Surgical staple

A surgical staple comprising:

• a resilient middle section extending between a first end and a second end and having a curvature defined by an angle of curvature between about 16 degrees and about 26 degrees in a relaxed configuration;
• a first side section extending from the first end and a second side section extending from the second end, each side section being configured for insertion into bone;
• at least one threaded aperture defined through each side section and into the middle section, wherein:
• (a) in the relaxed configuration the first and second side sections cantilever away from the middle section at an angle of less than ninety degrees and are angled toward one another;
• (b) the surgical staple is elastically deformable into an open configuration in which the middle section is substantially planar and the first and second side sections are substantially perpendicular to the middle section;
• and
• (c) the middle section is biased to return toward the relaxed configuration to compress bone parts engaged by the side sections.

A method for compressing a first bone and a second bone together comprising:

• (a) providing an implant that includes a resilient plate curved in a relaxed configuration and first and second threaded elongate screws received in respective threaded apertures defined through the plate, the screws being angled toward one another when the implant is in the relaxed configuration;
• (b) coupling an insertion tool to the implant and elastically deforming the plate into a substantially planar insertion configuration in which the screws extend substantially normal to the plate;
• (c) drilling a first opening in a first bone and a second opening in a second bone using a guide configured to align the first opening with the second opening;
• (d) advancing the first screw through the plate and into the first opening while advancing the second screw through the plate and into the second opening;
• (e) disengaging the insertion tool from the implant to allow the plate to bias toward the relaxed configuration, thereby drawing the first bone and the second bone together.