Patent ID: 7799032

Claim:
A guide pin introducer, comprising: an introducer tube, having an introducer tube length extending between an introducer tube proximal end and an introducer tube distal end, the introducer tube length configured to extend from a skin incision near the paracoccygeal region through the pre-sacral space to an anterior target point on a sacral vertebral body, and an introducer central lumen extending therethrough with an introducer central lumen diameter; a handle on the proximal end; a blunt tipped stylet having no lumen extending longitudinally therethrough, axially movably positionable within the central lumen of the introducer tube, the blunt tipped stylet comprising: a stylet outer diameter less than the introducer central lumen diameter; a stylet length extending between a stylet proximal end and a stylet distal end, the stylet length being greater than the introducer tube length; and a blunt tipped stylet proximal stop positioned on the blunt tipped stylet such that the stylet distal end extends distally of the introducer tube distal end; a lock, for releasably retaining the stylet within the introducer tube; and a guide pin slideably positionable within the lumen of the guide pin introducer, comprising: a solid elongate rod, having a rod outer diameter less than the guide pin introducer lumen diameter, a rod length extending between a rod proximal end and a rod distal end, the rod length being greater than the introducer tube length, a sharpened tip on the rod distal end; a removable guide pin handle releasably attached to the rod proximal end and configured to allow the guide pin introducer to be proximally withdrawn over the rod proximal end when the guide pin handle is removed from the rod proximal end; a guide pin proximal stop positioned on the guide pin such that the sharpened tip extends distally of the introducer tube distal end; and a rotational alignment wide, for maintaining the guide pin in a predetermined rotational orientation with respect to the guide pin handle.