System and method for inserting a fastener into bone

Abstract

An insertion guide for guiding a fastener having a head and a shaft. The insertion guide includes a sidewall constructed of a biocompatible material having an entrance end, an exit end, and a cavity extending from the entrance end to the exit end. The sidewall has a guide portion and a fastener connector portion. The guide portion of the sidewall extends from the entrance end toward the exit end, and the fastener connector portion of the sidewall extends from the exit end toward the guide portion. The sidewall in the guide portion is configured such that the cavity has a first cross-sectional distance greater than the head of the fastener. The sidewall in the fastener connector portion has a second cross-sectional distance greater than the shaft, and less than the head.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An insertion guide for guiding a fastener comprising a shaft having a first diameter, and a head connected to the shaft, the head having a second diameter greater than the first diameter so that the head extends outwardly from the shaft, the insertion guide comprising:
 a sidewall constructed of a biocompatible material having an entrance end, an exit end, and a cavity extending from the entrance end to the exit end, the sidewall having a guide portion and a fastener connector portion, the guide portion of the sidewall extending from the entrance end toward the exit end, and the fastener connector portion of the sidewall extending from the exit end toward the guide portion, the sidewall in the guide portion configured such that the cavity has a first cross-sectional distance greater than the second diameter of the head of the fastener, the sidewall in the fastener connector portion having a second cross-sectional distance greater than the first diameter of the shaft, and less than the second diameter of the head.   
     
     
         2 . The insertion guide of  claim 1 , wherein the fastener connector portion of the sidewall is a collet having a plurality of fingers defining the cavity at the exit end of the sidewall, the fingers being constructed of a spring-like material so as to be movable outwardly from a resting position to an expanded position, and movable inwardly from the expanded position to the resting position, when the fingers are in the expanded position, the cavity having a third cross-sectional distance greater than the second diameter of the head. 
     
     
         3 . The insertion guide of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of fingers of the fastener connector portion of the sidewall include a first finger and a second finger, the first finger having a first side and a second side, the second finger having a third side and a fourth side, the first side of the first finger and the fourth side of the second finger defining a slot. 
     
     
         4 . The insertion guide of  claim 2 , wherein the cavity includes a fastener connector portion cavity located within the fastener connector portion of the sidewall, the plurality of fingers of the fastener connector portion of the sidewall includes a first finger, a second finger, and a third finger positioned around the fastener connector portion cavity, the fastener connector portion cavity having the first cross-sectional distance and the second cross-sectional distance. 
     
     
         5 . The insertion guide of  claim 2 , wherein the second cross-sectional distance is defined by the sidewall when the fingers are in the resting position. 
     
     
         6 . The insertion guide of  claim 1 , wherein the fastener connector portion includes a protrusion extending inwardly into the cavity such that the protrusion alters a distance across the cavity from the first cross-sectional distance to the second cross-sectional distance. 
     
     
         7 . The insertion guide of  claim 6 , wherein the shaft of the fastener has a first length, and the protrusion has a proximal end, a distal end, and a second length extending between the proximal end and the distal end, and wherein the second length is less than the first length. 
     
     
         8 . The insertion guide of  claim 7 , wherein the sidewall at the proximal end of the protrusion has a first width, and the second length of the protrusion has a second width, and wherein the second width is less than the first width. 
     
     
         9 . The insertion guide of  claim 1 , wherein the exit end of the sidewall is configured to be a tapered end. 
     
     
         10 . The insertion guide of  claim 1 , wherein the exit end has a plurality of threads. 
     
     
         11 . The insertion guide of  claim 4 , wherein the sidewall has an interior surface extending between the entrance end and the exit end, the interior surface defining the cavity, and an exterior surface spaced outwardly from the interior surface, the exterior surface extending from the entrance end to the exit end, the sidewall having a first thickness extending between the interior surface and the exterior surface in the guide portion, and a second thickness extending between the interior surface and the exterior surface in the fastener connector portion of the sidewall, the second thickness being greater than the first thickness. 
     
     
         12 . A method of making an insertion guide, comprising:
 forming a sidewall having an entrance end, and an exit end such that a cavity is defined by an interior surface of the sidewall and extends from the entrance end to the exit end, the sidewall having a guide portion and a fastener connector portion, the guide portion of the sidewall extending from the entrance end toward the exit end, the fastener connector portion of the sidewall extending from the exit end toward the guide portion, the sidewall in the guide portion configured such that the cavity has a first cross-sectional distance the sidewall in the fastener connector portion having a second cross-sectional distance less than the first cross-sectional distance.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising forming the sidewall of the fastener connector portion as a collet having a plurality of fingers defining the cavity at the exit end of the sidewall, the fingers being constructed of a spring-like material so as to be movable outwardly from a resting position to an expanded position, and movable inwardly from the expanded position to the resting position. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising forming the plurality of fingers of the sidewall of the fastener connector portion with a first finger and a second finger, the first finger having a first side and a second side, the second finger having a third side and a fourth side, the first side of the first finger and the fourth side of the second finger defining a slot. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the cavity includes a fastener connector portion cavity located within the fastener connector portion of the sidewall, the plurality of fingers of the fastener connector portion of the sidewall includes a first finger, a second finger, and a third finger positioned around the fastener connector portion cavity, the fastener connector portion cavity having the first cross-sectional distance and the second cross-sectional distance. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the second cross-sectional distance of the sidewall is when the plurality of fingers of the collet are in the resting position. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , comprises forming the fastener connector portion with a protrusion extending inwardly into the cavity such that the protrusion alters a distance across the cavity from the first cross-sectional distance to the second cross-sectional distance. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising forming the exit end of the sidewall to have a tapered end. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising forming the exit end of the insertion guide to have a plurality of threads. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising forming the sidewall having the interior surface extending between the entrance end and the exit end, the interior surface defining the cavity, and an exterior surface spaced outwardly from the interior surface, the exterior surface extending from the entrance end to the exit end, the sidewall having a first thickness extending between the interior surface and the exterior surface in the guide portion, and a second thickness extending between the interior surface and the exterior surface in the fastener connector portion of the sidewall, the second thickness being greater than the first thickness. 
     
     
         21 . A method, comprising:
 placing an insertion guide through an incision within a patient until an exit end of the insertion guide is positioned adjacent to a bone of the patient;   inserting a fastener into a cavity of the insertion guide;   inserting a surgical screwdriver into the cavity of the insertion guide until the surgical screwdriver engages a head of the fastener;   partially applying the fastener into the bone with the surgical screwdriver until a fastener connector portion of the insertion guide engages the head of the fastener;   releasing the fastener from the insertion guide; and   using the surgical screwdriver to fully insert the fastener into the bone.