Patent ID: 9226777
Filing Date: 2016-01-05
CPC Classification: A61B,B25B

Claim Text:
1. A method of attaching a bone screw to a vertebra of a spine for anchoring an elongate connecting rod thereto, comprising the steps of: providing a multi-axial bone screw including an elongate shaft having a threaded screw portion at the distal end and a screw head at the proximal end, said screw head comprising an upper portion and a lower portion each having an outer spherical surface, a yoke articulatingly attached to said screw head and a sleeve disposed between said yoke and said screw head and supported by the outer spherical surface of the upper portion of said screw head for articulating movement thereon, said yoke having a channel therethrough for receiving an elongate connecting rod, the outer spherical surface of the lower portion of said screw head defining a bone engaging surface between said threaded screw portion and said sleeve; releasably attaching an elongate screw inserter to said yoke; and threadably driving by said screw inserter said threaded portion of said bone screw into a vertebra until the bone engaging surface of said screw head seats in said vertebra with said sleeve spaced proximally of and not in contact with said vertebra, thereby allowing unhindered articulation of said sleeve and said yoke upon completion of insertion of said bone screw.