Readjustable locking plate hole
View Patent ↗A bone plate comprises a locking hole extending through the bone plate from a top surface to a bottom surface thereof. The locking hole is threaded and sized and shaped to lockingly receive a correspondingly threaded head of a bone fixation element therethrough. The bone plate further comprises a first plate relief extending at least partially through a thickness of the plate and separated from the locking hole to define a first weakened portion of the bone plate. The first plate relief extends around a portion of a circumference of the locking hole.
1. A monolithic bone plate body, comprising:
a locking hole extending through the plate body from a top surface to a bottom surface thereof, the locking hole being threaded and sized and shaped to lockingly receive a correspondingly threaded head of a bone fixation element therethrough, wherein the locking hole is threaded and substantially conical with a diameter thereof at the top surface greater than a diameter thereof at the bottom surface; and
a first plate relief comprising at least a portion having an arced shape, the first plate relief extending at least partially through a thickness of the plate body and separated from the locking hole to define a first weakened portion of the plate body, the arced portion extending around at least half of a circumference of the locking hole and less than all of the circumference of the locking hole.
2. The plate body of claim 1 , wherein the first plate relief extends through the plate body to open to the top surface and the bottom surface.
3. The plate body of claim 2 , wherein the first plate relief extends around a portion of a circumference of the locking hole so that a portion of the plate body surrounding the locking hole is coupled to a remainder of the plate body only by a bridge portion separating ends of the first relief from one another, the bridge portion forming the first weakened portion.
4. The plate body of claim 1 , further comprising:
a slot extending from the locking hole to the first plate relief to define a direction of deflection of the locking hole.
5. The plate body of claim 1 , wherein the locking hole includes a gap in a circumference thereof.
6. The plate body of claim 1 , wherein the arced portion of the first plate relief extends along a portion of a circle substantially concentric with the locking hole.
7. A monolithic bone plate body, comprising:
a locking hole extending through the plate body from a top surface to a bottom surface thereof, the locking hole being threaded and sized and shaped to lockingly receive a correspondingly threaded head of a bone fixation element, wherein the locking hole is threaded and substantially conical with a diameter thereof at the top surface greater than a diameter thereof at the bottom surface; and
a first plate relief comprising at least a portion having an arced shape, the first plate relief extending at least partially through a thickness of the plate body and separated from the locking hole by a portion of the material of the plate body, the first plate relief defining a first weakened portion of the plate body, the arced portion extending around at least half of a circumference of the locking hole and less than all of the circumference of the locking hole.
8. The plate body of claim 7 , wherein the first plate relief extends through the plate body to open to the top surface and the bottom surface.
9. The plate body of claim 8 , wherein the first plate relief extends around a portion of a circumference of the locking hole so that a portion of the plate body surrounding the locking hole is coupled to a remainder of the plate body only by a bridge portion separating ends of the first relief from one another, the bridge portion forming the first weakened portion.
10. The plate body of claim 7 , further comprising:
a slot extending from the locking hole to the first plate relief to define a direction of deflection of the locking hole.
11. The plate body of claim 7 , wherein the locking hole includes a gap in a circumference thereof.
12. The plate body of claim 7 , wherein the arced portion of the first plate relief extends along a portion of a circle substantially concentric with the locking hole.