# US 2026/0076807 A1 · Plate for Surgical Fusion Design for Transnasal Placement > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2026/0076807 A1 - Document ID: US20260076807A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 19/330,156 - Filed: 2025-09-16 - Published: 2026-03-19 - Earliest claimed: 2024-09-16 - Assignees: University of Cincinnati - Applicants: University of Cincinnati - Inventors: Joel Kaye; Jonathan Forbes - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20260076807A1 ## CPC - A61F 2/447: {substantially parallelepipedal, e.g. having a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section} - A61B 17/7055: {connected to sacrum, pelvis or skull} - A61B 17/7059: {Cortical plates (A61B17/7007, A61B17/7058 take precedence)} - A61F 2/30749: {Fixation appliances for connecting prostheses to the body} - A61L 27/06: Titanium or titanium alloys - A61F 2310/00023: Titanium or titanium-based alloys, e.g. Ti-Ni alloys - A61L 2430/02: for reconstruction of bones; weight-bearing implants - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K) ## Abstract An implant system for the fusion of the occipitocervical joint is provided. The system involves a pair of plates including a right plate and a left plate. The right plate has a first right plate opening and a second right plate opening. The left plate has a first left plate opening and a second left plate opening. The system also includes at least four bone fixation fasteners. Two fasteners are engageable with the plates and capable of fixing with the occipital condyle. The other two fasteners are engageable with the plates and capable of fixing with the C1 lateral mass. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An implant system for the fusion of the occipitocervical (O-C1) joint comprising: a. a pair of plates comprising a right plate and a left plate; i. the right plate defining at least a first right plate opening and a second right plate opening; ii. the left plate defining at least a first left plate opening and a second left plate opening; and b. at least four bone fixation fasteners; i. a first fastener disposed with the first right plate opening; ii. a second fastener disposed with the first left plate opening; iii. a third fastener disposed with the second right plate opening; iv. a fourth fastener disposed with the second left plate opening; wherein the first fastener is engageable with the right plate and capable of fixing with the occipital condyle, the second fastener is engageable with the left plate and capable of fixing with the occipital condyle, the third fastener is engageable with the right plate and capable of fixing with the C1 lateral mass, and the fourth fastener is engageable with the left plate and capable of fixing with the C1 lateral mass. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The implant system of claim 1 wherein the pair of plates comprise a material selected from the group consisting of carbon fiber, polylactic acid, stainless steel alloys, commercially pure titanium, titanium alloys, ceramics, thermoplastics, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), fabric, silicone, polyurethane, silicone-polyurethane copolymers, polymeric rubbers, polyolefin rubbers, hydrogels, semi-rigid and rigid materials. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The implant system of claim 1 wherein the pair of plates comprise titanium alloy. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The implant system of claim 1 wherein the bone fixation fasteners are selected from the group consisting of bone screws, helical nails, distally expanding nails, and distally expanding screws. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The implant system of claim 1 wherein the bone fixation fasteners are bone screws. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The implant system of claim 1 wherein the right plate and left plate each have an average thickness of 2.5 mm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) An atlanto-occipital fusion method for fixating a 0-C1 joint, comprising: a. preparing an endonasal surgical path using a binostril approach comprising: i. removing the inferior portion of the posterior septum, ii. performing a myomucosal flap incision to create a flap, iii. retracting the flap to expose the O-C1 joint, b. bilaterally decorticating the O-C1 joint, and c. inserting a plate into each side of the decorticated 0-C1 joint; wherein the plate comprises a plate from the implant system of claim 1. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The atlanto-occipital fusion method of claim 7 wherein the pair of plates of the implant system comprise a material selected from the group consisting of carbon fiber, polylactic acid, stainless steel alloys, commercially pure titanium, titanium alloys, ceramics, thermoplastics, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), fabric, silicone, polyurethane, silicone-polyurethane copolymers, polymeric rubbers, polyolefin rubbers, hydrogels, semi-rigid and rigid materials. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The atlanto-occipital fusion method of claim 7 wherein the pair of plates of the implant system comprise titanium alloy. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The atlanto-occipital fusion method of claim 7 wherein the bone fixation fasteners of the implant system are selected from the group consisting of bone screws, helical nails, distally expanding nails, and distally expanding screws. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The atlanto-occipital fusion method of claim 7 wherein the bone fixation fasteners of the implant system are bone screws. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The atlanto-occipital fusion method of claim 7 wherein the right plate and left plate of the implant system each have an average thickness of 2.5 mm.