Small joint fixation

1. A method of joining adjacent bone structures comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a medical device having:

a first implant portion;

a second implant portion attached to the first implant portion; and

a driver assembly having an instrument adapted to form an opening in bone, the driver assembly being integrally connected to and removably attached to the second implant portion at a connection, distal from the first implant portion;

(b) placing the first implant portion against a first bone structure;

(c) inserting the first implant portion into the first bone structure;

(d) snapping the second implant portion from the driver assembly;

(e) using the driver assembly to form an opening in a second bone structure, adjacent to the first bone structure; and

(f) inserting the second implant portion into the opening.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein step (c) is performed in the absence of pre-drilling the first bone structure.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the driver assembly comprises a drill at a proximal end thereof, and wherein step (e) comprises using the drill to drill the opening into the second bone structure.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein, after step (e) and before step (f), a second opening, adjacent to the opening, is formed in the second bone structure.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the driver assembly further comprises a broach, and wherein the method further comprises, after step (e), the step of using the broach to widen the opening and the second opening.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second implant portion comprises a void adjacent to the connection, and wherein step (d) comprises separating the second implant portion from the driver assembly at the void.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the driver assembly comprises a through-opening extending therethrough, and wherein step (c) further comprises inserting the second implant portion through the through-opening and rotating the driver assembly.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the driver assembly comprises a face cutter, and wherein the face cutter is used to smooth the second bone structure prior to step (f).

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second implant portion comprises a first prong, a second prong, and a gap between the first prong and the second prong, and wherein, after step (d), the first prong biases away from the second prong.

10. A method of joining adjacent bone structures comprising the steps of:

(a) separating a first bone segment from a second bone segment;

(b) using an assembly comprising a fixation device integrally connected to but separable from a driver assembly at a connection, the fixation device having a first implant portion at a proximal end and a second implant portion at a distal end and the second implant portion being connected to the driver assembly, the driver assembly including a drill adapted to form an opening in bone;

(c) inserting the first implant portion into the second first bone segment;

(d) breaking the driver assembly away from the second implant portion at the connection;

(e) using the drill to drill a first passage into the second bone segment; and

(f) inserting the second implant portion into the first passage.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the second implant portion comprises a plurality of barbs, and wherein step (f) comprises forcing the barbs into the first passage.

12. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising, prior to step (c), drilling a second passage into the first bone segment and wherein step (c) comprises inserting the first implant portion into the second passage.

13. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising the step of, prior to step (f), widening the first passage.

14. The method according to claim 10 , wherein step (a) is performed in the absence of pre-drilling the first bone segment.

15. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the first bone segment and the second bone segment are different bones, and wherein step (f) results in joining the different bones together.

16. A method of joining adjacent bone structures comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a monolithic medical device having:

a first implant portion;

a second implant portion attached to the first implant portion; and

a driver assembly removably attached to the second implant portion at a connection, distal from the first implant portion;

(b) placing the first implant portion against a first bone structure;

(c) using a driver device attached to the driver assembly, inserting the first implant portion into the first bone structure;

(d) separating the second implant portion from the driver assembly;

(e) with the driver device still attached to the driver assembly, using the driver assembly to form an opening in a second bone structure, adjacent to the first bone structure; and

(f) inserting the second implant portion into the opening.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the driver assembly comprises a through-opening formed there in and wherein step (f) comprises inserting the second implant portion through the through-opening and rotating the driver assembly, the second implant portion engaging the through-opening and rotating with the driver assembly.

18. The method according to claim 16 , wherein step (d) comprises the driver assembly being non-reattachable.