Orthopedic implant in the form of a plate to be fixed between two bone parts

1. A method of fusing bone parts comprising:

(i) placing a bone plate across a fracture or a joint line between first and second bone parts, the bone plate including a first hole angled relative to the plate, a first pin hole, and a second pin hole, wherein an axis of the first hole crosses the fracture or joint line, the bone plate having a proximal surface and an opposite distal bone contacting surface, the first and second pin holes extending from the proximal surface to the distal surface;

(ii) inserting a first guide pin through the first pin hole and into the first bone part so that the first guide pin fixes the bone plate relative to the first bone part;

(iii) inserting a second guide pin through the second pin hole and into the second bone part;

(iv) subsequent to steps (ii) and (iii), inserting a first bone screw having a screw head through the first hole, into the first bone part, across the fracture or joint line, and into the second bone part such that the entire screw head is below the proximal surface of the bone plate; and

(v) compressing the first and second bone parts together and consequently causing the second guide pin to move from a first position inside the second pin hole to a second position.

2. The method of fusing bone parts as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first pin hole is circular and has a diameter corresponding substantially to a diameter of the first guide pin.

3. The method of fusing bone parts as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the second pin hole is an elongate slot.

4. The method of fusing bone parts as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first hole is angled relative to the plate through a thickness of the plate.

5. The method of fusing bone parts as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the first hole is angled by about between 30° and 60° relative to the plate.

6. The method of fusing bone parts as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising inserting a second bone screw through a second hole in the plate and into the first bone part, and inserting a third bone screw through a third hole in the plate and into the second bone part, the second and third holes being locking holes.

7. The method of fusing bone parts as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the second and third holes are threaded locking holes.

8. The method of fusing bone parts as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the second pin hole has a width that corresponds substantially to a diameter of the second guide pin.

9. The method of fusing bone parts as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first hole is positioned on an extension of the plate, at least a portion of which is positioned below a bottom surface of the plate.

10. A method of fusing bone parts comprising:

(i) placing a bone plate across a fracture or a joint line between first and second bone parts, the bone plate including a first hole angled relative to the plate, a first pin hole, and a second pin hole, wherein an axis of the first hole crosses the fracture or joint line;

(ii) inserting a first guide pin through the first pin hole and into the first bone part so that the first guide pin fixes the bone plate relative to the first bone part;

(iii) inserting a second guide pin through the second pin hole and into the second bone part;

(iv) subsequent to steps (ii) and (iii), inserting a first bone screw through the first hole, into the first bone part, across the fracture or joint line, and into the second bone part;

(v) compressing the first and second bone parts together and consequently causing the second guide pin to move from a first position inside the second pin hole to a second position; and

inserting a second bone screw through a second hole in the plate and into the first bone part, and inserting a third bone screw through a third hole in the plate and into the second bone part, the second and third holes being locking holes, wherein the second and third holes are threaded locking holes,

wherein the first hole is positioned on an extension of the plate, at least a portion of which is positioned below a bottom surface of the plate, wherein a fixation pathway extends through the plate above the extension and terminates at the first hole, and the method comprises inserting the first bone screw along the fixation pathway, through the first hole, into the first bone part, across the fracture or joint line, and into the second bone part.

11. A method of fusing bone parts comprising:

(i) placing a bone plate across a fracture or a joint line between first and second bone parts, the bone plate including a first hole angled relative to the plate, a first pin hole, and a second pin hole, wherein an axis of the first hole crosses the fracture or joint line;

(ii) inserting a first guide pin through the first pin hole and into the first bone part so that the first guide pin fixes the bone plate relative to the first bone part;

(iii) inserting a second guide pin through the second pin hole and into the second bone part;

(iv) subsequent to steps (ii) and (iii), inserting a first bone screw through the first hole, into the first bone part, across the fracture or joint line, and into the second bone part; and

(v) compressing the first and second bone parts together and consequently causing the second guide pin to move from a first position inside the second pin hole to a second position,

wherein the first pin hole is circular and has a diameter corresponding substantially to a diameter of the first guide pin, wherein the second pin hole is an elongate slot, wherein the second pin hole has a width that corresponds substantially to a diameter of the second guide pin, wherein the first hole is positioned on an extension of the plate, at least a portion of which is positioned below a bottom surface of the plate, wherein the extension is angled by about between 30° and 60° relative to the plate.

12. The method of fusing bone parts as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plate is curved so as to adapt to the curvature of at least one of the first and second bone parts, and the method further comprises inserting a second bone screw through a second hole in the plate and a third bone screw through a third hole in the plate so that the second and third bone screws are angled with respect to each other.

13. The method of fusing bone parts as claimed in claim 1 , wherein movement of the second guide pin from its first position inside the second pin hole to its second position is caused via step (iv).

14. A method of fusing bone parts comprising:

(i) placing a bone plate across a fracture or a joint line between first and second bone parts, the bone plate including a first hole angled relative to the plate, a first pin hole, and a second pin hole, wherein an axis of the first hole crosses the fracture or joint line, the bone plate having a proximal surface and an opposite distal bone contacting surface, the first and second pin holes extending from the proximal surface to the distal surface;

(ii) inserting a first guide pin through the first pin hole and into the first bone part so that the first guide pin fixes the bone plate relative to the first bone part;

(iii) inserting a second guide pin through the second pin hole and into the second bone part, the second pin hole being an elongate slot that has a width corresponding substantially to a diameter of the second guide pin;

(iv) subsequent to steps (ii) and (iii), inserting a first bone screw having a screw head through the first hole, into the first bone part, across the fracture or joint line, and into the second bone part such that the entire screw head is below the proximal surface of the bone plate; and

(v) compressing the first and second bone parts together and consequently causing the second guide pin to move from a first position inside the second pin hole to a second position.

15. The method of fusing bone parts as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the first pin hole is circular and has a diameter corresponding substantially to a diameter of the first guide pin.

16. The method of fusing bone parts as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the plate includes a second hole having a diameter and the second pin hole has a length that is less than the diameter of the second hole.

17. The method of fusing bone parts as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the first hole is angled relative to the plate through a thickness of the plate.

18. The method of fusing bone parts as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the first hole is angled by about between 30° and 60° relative to the plate.

19. The method of fusing bone parts as claimed in claim 14 , further comprising (vi) selecting an angle to insert the first bone screw across the fracture or joint line from amongst a plurality of different angles, and inserting the first bone screw along the selected angle through the first hole, into the first bone part, across the fracture or joint line, and into the second bone part.

20. The A method of fusing bone parts comprising:

(i) placing a bone plate across a fracture or a joint line between first and second bone parts, the bone plate including a first hole angled relative to the plate, a first pin hole, and a second pin hole, wherein an axis of the first hole crosses the fracture or joint line;

(ii) inserting a first guide pin through the first pin hole and into the first bone part so that the first guide pin fixes the bone plate relative to the first bone part;

(iii) inserting a second guide pin through the second pin hole and into the second bone part, the second pin hole being an elongate slot that has a width corresponding substantially to a diameter of the second guide pin;

(iv) subsequent to steps (ii) and (iii), inserting a first bone screw through the first hole, into the first bone part, across the fracture or joint line, and into the second bone part;

(v) compressing the first and second bone parts together and consequently causing the second guide pin to move from a first position inside the second pin hole to a second position; and

(vi) selecting an angle to insert the first bone screw across the fracture or joint line from amongst a plurality of different angles, and inserting the first bone screw along the selected angle through the first hole, into the first bone part, across the fracture or joint line, and into the second bone part,

wherein step (vi) includes deforming a tab of the plate to correspond to the selected angle.

21. The method of fusing bone parts as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the first hole is positioned on an extension of the plate, at least a portion of which is positioned below a bottom surface of the plate, and wherein a fixation pathway extends through the plate above the extension and terminates at the first hole, and the method comprises inserting the first bone screw along the fixation pathway, through the first hole, into the first bone part, across the fracture or joint line, and into the second bone part.

22. An orthopedic implant comprising:

a plate having a length sufficient to span a fracture or joint of a patient, such that the plate is positionable alongside first and second bone parts straddling the fracture or joint, the plate including a first hole angled relative to the plate, the first hole having an axis that is configured to cross the fracture or joint during use, wherein the plate has a first pin hole that is circular and has a diameter corresponding substantially to a diameter of a first guide pin, and a second pin hole that is an elongate slot and has a width corresponding substantially to a diameter of a second guide pin, the plate having a proximal surface and an opposite distal bone contacting surface, the first and second pin holes extending from the proximal surface to the distal surface, and

a bone screw having a screw head, the bone screw configured to extend through the first hole and cross the fracture or joint during use such that the entire screw head is below the proximal surface of the plate.

23. The orthopedic implant as claimed in claim 22 , wherein the plate includes a second hole having a diameter and the second pin hole has a length that is less than the diameter of the second hole.

24. The orthopedic implant as claimed in claim 22 , wherein the first hole is angled by about between 30° and 60° relative to the plate.

25. The orthopedic implant as claimed in claim 22 , wherein the first hole is positioned on an extension of the plate, at least a portion of which is positioned below a bottom surface of the plate, and wherein a fixation pathway extends through the plate above the extension and terminates at the first hole.

26. The orthopedic implant as claimed in claim 22 , wherein the plate further comprises a second hole having an axis configured to extend only into the first bone part during use, and a third hole having an axis configured to extend only into the second bone part during use.

27. The orthopedic implant as claimed in claim 26 , wherein the second and third holes are locking holes.