Patent ID: 7766917
Filing Date: 2010-08-03
Classification: A61B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for extracting an insert from an opening in a bone plate comprising: providing an elongated bone plate having a bone contacting surface and having at least one elongate opening for receiving a bone screw, said opening having a recessed outwardly facing surface around the opening, said recessed outwardly facing surface tapering towards the bone contacting surface from a first to a second smaller cross-section; providing an elongate insert mounted in the elongate opening wherein the insert exhibits a continuous external portion that is generally complementary to the recessed outwardly facing surface and an extension portion complimentary to an internal surface of the opening extending from the second smaller cross-section toward the bone contacting surface and wherein the insert exhibits a threaded central through-bore for mounting the body of the bone screw wherein the extension portion has at least one deflectable portion that extends along an elongate side of the insert internal portion; threading an extractor into the threaded central through bore of the elongate insert, the extractor having an outer hollow sleeve, the hollow sleeve comprising an introduction opening at a first end and a proximal abutment surface at a second end engagable with a surface portion of the load-bearing element around the insert, the hollow sleeve further comprising an inner threaded portion between said introduction opening and said abutment surface and an inner bar, the bar having a diameter enabling the insertion of the bar into said distal introduction opening of the hollow sleeve and comprising a threaded end portion for engaging the threaded bore of the elongate insert to be extracted and an outer thread on an intermediate portion wherein the outer threaded portion is arranged to engage said inner threaded portion of the hollow sleeve; positioning the outer threaded portion of said inner bar being at a longitudinal distance from the insert engaging threaded end portion thereof to enable that threaded portion to extend beyond the proximal abutment surface; threading the end portion into the central bore of the insert and limiting the engagement of the thread on the first end of the bar with the thread on the insert bore to less than an entire length of the threaded bore to allow the deflectable insert portion to deflect inwardly; and removing the insert by pulling on the extractor thereby allowing the deflection of the internal portion.