Patent ID: 8070784

Claim:
A plating system for stabilization of a bony segment, comprising: a plate including: a first portion with a first hole and a second hole therethrough between an upper surface of said plate and a lower surface of said plate; a second portion with a third hole and a fourth hole therethrough between an upper surface of said plate and a lower surface of said plate; bone fasteners positionable in each of said first, second, third and fourth holes to secure said plate to the bony segment, each of said bone fasteners including a head with a tool engaging recess, each of said heads when positioned in respective ones of said first, second, third and fourth holes being located entirely below said upper surface of said plate adjacent said holes; and a retaining member engageable to said plate and extending at least partially over each of said bone fasteners, said retaining member having at least first, second, third and fourth engagement members extending therefrom and into a corresponding one of said first, second, third and fourth holes and engaging said tool engaging recess of said bone fastener in said hole to fix said bone fasteners relative to said plate, wherein each of said engagement members includes a sidewall extending from a lower surface of said retaining member, a central protrusion positionable in said tool engaging recess of said bone fastener, and a recess between said sidewall and said central protrusion that extends around said central protrusion and is sized to receive said head of said bone fastener therein, wherein said sidewall of each of said engagement members is tapered so that a first side of said sidewall extends from said lower surface of said retaining member a greater distance than an opposite side of said sidewall to angle said engagement member relative to said lower surface of said retaining member, wherein said engagement members are situated on said retaining member so that said that said first and second engagement members taper away from said second portion of said plate toward a first end of said retaining member and said third and fourth engagement members taper away from said first portion of said plate toward a second end of said retaining member opposite said first end.