Patent ID: 11871970
Assignee: GLOBUS MEDICAL INC.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 16:
17. A method of stabilizing bone comprising the steps of:
providing an aiming guide system configured for connection to a bone plate, the bone plate extending along a longitudinal axis and comprising a proximal portion, a shaft, and a distal portion, the bone plate defining a plurality of first screw holes along shaft, a plurality of second screw holes at the distal portion, and an attachment screw hole proximate the distal portion, the guide system comprising:
an aiming arm having a rigid body extending from a proximal end to a distal end with a plurality of aiming holes defined through the rigid body between the proximal end and the distal end thereof, the distal end defining an attachment slot through the body, and;
a connection assembly configured to engage the attachment screw hole and the attachment slot such that the aiming arm is fixed in position relative to the bone plate with each of the plurality of aiming holes aligned with a respective one of the first screw holes, the connection assembly comprising:
an attachment post having a first end with an orienting boss extending from a mating surface, the orienting boss is configured to be received in attachment slot such that the aiming arm rests on the mating surface and is maintained in a proper orientation, and a second end having an attachment block, the attachment block having a distal surface which defines a plurality of ball end pins, each ball end pin configured to be received in a respective indentation on the plate surface about the attachment screw hole;
a threaded shaft having a shaft body extending between first and second ends, each end including a plurality of threads, the threaded shaft extending through a through bore of the attachment post with the threads of at least one of the first and second ends of the shaft body configured to threadably engage the attachment screw hole; and
engaging a fastener on at least one of the threaded shaft to secure the attachment post between the aiming arm and bone plate.