Patent ID: 8900240
Filing Date: 2014-12-02
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for driving a spinal rod down into a coupling of a spinal screw assembly and locking the rod securely with a locking device of the spinal screw assembly, the apparatus comprising: an elongate shaft assembly having a longitudinal bore, upper and lower ends, and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween; an elongate drive rod of unitary construction sized to fit in the longitudinal bore; a lower portion of the unitary drive rod having a distal end configured for receiving the locking device of the spinal screw assembly; an upper portion of the unitary drive rod including a proximal end for projecting beyond the upper end of the shaft assembly; and an actuating mechanism configured to cooperate with the drive rod upper portion so that operation of the actuating mechanism drives the unitary drive rod including both the upper and lower portions thereof linearly without rotation down along the longitudinal axis in the bore of the shaft assembly for driving the spinal rod down into the spinal screw assembly coupling then allowing the unitary drive rod including both the upper and lower portions thereof to both be rotated in the shaft assembly bore via rotation of the proximal end of the drive rod for locking the spinal rod in the coupling with the locking device that is received by the distal end of the drive rod lower portion, wherein the actuating mechanism and drive rod upper portion have a drive interface therebetween including a drive portion of the drive rod upper portion and a drive portion of the actuator mechanism in engagement with each other for linear driving of the drive rod with the drive rod drive portion being disposed along one side of the drive rod upper portion so that rotating the drive rod causes the drive interface portions to disengage from each other.