Longitudinal plate assembly having an adjustable length
AssigneeThird Millennium Engineering, LLC
InventorsJames D. Ralph, Stephen Tatar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An orthopedic device including a longitudinal plate assembly having an adjustable length and two ends. Each of the ends includes a feature that can be used to couple the end to a body structure, such as, for example, a vertebral bone. Preferably, the assembly includes two longitudinal plates that can translate longitudinally with respect to one another through a plurality of positions and be secured with respect to one another at one of the positions, thereby enabling the length of the assembly to be adjusted. Inasmuch as the length of the plate assembly can be adjusted, the surgeon can set the length to the most clinically appropriate length for effective coupling of the plate assembly to the body structure.
Claims17
A plate assembly, comprising:
- a first longitudinal plate having an end defined by longitudinal prongs;
- a second longitudinal plate having a longitudinal bore, the longitudinal bore being adapted to receive the prongs for longitudinal translation therein through a plurality of positions;
- and
- a lock assembly for locking the prongs within the bore at one of the positions;
- wherein
- each plate comprises a feature that can be used to couple the plate to a body structure.
An orthopedic device comprising a longitudinal plate assembly having an adjustable length and two ends, each of the ends comprising a feature that can be used to couple the end to a body structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.