Surgical button inserter system and method

1. A button inserter apparatus for the insertion of a surgical button having first and second major faces and side portions, comprising:

an inserter handle;

an elongated inserter shaft connected at one end to the inserter handle;

an inserter head connected to the inserter shaft at an end opposite to the inserter handle, the inserter head comprising opposing engagement projections for engaging and retaining a surgical button there between and in an axial orientation relative to the elongated shaft, one of the engagement projections being longitudinally movable and the other of the engagement projections being fixed relative to the inserter shaft, the longitudinally movable projection having a first engagement portion for engaging a cooperating first engagement groove on the first major face of the surgical button, the fixed engagement projection having a second engagement portion for engaging a cooperating second engagement depression on the second face of the surgical button;

a button engage and release assembly extending from the inserter handle to the inserter head, the engage and release assembly preventing relative longitudinal movement between the engagement projections, and selectively permitting relative movement of the engagement projections and thereby release of the surgical button, the engage and release assembly being operable from the inserter handle to cause relative longitudinal movement of the engagement projections and release of the surgical button by movement of the first engagement portion longitudinally and out of the first engagement groove in the first major face of the surgical button.

2. The button inserter of claim 1 , wherein the first engagement groove comprises an axially extending groove in the first major face of the surgical button.

3. The button inserter of claim 1 , wherein the second engagement portion comprises a radially inward extending pin for engaging the second depression, the second depression comprising a transversely oriented aperture in the surgical button.

4. The button inserter of claim 1 , wherein the engage and release assembly comprises an elongated release member extending from the inserter head to the inserter handle and being selectively movable to axially move the longitudinally moveable engagement projection longitudinally and proximally to release the button.

5. The button inserter of claim 4 , wherein the engage and release assembly further comprises a spring for selectively urging the release member axially and proximally to move the engagement projection.

6. The button inserter of claim 5 , wherein the engage and release assembly further comprises a detent for engaging the release member, the detent being movable by an actuator in the inserter handle to disengage the release member to permit movement of an engagement projection and release of the surgical button.

7. The button inserter of claim 1 , wherein the first engagement portion comprises an axially extending tongue having a radially inward extending cam protrusion for engaging the first engagement groove, the first engagement groove comprising a cooperating curved groove in the surgical button to laterally rotate the surgical button when the tongue and cam protrusion are moved axially.

8. A surgical button insertion assembly, comprising

a surgical button having first and second major faces and side portions, and comprising a first engagement groove on the first major face and a second engagement depression in the second major face;

a surgical button inserter device comprising:

an inserter handle;

an elongated inserter shaft connected at one end to the inserter handle;

an inserter head connected to the inserter shaft at an end opposite to the inserter handle, the inserter head comprising opposing engagement projections for engaging and retaining a surgical button there between and in an axial orientation relative to the elongated shaft, one of the engagement projections being longitudinally movable and the other of the engagement projections being fixed relative to the inserter shaft, the longitudinally movable projection having a first engagement portion for engaging the first engagement groove on the first major face of the surgical button, the fixed engagement projection having a second engagement portion for engaging the second engagement depression on the second face of the surgical button;

a button engage and release assembly extending from the inserter handle to the inserter head, the engage and release assembly preventing relative longitudinal movement between the engagement projections, and selectively permitting relative longitudinal movement of the engagement projections and thereby release of the surgical button, the engage and release assembly being operable from the inserter handle to cause relative longitudinal movement of the engagement projections and release of the surgical button by movement of the first engagement portion longitudinally and out of the first engagement groove.

9. The surgical button insertion assembly of claim 8 , wherein the first engagement portion comprises an axially-extending tongue for engaging the first engagement groove, the first engagement groove comprising an axially extending groove on the surgical button.

10. The surgical button insertion assembly of claim 8 , wherein the second engagement portion comprises a lateral inward extending protrusion for engaging the second engagement depression, the second engagement depression comprising a radially extending cooperating depression in the surgical button.

11. The button inserter of claim 8 , wherein the first engagement portion comprises an axially extending tongue having a radially inward extending cam protrusion for engaging the first engagement groove, the first engagement groove comprising a cooperating curved groove in the surgical button to laterally rotate the surgical button when the tongue and cam protrusion are moved axially.