Patent ID: 6428542
Filing Date: 2002-08-06
Classification: A61B,A61F,Y10S

Abstract:
A plate system adapted for use in the anterior human cervical spine for contacting the anterior aspect of at least two cervical vertebral bodies, said plate system comprising:a plate having a longitudinal axis and a length sufficient to span a disc space and overlap portions of at least two adjacent cervical vertebral bodies, a lower surface for placement against the cervical vertebral bodies and an upper surface opposite said lower surface, said lower surface being concave along a substantial portion of the longitudinal axis of said plate; at least two bone screws each having a central longitudinal axis and being adapted to engage each of the at least two cervical vertebral bodies, respectively, each of said bone screws having a leading end for insertion into the bone of the cervical vertebral bodies and a trailing end opposite said leading end, said trailing end having a top surface oriented toward said trailing end of said bone screw and a bottom surface opposite said top surface oriented toward said leading end of said bone screw; at least two bone screw receiving holes extending through said plate from said upper surface through said lower surface, at least a first of said bone screw receiving holes associated with a first of the cervical vertebral bodies and at least a second of said bone screw receiving holes associated with a second of the cervical vertebral bodies; and at least one locking element, each of said at least one locking element adapted to lock to said plate only a single one of said bone screws inserted in a single one of said at least two bone screw receiving holes, said locking element adapted to be coupled to said plate prior to the insertion of said bone screw to be locked by said locking element into said one of said bone screw receiving holes, said locking element being moveable from an initial position that permits the insertion of said bone screw into said one of said bone screw receiving holes to a final position that is adapted to extend over at least a portion of said top surface of said bone screw inserted in said one of said bone screw receiving holes.