Plate holder for manipulating bone plate

A plate holder for manipulating a bone plate having a compression slot, comprising:

• a) a handle;
• b) a plate mount;
• and
• c) an arm between the handle and the mount, the arm including a straight portion, the mount including a first portion extendable into the compression slot and a second portion extending thereabove, a threaded set screw hole being defined at an oblique angle through the first and second portions, and a set screw provided in the set screw hole, the first portion includes a lower lip extending in a first direction at a first side, and the oblique angle defined relative to first direction, and the second portion includes a taper at a second side opposite the first side.

A plate and plate holder system, comprising:

• a) a bone plate having an upper surface, a lower surface, and at least one elongate compression slot extending between the upper and lower surfaces, each compression slot adapted to receive a compression screw to couple the bone plate relative to a bone;
• b) a plate holder adapted to be coupled to one of the compression slots, the plate holder including a handle, a plate mount, and an arm extending between the handle and the plate mount,
• the mount including a first portion extendable into the one of the compression slots and a second portion extending thereabove, a threaded set screw hole being defined through the first and second portions having an entry and an exit, and a set screw provided in the set screw hole and having a shaft portion at least partially advanceable through the exit,
• the arm including a first length adjacent the handle and a second length adjacent the mount, wherein when the plate holder is coupled to the medial plate, the first length extends in a common plane with the longitudinal axis of the medial plate,
• wherein the set screw hole is oriented such that when the first portion is inserted into the compression slot and the set screw is rotated within the set screw hole such that the shaft portion of the set screw advances through the exit, the first portion is forced within the compression slot in a direction opposite a location of contact by the shaft portion of the set screw against the bone plate surrounding the compression slot to cause the mount to be secured to the bone plate.