Patent ID: 7686837

Claim:
An implantable orthopedic device comprising a load-bearing plate, with at least one polyaxially-oriented fixation element, the load-bearing plate has at least one opening having a part-spherical inner surface for the passage of said at least one polyaxially-oriented fixation element, and first expandable insert, which may be inserted into said opening, the first expandable insert having a part-spherical outer shape that is complementary to the inner part-spherical shape of the opening to allow a polyaxial rotation of the insert in the opening, the first expandable insert having a central through-bore extending along an axis for accepting a body of the fixation element and allowing the polyaxial rotation of the same and further comprising a second insert for holding the first insert in the opening the first expandable insert element having a central recess surrounding the through-bore thereof for receiving the second insert, the first expandable insert element is capable of being expanded, by relative displacement of the first and second insert elements, the first expandable insert having two slits extending partially through the first expandable insert from a first side and two slits extending partially therethrough from a second side of the first insert; the first and second sides of the first expandable insert element extending transverse to the direction of the axis and the implantable orthopedic device further comprising a means for holding the first and second inserts in the opening which includes a third ring-shaped insert that is inserted in a recess in the plate surrounding the at least one opening and extending part way through a thickness of the plate from a bone contacting side of the plate and into contact with the first expandable insert.