Patent ID: 11903622
Assignee: GLOBUS MEDICAL INC.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 8:
9. A method for removing a bone screw disposed in a screw seat of a base plate with a blocking element extending above a head of the screw, the method comprising:
sliding a removal sleeve over a bone screw driver, wherein:
the removal sleeve has a hollow interior and extends from a proximal end to a distal end, wherein the distal end includes a prong extending downwardly;
the bone screw driver includes a driver tip adapted to engage an engagement feature formed in the head of the bone screw;

wherein the base plate includes a blocking element having a first end attached to the base plate and a free end including a laterally extending blocking portion adapted to be elastically biased towards a locked position over the bone screw and to be elastically compressed toward an unlocked position, the base plate having a groove circumferentially extending around the screw seat for receiving the blocking portion in the unlocked position; and
after the sliding step, inserting the driver tip into the engagement feature and the prong of the removal sleeve in the screw seat;
rotating the removal sleeve relative to the inserted bone screw driver tip such that the prong elastically and laterally compresses the blocking portion into the groove to transition the blocking portion from the locked position into the unlocked position; and
rotating the driver to remove the screw from the base plate while the blocking portion is in the unlocked position.