Patent ID: 8486066

Claim:
An apparatus assembly for use in association with bones in a patient's body, the apparatus assembly comprising: a body constructed of a polymeric material including a thick end portion, a thin end portion defining a thin end axis that extends between opposite ends, a first side surface, a second side surface, an upper surface and a lower surface, the thick end portion having a first thickness and the thin end portion having a second thickness, the first thickness being greater than the second thickness, the body further including a central opening formed in the body and extending generally vertically through the upper surface and the lower surface, the central opening having an internal surface including an internal leading surface, an internal trailing surface, a first internal side surface and a second internal side surface, a central opening width defined between the first and second internal side surfaces, wherein the first internal side surface is spaced from the first side surface at a first spacing and the second internal side surface is spaced from the second side surface at a second spacing, the central opening width being greater than a sum of the first spacing and the second spacing, the internal leading surface including a substantially linear portion extending substantially parallel to the thin end axis between a first end and a second end, the internal leading surface defining an internal leading height that is substantially constant between the first end and the second end; and a mounting strip connected to the thick end portion, the mounting strip constructed of a metallic material.