Anchor having a controlled driver orientation

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an interference screw having a body with a proximal end, distal end, and longitudinal axis extending between thereinbetween. The screw further includes threads for fixing the screw into bone. The screw further includes a through bore defined by the body. The through bore extends between the proximal and distal ends along the longitudinal axis, and has a surface. The screw further includes a controlling member formed by the through bore surface. To install the screw into bone, a surgeon turns the screw with a driver that engages with the controlling member. The driver only engages the controlling member when it is in a driving orientation with respect to the controlling member. Advantageously, with this “one-way” engagement the surgeon can control and confirm the orientation of the driver without seeing the driver and/or screw.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An interference screw comprising:
 a body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending between the proximal end and distal end;   threads extending in an open helical form between the proximal end and distal end of the body;   a through bore defined by the body extending between the proximal end and distal end of the body along the longitudinal axis, the through bore having a surface; and   a controlling member formed by the surface of the through bore, the controlling member configured to be engaged by a driver when the driver is in a driving orientation with respect to the controlling member and configured to not be engaged by the driver when the driver is in an orientation different than the driving orientation.   
     
     
         2 . The interference screw of  claim 1  wherein the controlling member includes a plurality of runners extending between the proximal end and distal end of the body along the longitudinal axis, the plurality of runners spaced equally around the circumference of the through bore, and one of the plurality of runners is of different shape and/or size than other runners. 
     
     
         3 . The interference screw of  claim 2  wherein the one runner has a cross sectional shape based on a rectangle and the other runners have a cross sectional shape based on a semi-circle. 
     
     
         4 . The interference screw of  claim 1  wherein the controlling member includes a plurality of runners extending between the proximal end and distal end of the body along the longitudinal axis, the plurality of runners spaced unequally around the circumference of the through bore. 
     
     
         5 . The interference screw of  claim 4  wherein one of the plurality of runners has a cross sectional shape based on a rectangle and other runners have a cross sectional shape based on a semi-circle. 
     
     
         6 . The interference screw of  claim 1  wherein the controlling member includes:
 a plurality of runners extending between the proximal end and distal end of the body along the longitudinal axis, the plurality of runners spaced equally around the circumference of the through bore; and 
 a tab spaced between an adjacent pair of runners. 
 
     
     
         7 . The interference screw of  claim 1  wherein the controlling member includes:
 a plurality of runners extending between the proximal end and distal end of the body along the longitudinal axis, the plurality of runners spaced unequally around the circumference of the through bore; and 
 a tab spaced between an adjacent pair of runners. 
 
     
     
         8 . The interference screw of  claim 1  wherein the body is made from a bioabsorbable, non-bioabsorbable, osteoconductive or composite material. 
     
     
         9 . The interference screw of  claim 8  wherein the non-bioabsorbable material includes polyether ether ketone (PEEK), titanium, and surgical stainless steel. 
     
     
         10 . The interference screw of  claim 1  further comprising an ingrowth core received within the through bore. 
     
     
         11 . The interference screw of  claim 10  wherein the ingrowth core is doped with bone growth factors so as to enhance bone ingrowth. 
     
     
         12 . The interference screw of  claim 1  further comprising a depth stop extending, longitudinally, a partial length of the body, the depth stop engages a depth stop of the driver such that a distal end of the driver extends beyond the distal end of the body. 
     
     
         13 . The interference screw of  claim 12  wherein the depth stop is an open depth stop encircling part of the distal end of the body. 
     
     
         14 . The interference screw of  claim 12  wherein the depth stop is a closed depth stop encircling the distal end of the body. 
     
     
         15 . The interference screw of  claim 1  wherein the proximal end of the body aligns with a hash mark on a distal end of the driver and a number associated with the hash mark identifies the length of the body of the interference screw.