resist rotation of the retainer as the screw is threadably engaged with the retainer. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the torque transmitting relationship is defined by features formed on the retainer and the arms that engage when the retainer is received by the arms by pressing the retainer in a direction transverse to the motion axis, the features being operable to self-align as the retainer engages the arms. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , further comprising a retainer handle releasably engaged with the retainer and operable to apply a transverse force to the retainer as it is engaged with the arms, the retainer handle being removable from the retainer after the retainer is engaged with the arms.