Patent ID: 9700361
Date: 2017-07-11
CPC Classifications: A61B

Claim:
1. A method for flexible plate fixation of a bone fracture, the method comprising approximately aligning the fractured bone members; and applying a fixation construct across a fracture wherein the fixation construct comprises a bone plate having an upper surface and a bone-facing surface, the bone plate having one or more receiving holes and a plurality of elastically suspended sliding elements, the fixation comprising using a plurality of bone fasteners that connect the bone fasteners to the bone plate and wherein the bone fasteners are placed into the receiving holes into the sliding elements that are elastically suspended in the bone plate; wherein the sliding elements are configured to permit controlled translation parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bone plate, while substantially preventing displacement perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bon plate, and wherein the bone fastener is rigidly fixed to the sliding elements without compressing the bone plate or sliding element onto a bone surface; and wherein wherein the elastic suspension is provided by two or more spring elements.