Patent ID: 7955362

Claim:
A body tissue fixation apparatus, comprising: a plate having oppositely disposed outer and tissue-contacting surfaces, and at least one fixation hole extending between the outer and tissue-contacting surfaces along a longitudinal axis, the fixation hole being defined in part by an inner hole surface having at least one serration, the serration having a serration anti-reverse feature, the serration being at least one of: formed longitudinally with respect to the inner hole surface and extending longitudinally at least a portion of the distance between the outer and tissue-contacting surfaces of the plate, the serration anti-reverse feature being oriented to resist force exerted in a circumferential direction with respect to the longitudinal axis, and formed laterally with respect to the inner hole surface and extending radially with respect to the longitudinal axis, the serration anti-reverse feature being oriented to resist force exerted in a circumferential direction with respect to the longitudinal axis; the plate being adapted for affixation to at least one body tissue member; at least one fixation device having a shank and a head portion, the shank being insertable through the fixation hole in the plate to affix the plate to the body tissue member upon rotation of the head portion in a first rotation direction; and at least one deformable member connected to the head portion, the deformable member extending laterally in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and being adapted to deflect due to contact with at least one serration during rotation of the head portion to engage with at least one serration anti-reverse feature formed on the inner hole surface, wherein engagement between the deformable member and the serration anti-reverse feature resists rotation of the fixation device within the fixation hole in a second rotation direction opposite the first rotation direction.