# US 11,439,446 B2 · Thoracic plate implants and methods of use > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,439,446 B2 - Document ID: US11439446B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/097,380 - Filed: 2020-11-13 - Published: 2021-03-04 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2017-11-13 - Assignees: Zimmer Biomet CMF and Thoracic, LLC - Applicants: Zimmer Biomet CMF and Thoracic, LLC - Inventors: Saddy Garcia; Jayden Garfield; Kevin Lee Teston; William Maxson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11439446B2 ## CPC - A61B 17/8076: {for the ribs or the sternum} - A61B 17/1792: {for the ribs} - A61B 17/8057: {the interlocking form comprising a thread} - A61B 17/808: {Instruments for holding or positioning bone plates, or for adjusting screw-to-plate locking mechanisms} - A61B 2017/681: {Alignment, compression, or distraction mechanisms} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract An implant for a human rib can include an elongate body, a plurality of bores, and a placement tool interface. The elongate body can include a first portion including a flat outer face where the elongate body can be curved along a plane perpendicular to the flat outer face. The second portion can extend from the first portion to form a curved outer face. The plurality of bores can extend through the flat outer face of the first portion and into the second portion. The bores can extend partially into the curved outer face of the second portion. The placement tool interface can extend into the body. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of securing an implant to a rib bone, the method comprising: attaching a drill guide to a placement tool; rotating the drill guide to substantially align with arms of the placement tool; inserting the drill guide and the placement tool into a thoracic cavity through a thoracic opening; pivoting the drill guide to align with a posterior portion of a rib; and guiding a drill bit through a drill guide bore of the drill guide to the posterior portion of the rib. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: drilling a rib bore in the rib using the drill guide bore as a guide. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising: pivoting the drill guide to substantially align with arms of the placement tool while the drill guide is within the thoracic cavity; and removing the drill guide and the placement tool from the thoracic cavity. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising: detaching the drill guide from the placement tool; and attaching the implant to the placement tool. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising: pivoting the implant to substantially align with the arms of the placement tool; and inserting the implant and the placement tool into the thoracic cavity. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising: aligning a bore of the implant with the rib bore; and inserting a fastener through an anterior side of the rib bore and into the bore of the implant. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein inserting the fastener comprises: threading a distal portion of the fastener into the bore of the implant; and threading a medial portion of the fastener into the rib bore; wherein the distal portion of the fastener has a first thread type and the medial portion has a second thread type that is different from the first thread type. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising: detaching the implant from the placement tool while the implant is within the thoracic cavity; and removing the placement tool from the thoracic cavity. ### Claim 9 A method of securing an implant to a rib bone, the method comprising: inserting a pin of a placement tool into a bore of a drill guide to attach the drill guide to the placement tool; pivoting the drill guide about the pin to substantially align with one or more aims of the placement tool; inserting the drill guide and the placement tool into a thoracic cavity through a thoracic opening; pivoting the drill guide about the pin to align with a posterior portion of a rib; guiding a drill bit to the posterior portion of the rib using a drill guide bore of the drill guide; drilling a rib bore using the drill guide bore as a guide; pivoting the drill guide to substantially align with the one or more arms of the placement tool while the drill guide is within the thoracic cavity; and removing the drill guide and the placement tool from the thoracic cavity. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising: detaching the drill guide from the placement tool; and attaching the implant to the placement tool. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: pivoting the implant to substantially align with the one or more arms of the placement tool; and inserting the implant and the placement tool into the thoracic cavity through the thoracic opening. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: aligning a bore of the implant with the rib bore; and inserting a fastener through an anterior side of the rib bore and into the bore of the implant. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: detaching the implant from the placement tool while the implant is within the thoracic cavity; and removing the placement tool from the thoracic cavity. ### Claim 14 A method of securing an implant to a rib bone, the method comprising: attaching a drill guide to a placement tool; pivoting the drill guide to align with one or more arms of the placement tool; inserting the drill guide and the placement tool into a thoracic cavity; pivoting the drill guide to align with a posterior portion of a rib; guiding a drill bit to the posterior portion of the rib using a drill guide bore of the drill guide; and drilling a rib bore in the rib using the drill guide bore as a guide. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising: pivoting the drill guide to substantially align with the one or more arms of the placement tool while the drill guide is within the thoracic cavity; removing the drill guide and the placement tool from the thoracic cavity; and detaching the drill guide from the placement tool. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: attaching the implant to the placement tool; pivoting the implant to substantially align with the one or more arms of the placement tool; and inserting the implant and the placement tool into the thoracic cavity. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising: aligning a bore of the implant with the rib bore; and inserting a fastener through an anterior side of the rib bore and into the bore of the implant. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the implant includes an elongate body comprising: a first portion and a second portion opposite the first portion; an implant bore extending through the first portion and partially into he second portion; and a placement tool interface extending into the elongate body. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the placement tool includes: a handle; a first arm extending from the handle; and a second arm extending from the handle with the first arm. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the placement tool includes a retaining pin extending from a distal portion of the first arm, the retaining pin engageable with the placement tool interface to form a pivotable engagement therewith to allow the implant to rotate about the retaining pin between an orientation perpendicular to the first arm and the second arm and an orientation parallel to and between the first arm and the second arm.