BONE PLATE WITH CAPTIVE CLIPS

摘要

A fixation system includes a plate comprising a top surface, a bottom surface, a central longitudinal axis, at least one fixation hole extending between the top and bottom surfaces and comprising an undercut therein, and at least one passage intersecting one of the undercuts. At least one resilient clip is disposed in at least a portion of the undercut, with the at least one clip having a pair of generally parallel sides and an end tab. At least one fastener is provided and comprises a head and a threaded shaft, with the head comprising a perimetral groove extending around at least a portion thereof and an instrument receiving portion. The at least one clip is configured and dimensioned to seat in the undercut with the end tab extending within the passage, and the at least one fastener is configured and dimensioned to be received in the at least one fixation hole and securable therein when the at least one clip abuts the perimetral groove of the head.

主权项

1. A method of implanting a bone plate, the method comprising:
positioning the bone plate adjacent a bone; identifying a select screw to be inserted through a hole extending through the bone plate, the select screw being selected from a group that includes a variable angle screw and a fixed angle screw, wherein:
the variable angle screw includes a first head portion and a first shaft portion that extends from the first head portion along a first longitudinal axis, the first head portion including a first convex surface adjacent the first shaft portion; andthe fixed angle screw including a second head portion and a second shaft portion that extends from the second head portion along a second longitudinal axis, the second head portion including a second convex surface adjacent the second shaft portion, the second convex surface extending proximally from the second shaft portion along the second longitudinal axis a distance less than a distance that the first convex surface extends proximally from the first shaft portion along the first longitudinal axis; and inserting the select screw through the hole and driving the screw into the bone so that 1) a resilient clip disposed within the hole is located above the first or second convex surface and 2) the first or second convex surface is seated against a tapered surface of the bone plate within the hole, wherein a central axis of the hole is one of angularly offset relative to the first longitudinal axis and parallel with the second longitudinal axis, and the resilient clip resists the select screw from backing out of the bone plate.