US Patent 11457967 Driver instruments and related methods

Driver instruments are disclosed herein with various features for improving usability, easing the task of cleaning or sterilizing the instrument, reducing patient trauma associated with use of the instrument, and/or reducing the cost and assembly burden of the instrument. For example, a driver instrument can include a guide sleeve to protect patient tissue from damage caused by rotating components of the instrument or a bone anchor assembly coupled thereto, and to protect extension tabs of the bone anchor assembly from inadvertent separation. By way of further example, an instrument can include a preload assembly for maintaining engagement of a driver shaft of the instrument with a bone anchor assembly. As yet another example, an instrument can consist of a small number of components which are configured for simple, tool-free assembly and disassembly. An instrument can also be configured for use with bone anchor assemblies with and without extension tabs.