Method and apparatus for use in operating on a bone

An apparatus assembly for use in association with bones of a patient, the apparatus assembly comprising:

• a body constructed of a polymeric material including a thick end portion, a thin end portion defining a thin end axis that extends between opposite ends, a first side surface, a second side surface, an upper surface and a lower surface, the thick end portion having a first thickness and the thin end portion having a second thickness, the first thickness being greater than the second thickness, the body further including a central opening extending generally vertically through the upper surface and the lower surface, the central opening having an internal surface including an internal leading surface, a first internal side surface and a second internal side surface, a maximum central opening width defined between the first and second internal side surfaces and being measured substantially parallel relative to the thin end axis, the first internal side surface is spaced from the first side surface at a first spacing and the second internal side surface is spaced from the second side surface at a second spacing, the first and second spacings being measured proximate the maximum central opening width, the first spacing being substantially the same as the second spacing, the maximum central opening width being greater than a sum of the first spacing and the second spacing, the internal leading surface defining an internal leading height that is substantially constant between a first end and a second end, the thin end portion defining a leading surface and the thick end portion defining a trailing end, a body length defined between the leading surface and the trailing end, a body width defined between the first side surface and the second side surface substantially parallel to the thin end axis and measured proximate the maximum central opening width, the body width being greater than the body length;
• a first screw;
• a second screw;
• and
• a mounting strip connected to the thick end portion in a mounted configuration, the mounting strip constructed of a metallic material, the mounting strip having a first screw hole and a second screw hole, the first screw hole configured to receive the first screw and the second screw hole configured to receive the second screw in the mounted configuration, the first and second screws spaced from the body in the mounted configuration.

An apparatus assembly for use in association with bones of a patient, the apparatus assembly comprising:

• a body including a thick end portion, a thin end portion, a first side portion, a second side portion, an upper surface and a lower surface, the thick end portion having a first thickness and the thin end portion having a second thickness, the first thickness being greater than the second thickness, the upper surface and the lower surface tapering from the thick end portion toward the thin end portion and defining an acute angle, the acute angle being in a range between one degree and twenty degrees, the first side portion having a first side surface and the second side portion having a second side surface, the body including an internal leading surface, an internal trailing surface, a first internal side surface and a second internal side surface, the second thickness being substantially constant between the first and second side surfaces proximate the internal leading surface, the body having a substantially straight leading edge along a front of the thin end portion at the upper surface extending between first and second opposite ends, a thin end axis extending between the first and second opposite ends, the internal leading surface positioned substantially parallel relative to the thin end axis, a first spacing defined between the first side surface and the first internal side surface and a second spacing defined between the second side surface and the second internal side surface, the first spacing being substantially equal to the second spacing, a body width defined between the first side surface and the second side surface and a body length defined between the leading edge and a trailing surface of the thick end portion, the body width being greater than the body length;
• a first mounting strip connected to the thick end portion, the mounting strip including a first screw hole and a second screw hole, the first mounting strip including an upper portion that extends above the upper surface in a mounted configuration;
• and
• a first screw including a first head and a first threaded shaft, the first screw configured for positioning at least partially in the first screw hole in the mounted configuration with the first threaded shaft at least partially engaging hard cortical bone of the patient's bones in the mounted configuration.