Retaining driver system

1 . A retaining driver for bone screws, the retaining driver comprising:

a shaft comprising:

a proximal end of the shaft; and

a distal end of the shaft;

an elongate channel extending within the shaft from the distal end of the shaft toward the proximal end of the shaft;

a retaining tip on the distal end of the shaft, wherein the retaining tip comprises:

a geometric profile adapted to permit transference of rotational torque to a corresponding geometric profile of a bone screw;

a window formed on a side of the retaining tip and forming a passage communicating with the elongate channel; and

a retaining element disposed within the passage and sized to be able to protrude from the window but not to pass entirely through the window;

an elongate actuator at least partially and movingly disposed within the elongate channel, the elongate actuator comprising a distal shape that is configured to displace the retaining element axially outward in the passage to protrude through the window when the elongate actuator is advanced distally in the elongate channel and which permits the retaining element to move axially inward in the passage when the elongate actuator is displaced proximally within the elongate channel;

an interface affixed to the proximal end of the shaft to permit affixation of the interface to a handle to facilitate holding of the retaining driver by a practitioner and application of rotational torque thereto;

a trigger functionally secured to a proximal end of the elongate actuator and disposed on the shaft, such that actuation of the trigger causes the elongate actuator to move so as to cause the retaining element to move axially outward or to be released to selectively permit inward axial movement of the retaining element; and

an articulating joint on the shaft facilitating transference of rotational torque at the proximal end of the shaft to the distal end of the shaft even when the proximal end of the shaft and the distal end of the shaft are not coaxial.

2 . The retaining driver as recited in claim 1 , wherein the geometric profile of the retaining tip comprises a profile that comprises at least one of a hexalobe profile (Torx™), a hex profile (Allen), a triple-square profile (Robertson), a Torx-Plus™ profile, and a ball-tip version of at least one of the hexalobe profile (Torx™), the hex profile (Allen), the triple-square profile (Robertson), or the Torx-Plus™ profile.

3 . The retaining driver as recited in claim 1 , wherein the retaining element comprises a form comprising at least one of a sphere, a cylinder with a rounded tip, a pin, a plunger, a rectangular prism with a rounded tip, and a key.

4 . The retaining driver as recited in claim 1 , wherein the distal shape of the elongate actuator comprises a cam profile comprising:

a dwell at release position at a most distal portion of the retaining driver;

a primary ramp proximally adjacent the dwell at release position and adapted to provide a first displacement of the retaining element; and

a secondary ramp proximally adjacent the primary ramp and adapted to provide a second displacement of the retaining element configured to reduce backdriving and to tension the retaining element in the bone screw.

5 . The retaining driver as recited in claim 1 , wherein distal-proximal movement of the elongate actuator within the shaft is provided by movement comprising at least one of a sliding movement, a rotary movement, and a helical movement.

6 . The retaining driver as recited in claim 1 , wherein the trigger comprises a ring disposed around the shaft.

7 . The retaining driver as recited in claim 6 , wherein the articulating joint comprises a first joint configured to articulate along a first axis and a second joint configured to articulate along a second axis.

8 . The retaining driver as recited in claim 7 , wherein the trigger is disposed proximally of the articulating joint, and wherein the elongate actuator passes through the articulating joint in an articulating form comprising at least one of:

an articulating actuator joint formed in the elongate actuator; and

a flexible portion of the elongate actuator comprising at least one of a nitinol wire, a metal cable, an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene rod, and a coil spring.

9 . The retaining driver as recited in claim 1 , wherein the retaining element comprises at least one of a plurality of retaining elements that selectively protrudes through a plurality of windows on the retaining tip to selectively retain the bone screw thereon.

10 . A retaining driver system comprising:

a bone screw comprising:

a threaded shaft comprising:

a proximal end of the threaded shaft; and

a distal tip of the threaded shaft;

a screw head extending proximally from the proximal end of the threaded shaft;

a drive feature extending distally into the screw head from a drive feature opening, the drive feature comprising:

a geometric profile of the bone screw adapted to receive transference of rotational torque when driving the bone screw into bone or when removing the bone screw from bone; and

an undercut feature disposed within the drive feature distally from the drive feature opening, such that a diameter of the drive feature distal to the drive feature opening is greater than a diameter of the drive feature opening directly proximate to the undercut feature;

a retaining driver comprising:

a shaft comprising:

a proximal end of the shaft; and

a distal end of the shaft;

an elongate channel extending within the shaft from the distal end of the shaft toward the proximal end of the shaft;

a retaining tip on the distal end of the shaft, wherein the retaining tip comprises:

a geometric profile of the retaining tip adapted to permit transference of rotational torque to the geometric profile of the bone screw;

a window formed on a side of the retaining tip so as to be aligned with the undercut feature of the bone screw when the retaining tip is fully inserted into the drive feature of the bone screw, the window forming a passage communicating with the elongate channel; and

a retaining element disposed within the passage and sized to be able to protrude from the window but not to pass entirely through the window;

an elongate actuator at least partially and movingly disposed within the elongate channel, the elongate actuator comprising a distal shape that displaces the retaining element axially outward in the passage to protrude through the window when the elongate actuator is advanced distally in the elongate channel and which permits the retaining element to move axially inward in the passage when the elongate actuator is displaced proximally within the elongate channel;

an interface affixed to the proximal end of the shaft to permit affixation of the interface to a handle to facilitate holding of the retaining driver by a practitioner and application of rotational torque thereto;

a trigger functionally coupled to a proximal end of the elongate actuator and disposed on the shaft, such that actuation of the trigger causes the elongate actuator to move so as to cause the retaining element to move axially outward or to be released to permit inward axial movement of the retaining element; and

an articulating joint on the shaft facilitating transference of rotational torque at the proximal end of the shaft to the distal end of the shaft even when the proximal end of the shaft and the distal end of the shaft are not coaxial.

11 . The retaining driver system as recited in claim 10 , wherein distal-proximal movement of the elongate actuator within the shaft is provided by movement comprising at least one of sliding movement, rotary movement, and helical movement.

12 . The retaining driver system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the trigger comprises a ring disposed around the shaft.

13 . The retaining driver system as recited in claim 12 , wherein the articulating joint comprises a first joint configured to articulate along a first axis and a second joint configured to articulate along a second axis.

14 . The retaining driver system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the trigger is disposed proximal to the articulating joint and wherein the elongate actuator passes through the articulating joint in an articulating form comprising at least one of:

an articulating actuator joint formed in the elongate actuator; and

a flexible portion of the elongate actuator comprising at least one of a nitinol wire, a metal cable, an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene rod, and a coil spring.

15 . The retaining driver system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the retaining element comprises at least one of a plurality of retaining elements that selectively protrudes through a plurality of windows on the retaining tip to selectively retain the bone screw thereon.

16 . A retaining driver system comprising:

a bone screw comprising:

a threaded shaft comprising:

a proximal end of the threaded shaft; and

a distal tip of the threaded shaft;

a screw head extending proximally from the proximal end of the threaded shaft;

a hexalobe drive feature extending distally into the screw head from a drive feature opening, the hexalobe drive feature comprising:

a hexalobe profile of the bone screw adapted to receive transference of rotational torque when driving the bone screw into a bone or when removing the bone screw from the bone; and

an undercut feature disposed within the hexalobe drive feature distally from the drive feature opening, such that a diameter of the drive feature distal to the drive feature opening is greater than a diameter of the drive feature opening directly proximate to the undercut feature;

a retaining driver comprising:

a shaft comprising:

a proximal end of the shaft; and

a distal end of the shaft;

an elongate channel extending within the shaft from the distal end of the shaft toward the proximal end of the shaft;

a retaining tip on the distal end of the shaft, wherein the retaining tip comprises:

a hexalobe profile of the retaining tip adapted to permit transference of rotational torque to the hexalobe drive feature of the bone screw;

a window disposed on a side of the retaining tip so as to be aligned with the undercut feature of the bone screw when the retaining tip is fully inserted into the drive feature of the bone screw, the window forming a passage communicating with the elongate channel; and

a retaining element disposed within the passage and sized to be able to protrude from the window but not to pass entirely through the window;

an elongate actuator at least partially and movingly disposed within the elongate channel, the elongate actuator comprising a distal shape that displaces the retaining element axially outward in the passage to protrude through the window when the elongate actuator is advanced distally in the elongate channel and which permits the retaining element to move axially inward in the passage when the elongate actuator is displaced proximally within the elongate channel; and

an articulating joint on the shaft facilitating transference of rotational torque at the proximal end of the shaft to the distal end of the shaft even when the proximal end of the shaft and the distal end of the shaft are not coaxial.