Patent ID: 8764808
Filing Date: 2014-07-01
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A bone fixation system adapted to stabilize at least two bone portions of a fractured bone, the bone fixation system comprising: a plate having a mid-longitudinal axis, a first end, a second end, a length between said first and second ends, and a width less than and perpendicular to said length, said length being sufficient to overlap the at least two bone portions, said plate having an upper surface, a lower surface, and a thickness between said upper and lower surfaces, said lower surface being opposite said upper surface, the mid-longitudinal axis extending through said first and second ends and along said length of said plate; at least one bi-directional hole extending through said plate from said upper surface to said lower surface, said at least one bi-directional hole having a first bone fastener receiving portion, a second bone fastener receiving portion, and a connecting portion between said first and second bone fastener receiving portions, said first bone fastener receiving portion including a central longitudinal axis extending between said upper and lower surfaces, and said second bone fastener receiving portion including a central longitudinal axis extending between said upper and lower surfaces, the central longitudinal axes of said first and second bone fastener receiving portions diverging from one another below said lower surface of said plate, the central longitudinal axes of said first and second bone fastener receiving portions being transverse to a first plane extending along the mid-longitudinal axis of said plate and the first plane being perpendicular to said upper surface of said plate, and the central longitudinal axes of said first and second bone fastener receiving portions extending in second and third planes, respectively, said second and third planes being parallel to one another and crossing the mid-longitudinal axis at different points along said length of said plate, said first and second bone fastener receiving portions being threaded; and at least two bone fasteners, each of said at least two bone fasteners including a head portion adapted to engage said plate and a shaft portion adapted to engage the fractured bone, a first bone fastener of said at least two bone fasteners being received and seated in said first bone fastener receiving portion and a second bone fastener of said at least two bone fasteners being received and seated in said second bone fastener receiving portion, said head portions having threads formed thereon, said threads of said head portions of said first and second bone fasteners being adapted to engage said threads of said first and second bone fastener receiving portions, respectively, one of said first and second bone fasteners including a cut-out portion formed on said head portion thereof, said cut-out portion interrupting said threads formed on said head portion of said one of said first and second bone fasteners, said first and second bone fasteners, when received in said first and second bone fastener receiving portions, respectively, being oriented at angles aligned with the central longitudinal axes of said respective first and second bone fastener receiving portions, and diverging from one another below said lower surface of said plate, wherein, when said one of said first and second bone fasteners is seated in one of said first and second bone fastener receiving portions, and said cut-out portion is oriented toward said connecting portion between said first and second bone fastener receiving portions, said cut-out portion allowing passage of said head portion of the other of said first and second bone fasteners into the other of said first and second bone fastener receiving portions, said head of said one of said first and second bone fasteners including said cut-out portion having a cross sectional configuration through said head such that if said cut-out portion is oriented away from said connecting portion between said first and second bone fastener receiving portions when seated in said one of said first and second bone fastener receiving portions, said cross sectional configuration of said head prevents passage of said head portion of the other of said first and second bone fasteners into the other of said first and second bone fastener receiving portions, said head portion of the other of said first and second bone fasteners directly abutting said cut-out portion of said one of said first and second bone fasteners.