A solution is disclosed for deploying a fixation member into an aperture of a bone fastener. The solution may include a guide having a body that includes a proximal end and a distal end. The guide may also include a guide member coupled to the body near the proximal end. The guide member may be configured to guide placement of the fixation member to secure the bone fastener. The solution may include an engagement member coupled to the body near the distal end. The engagement member can be configured to engage the bone fastener such that the guide member is rotatable, relative to the bone fastener, about an engagement axis to the guide member at any of the plurality of relative orientations about the engagement axis.

An orthopedic drill bit includes a cutting head formed to include diametrically opposed cutting lips leading to a central point and away to a radiused periphery to center said bit. The drill includes flutes extending from a cutting end, said flutes having a dulled periphery to prevent out of round holes. The flute design increases in width progressively from the tip up the shank, to maintain an adequate and unrestricted space for chips to easily move upward, preventing the chips from being compressed into a smaller opening while maintaining the tapered depth of the flutes for strength.

A bone screw for sacroiliac joint fusion is characterized by a longitudinal bone screw and a cylindrical sleeve received on a proximal end of the bone screw. The sleeve has axially extending fins or flutes on its outer surface that extend generally from one end of the sleeve to the other end of the sleeve. This feature allows the sleeve to resist reverse rotation which, in turn, aids in preventing back-out of the bone screw once installed. The bone screw has a self-tapping tip that allows the bone screw to be installed without need for a pilot hole, and self-harvesting geometry that gathers and retains bone shavings in and along the bone screw that are produced by bone screw installation for use as graft for bone fusion.

An expandable intervertebral fusion implant, including an inferior component, including a first horizontal member, a first vertical member connected to the first horizontal member, and a first outward facing surface, a superior component hingedly connected to the inferior component, the superior component including a second horizontal member, a second vertical member connected to the second horizontal member, and a second outward facing surface directed away from the first outward facing surface, a first shell hingedly connected to the inferior component, and a first wedging component slidingly arranged between the first shell and the first outward facing surface.

A method of fusing a first bone and a second bone. An abrading and harvesting device is provided that includes a needle portion having a sharpened tip. The needle portion has a central bore extending therethrough. The needle portion has a proximal end and a distal end. The sharpened tip is attached to the distal end of the needle portion. A probe is provided having an unsharpened tip portion. The probe is extended between the first bone and the second bone. The needle portion is extended over the probe by passing the proximal end of the probe through the central bore. The first bone and the second bone are abraded with the sharpened tip to cause bleeding bone to be exposed on the first bone and the second bone. A device is placed along a path formed by the needle portion between the first bone and the second bone.

A threaded implant can be provided with an elongated main body having external threads configured to thread into bone, and an internal support structure located within the external threads. The internal support structure has a helical arrangement that extends in an opposite direction to the external threads. Other threaded implants and methods are also disclosed.

An osteotomy implant includes a first surface extending generally in a first plane and a second surface extending generally in a second plane, oblique to the first plane. The first surface has a perimeter having a first linear edge, a first curve edge connected to the first linear edge, a second linear edge connected to the first curved edge, and a second curved edge connected to the second liner edge.

An implant and method for posterior sacroiliac fusion having a plate for placement across the posterior surface of the sacroiliac joint, a transverse pin to slide through the plate and transverse the joint as well as provide an aperture to receive bone graft, and a sacral screw to be inserted through the plate.

An intervertebral implant inserter, comprising: a) a elongated central body having a distal end, a proximal end, an outer surface, and a longitudinal throughbore therethrough, b) upper and lower blades, each blade having a distal end portion and a base portion, the base portion of each blade pivotally coupled to the elongated central body, c) a shaft having a longitudinal axis, wherein the shaft is advanceable within the throughbore and rotatable about the longitudinal axis, the shaft having a distal end forming a pusher having an acicular transverse cross-section, d) upper and lower endplates respectively detachably connected to the distal end portion of a respective blade.

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for excising a joint between first and second bones to define a resected joint, approximating the first and second bones to reduce the resected joint, and fixing the first and second bones relative to each other. The excising step can be performed using a cut guide that is movable from a first orientation to cut the first bone to a second orientation to cut the second bone. A compressor block can be driven over temporary fixation members that extends into the first and second bones to reduce the resected joint. A staple, along or in combination with other fixation elements, can then permanently fix the first bone to the second bone.