Briefly, the invention relates to a surgical tool and method for forming a pilot bore by inserting a guide wire into bone. More particularly, the device includes a cannulated hand grip and driving tool used for the rotation of a bone or pedicle screw into bone. The rear portion of the hand grip includes a slide assembly that is suited to grip a guide wire. The slide assembly includes a user adjustable stop to control the sliding movement of the guide wire. The rear surface of the slide is constructed to be impacted with a hammer or similar device, whereby the stop prevents the guide wire from penetrating the bone further than desired. A jack member is included to allow the wire to be precisely retracted.

A tensioning tool is provided for applying tension to a band. The tensioning tool includes a handle. The tensioning tool also includes a barrel having a channel at an end of the barrel. The channel is configured to receive a portion of the band. The tensioning tool also includes a cutting blade that is configured to remove an excess portion of a band. The tensioning tool has a tension limit that is the maximum tension that can be applied to a band, and the tensioning tool is configured to apply tension to the band until the tension limit has been reached. The tensioning tool is configured to actuate the cutting blade to cut the band upon at least one of the tension limit being reached or upon a user command.

A system for providing a bone cerclage according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a suture passer including a shaft. The shaft includes a passageway and a slot leading to the passageway. The slot has a variable width along a length of the passageway. A method is also disclosed.

Connectors for connecting or linking one instrument or object to one or more other instruments or objects are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a connector can include a first arm with a first attachment feature for attaching to a first object, such as a surgical access device, and a second arm with a second attachment feature for attaching to a second object, such as a support. The connector can have an unlocked state, in which the position and orientation of the access device can be adjusted relative to the support, and a locked state in which movement of the access device relative to the support is prevented or limited. Locking the connector can also be effective to clamp or otherwise attach the connector to the access device and the support, or said attachment can be independent of the locking of the connector.

Various embodiments of bone ties, bone tie inserters, and methods for treating the spine are provided. The bone tie can include a proximal end and a distal end. The bone tie can include a head section comprising a rounded head. The bone tie can include a neck section extending proximally from the head section. A bone tie inserter for placing a bone tie can also be provided. The bone tie inserter can include a bone tie advancer with a curved surface configured to guide a rounded head of a bone tie. The bone tie inserter can include a bone tie retriever configured to receive the rounded head of a bone tie. The bone tie is configured to pivot and/or rotate within the retriever portion of the bone tie inserter. The method can include forming a lumen in a first bone portion and a second bone portion. The bone tie can be configured to pivot and/or rotate as the bone tie retriever is withdrawn.

A tissue fixation system is provided for dynamic and rigid fixation of tissue. A fastener connected with an elongate fastening member, such as a cable, wire, suture, rod, or tube, is moved through a passage between opposite sides of tissue. The fastener is provided with a groove that accommodates at least a portion of the fastening member to reduce the profile during the movement through the passage. The fastener is then pivoted to change its orientation. A second fastener can then be connected with the fastening member. While tension is maintained in the fastening member, the fasteners are secured against relative movement. This may be done by deforming the fastening member, either the first or second fasteners, or a bushing placed against the second fastener.

The present invention relates to an osseous pin (1) for bone fracture fixation. The pin comprises a threaded front section (2) and an unthreaded rear section (3). The threaded front section is configured with two or more kerfs (4) to facilitate breaking of the pin at any one of said kerfs. The present invention also relates to a guide sleeve for use in insertion of the osseous pin (1) into bone fragments at a bone fracture and breaking of said pin at the kerf (4) closest to the entrance site of the pin into the bone fragments. The present invention also relates to an extraction member for use in extraction of the osseous pin (1) from bone fragments at a healed bone fracture and a kit, comprising said components.

A bone clamp (1, 200, 300) for use in fixation of a fractured bone, or prevention of fracture of a bone, the clamp (1, comprising a pair of handles (2a, 2b) joined together at a pivot point (5), the handles (2a, 2b) each having an arcuate jaw (4a 4b), the arcuate jaws (4a, 4b) comprising a first end (7a, 7b) having an opening at a proximal end (12a, 12b) of the jaw (4a, 4b) in communication with a second end (8a, 8b) having an opening at a distal end (14a, 14b) of the jaw (4a, 4b), the first end (7a, 7b) and second end (8a, 8b) in communication via a channel (6a, 6b), in which the channel (6a, 6b) is configured to accommodate a cable, a wire, a suture, a band or other suitable flexible material, and wherein the channel (6a, 6b) is an open channel.

One embodiment of the disclosure relates to a flexible bone fixation device including two first fixation parts and a first flexible spanning part, connected between the two first fixation parts. The first flexible spanning part has a plurality of first cuts spaced apart by one another.

A traction tensioning apparatus includes a housing that has a first end and a second end. An anchor point is mounted to the housing and is attachable to a first tether is in-line with a traction system and extending away from the housing in a first direction. An urging assembly is engaged with the anchor point. The urging assembly is tension actuated to urge the anchor point toward the second end and releasably actuated to allow the anchor point to move toward the first end. An attachment point is mounted to the housing and is attachable to a second tether in-line with the traction system and extending away from the housing in a second direction. The attachment point is movable in the first and second directions relative to the housing. A biasing member is engaged with the attachment point and biases the attachment point in the first direction.