Dynamic plate system having moveable segments
View Patent ↗A plating system includes moveable plate segments to vary the overall length of the plate. The plating system is capable of both passive and active dynamization and has the ability to produce the former from the latter.
1. A plate adapted to be applied to the anterior human cervical spine for contacting the anterior aspects of at least two adjacent cervical vertebral bodies to be fused together, said plate comprising:
a longitudinal axis;
a first plate segment adapted to be attached to one of the adjacent vertebral bodies to be fused and a second plate segment adapted to be attached to another one of the adjacent vertebral bodies to be fused, said first plate segment having an interior with an upper surface, a lower surface opposite said upper surface, and opposed side surfaces, said first plate segment being adapted to slideably receive a portion of said second plate segment into said interior of said first plate segment to form said plate;
a bottom surface adapted to contact the cervical vertebral bodies, said bottom surface being concave at least in part along at least a portion of the longitudinal axis of said plate;
at least one bone screw hole in each of said first and second plate segments, said at least one bone screw hole being adapted to receive at least one bone screw for engaging the cervical vertebral body to attach said plate to the cervical spine;
said first and second plate segments being configured to couple together in cooperative relationship so as to facilitate movement of said first and second plate segments in a direction toward one another along the longitudinal axis of said plate and to resist movement of said first and said second plate segments in a direction away from one another along the longitudinal axis of said plate, said first and second plate segments when attached to the adjacent vertebral bodies, respectively, being adapted to move toward one another in response to movement of the adjacent vertebral bodies toward each other.
2. The plate of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said upper surface of said interior of said first plate segment is configured to interdigitate with at least a portion of an upper surface of said second plate segment.
3. The plate of claim 2 , wherein said at least a portion of said upper surface of said interior of said first plate segment and said at least a portion of said upper surface of said second plate segment include at least one ratchet.
4. The plate of claim 1 , further comprising at least one bone screw lock adapted to lock to said plate at least one bone screw inserted in said bone screw holes, respectively.
5. The plate of claim 4 , wherein said at least one bone screw lock is removably coupled to said plate.
6. The plate of claim 4 , wherein said at least one bone screw lock is adapted to be coupled to said plate prior to the insertion of at least one bone screw into at least one of said bone screw holes.
7. The plate of claim 4 , wherein said at least one bone screw lock is configured to move from an initial position that permits the insertion of at least one bone screw into at least one of said bone screw holes to a final position that is adapted to extend over at least a portion of at least one of the bone screws to retain the bone screw to said plate.
8. The plate of claim 7 , wherein less than a full rotation of said at least one bone screw lock rotates said bone screw lock from the initial position to the final position.
9. The plate of claim 1 , further comprising at least one fastener adapted to fasten together said first and second plate segments.
10. The plate of claim 9 , wherein said fastener is detachably attached to at least one of said first and second plate segments so as to permit assembly of said first and second plate segments by the surgeon and complete uncoupling of said first and second plate segments relative to one another.
11. The plate of claim 9 , wherein said fastener is non-detachably attached to at least one of said first and second plate segments so as to prevent complete uncoupling of said first and second plate segments relative to one another.
12. The plate of claim 9 , wherein said fastener has a first position adapted to facilitate movement of said first and second plate segments in a direction toward one another along the longitudinal axis of said plate and to resist movement of said first and said second plate segments in a direction away from one another along the longitudinal axis of said plate.
13. The plate of claim 12 , wherein said first and second plate segments move in only a single direction toward one another along the longitudinal axis of said plate when said fastener is in said first position.
14. The plate of claim 12 , wherein said fastener has a second position adapted to limit movement of said first and second plate segments relative to one another along the longitudinal axis of said plate.
15. The plate of claim 9 , wherein said fastener is configured to be tightened to only one of said first and second plate segments so as to permit movement of said first and second plate segments relative to one another.
16. The plate of claim 9 , where said fastener is at least in part threaded.
17. An orthopedic plate adapted to be applied to two portions of bone to dynamically compress the bone portions toward one another, said plate comprising:
a longitudinal axis;
a first plate segment having an interior with an upper surface, a lower surface opposite said upper surface, and opposed side surfaces; and
a second plate segment having a portion adapted to be slideably received by said interior of said first plate segment form said plate, said first and second plate segments each including at least one bone screw hole adapted to receive a bone screw for engaging the respective plate segment to the bone, said first and second plate segments each including a fastener receiving opening configured to receive a fastener for limiting movement of said first and second plate segments relative to each other, said fastener receiving opening of each of said first and second plate segments having a complete perimeter, said first and second plate segments being configured to couple together in cooperative relationship so as to facilitate movement of said first and second plate segments in a direction toward one another along the longitudinal axis of said plate and to resist movement of said first and said second plate segments in a direction away from one another along the longitudinal axis of said plate.
18. The plate of claim 17 , wherein at least a portion of said upper surface of said interior of said first plate segment is configured to interdigitate with at least a portion of an upper surface of said second plate segment.
19. The plate of claim 18 , wherein said at least a portion of said upper surface of said interior of said first plate segment and said at least a portion of said upper surface of said second plate segment include at least one ratchet.
20. The plate of claim 17 , further comprising at least one bone screw lock adapted to lock to said plate at least one bone screw inserted in said bone screw holes, respectively.
21. The plate of claim 20 , wherein said at least one bone screw lock is removably coupled to said plate.
22. The plate of claim 20 , wherein said at least one bone screw lock is adapted to be coupled to said plate prior to the insertion of at least one bone screw into at least one of said bone screw holes.
23. The plate of claim 20 , wherein said at least one bone screw lock is configured to move from an initial position that permits the insertion of at least one bone screw into at least one of said bone screw holes to a final position that is adapted to extend over at least a portion of at least one of the bone screws to retain the bone screw to said plate.
24. The plate of claim 23 , wherein less than a full rotation of said at least one bone screw lock rotates said bone screw lock from the initial position to the final position.
25. The plate of claim 17 , further comprising at least one fastener adapted to fasten together said first and second plate segments.
26. The plate of claim 25 , wherein said fastener is detachably attached to at least one of said first and second plate segments so as to permit assembly of said first and second plate segments by the surgeon and complete uncoupling of said first and second plate segments relative to one another.
27. The plate of claim 25 , wherein said fastener is non-detachably attached to at least one of said first and second plate segments so as to prevent complete uncoupling of said first and second plate segments relative to one another.
28. The plate of claim 25 , wherein said fastener has a first position adapted to facilitate movement of said first and second plate segments in a direction toward one another along the longitudinal axis of said plate and to resist movement of said first and said second plate segments in a direction away from one another along the longitudinal axis of said plate.
29. The plate of claim 28 , wherein said first and second plate segments move in only a single direction toward one another along the longitudinal axis of said plate when said fastener is in said first position.
30. The plate of claim 28 , wherein said fastener has a second position adapted to limit movement of said first and second plate segments relative to one another along the longitudinal axis of said plate.
31. The plate of claim 25 , wherein said fastener is configured to be tightened to only one of said first and second plate segments so as to permit movement of said first and second plate segments relative to one another.
32. The plate of claim 25 , where said fastener is at least in part threaded.