Anatomic posterior lumbar plate
OwnerBret A. Ferreeinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An anatomic posterior lumbar system comprising of a thin plate and fasteners for securing the plate to vertebra or other osseous material. The plate is preferably a thin rectangular structure having an opening running lengthwise in its central portion. At least one pedicle screw having a hollow threaded interior is fastened to a vertebra, and the plate located on the screw using the opening. A washer spans the width of the plate, and accommodates an inner screw, which is threaded into the pedicle screw, and captures the head of the inner screw. Miscellaneous shapes of plates are also disclosed which are fitted to specific portions of the spine.
Claims9
1) A system for spine fixation, comprising:
- An elongated plate having an upper surface and a lower surface and parallel side edges, along with an opening in the central portion running along the longitudinal axis of said plate;
- at least one bone engaging screw having a head for engaging said plate and an elongated shank with outer bore engaging threads and an inner threaded hollow bore;
- at least one washer having a flat planar surface which spans across said elongated plate, with downwardly depending side walls which overhang said side edges of said plate, and an opening within the central portion of said planar surface;
- and at least one inner screw having a head and an elongated threaded shank;
- wherein at least one inner screw passes through said opening in said washer and through said opening in said plate such that said threaded shank engages said inner threaded hollow bore of said bone engaging screw to fix said plate to a vertebra of a spine.
7) A system for rigidly coupling vertebrae together in the spine, comprising:
- an elongated plate having a first upper linear section, a second lower linear section, and a central curved section coupling said first and second sections;
- an opening located within the central region of said plate running along the central axis of said plate;
- and a plurality of means for affixing said plate to said vertebrae;
- wherein a first affixing means passes through said curved section to affix said plate to the L5 vertebra, a second affixing means passes through said lower section to affix said plate to the S1 vertebra, and a third affixing means passing through said upper section for affixing said plate to the L4 vertebrae.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.