Revisable anterior cervical plating system

摘要

An improved anterior cervical plating system and methods of cervical fusion using such a system are provided. The cervical plating system includes an interlocking mechanism that integrated into each of the plates such that any two plates may cooperatively engage through the interlocking mechanism such that a new cervical plate can be interconnected with a pre-existing plate during revision surgery without removal of the pre-existing plate.

主权项

1. An anterior cervical plating system comprising:
at least a first cervical plate said at least first cervical plate being adapted to stabilize at least one level of the spine and having upper and lower horizontal faces, at least first and second lateral edges, and at least front and back edges, wherein the lower horizontal face is configured to be disposed adjacent a first vertebral body, wherein the first and second lateral edges are configured to be disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the spine such that they are configured to bridge the at least one level of the spine, and wherein the front and back edges are configured to be disposed substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the spine at either end of the at least one level of the spine; at least a first vertebral anchoring mechanism configured to pass through and attach the first cervical plate to at least the first vertebral body; at least one revision cervical plate defining a revision plate body having at least a second vertebral anchoring mechanism configured to attach the revision cervical plate to at least a second vertebral body, the at least one revision cervical plate having at least one leading edge face configured to be disposed adjacent to one of either the front or back edges of the first cervical plate; wherein the leading edge face of the revision plate forms at least one cooperative interlocking portion and wherein the at least one cooperative interlocking portion of the revision cervical plate is configured to cooperatively engage the first cervical plate along one of either the front or back edges thereof to provide a stabilizing interconnection between the first and revision cervical plates; wherein the stabilizing interconnection between the first and revision cervical plates is formed by moving the cooperative interlocking portion longitudinally in relation to said first cervical plate such that the cooperative interlocking portion contacts at least a portion of one of either the front or back edges of the first cervical plate to form a buttress fit therebetween; wherein the first and revision cervical plates engage between the leading edge of the revision cervical plate and one of either the front or back edges of the first cervical plate such that no interconnection is made by the revision cervical plate along the first or second lateral edges of the first cervical plate; and wherein no threaded connector interconnects said stabilizing interconnection.