Dynamic cervical plates and cervical plate constructs
AssigneeLife Spine, Inc.
InventorsMichael S. Butler, Michael J. Milella, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
N-level internally dynamizing cervical plates and cervical plate constructs in accordance with the present principles, provide unconstrained sliding interconnection between the various plate components after installation on a cervical spine. A tongue-and-groove configuration between the various plate segments provides a constant thickness over the dynamizing portions. Detents provided relative the tongue-and-groove portions allows the various plate components to be permanently joined, but movable relative to one another. Various bone screw anti-backing, anti-rotation or locking devices for cervical bone plates are also provided that allow releasable locking of bone screws relative to the cervical plate.
Claims22
A two level dynamic cervical plate comprising:
- a middle component having a body with a first pair of bone screw bores and first and second longitudinal ends, the first longitudinal end having a first configured groove therein and the second longitudinal end having a second configured groove therein;
- a first end component and a second end component, each having a body with a pair of bone screw bores and a connection end, the connection end having a tongue;
- a first graft window provided between the first pair of bone screw bores and the pair of bone screw bores of the first end component;
- and
- a second graft window provided between the first pair of bone screw bores and the pair of bone screw bores of the second end component;
- wherein the tongue of the first end component is unconstrainedly, slidably interconnected with the groove of the first longitudinal end, and the tongue of the second end component is unconstrainedly, slidably interconnected with the groove of the second longitudinal end.
A dynamic two level cervical plate comprising:
- a middle plate component having a first pair of bone screw bores situated thereon, a first pair of middle component projections extending from a first side thereof and a second pair of middle component projections extending from a second side thereof, the first and second pairs of middle component projections each having a configured receiving groove therein;
- a first end plate component and a second end plate component, each having a pair of bone screw bores, and a pair of end plate component projections extending from a side thereof, the pair of end plate component projections having one of an end plate component groove and an end plate component channel complementary to that of the first and second pairs of middle plate component projections, the projections of the first and second end plate components in unconstrained sliding interconnectivity with the middle plate component projections to allow varying distances between the pairs of bone screw bores after attachment;
- a first graft window defined by the first pair of middle component projections and the first pair of end plate components of the first end plate, wherein the first graft window is configured to provide access to a first graft between a first vertebrae and a second vertebrae;
- and
- a second graft window defined by the second pair of middle component projections and the second pair of end plate components of the second end plate, wherein the second graft window is configured to provide access to a second graft between the second vertebrae and a third vertebrae.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.