Patent ID: 8790378

Claim:
A bone plate for a volar side of a distal end of a radius bone for use with a 1.6 mm K-wire, the distal radius bone having a diaphysis and a metaphysis, and the metaphysis having a volar rim, comprising: a) a bone contacting lower surface; b) an opposite upper surface; c) a shaft including a plurality of fastener holes to secure said shaft relative to the radius bone; and d) a head extending at a transverse orientation relative to said shaft, said head angled upwards relative to said shaft when said lower surface of said shaft is positioned substantially horizontal and face down, said head including a plurality of threaded holes, each defining a thread axis along which a fastener inserted into the threaded holes is retained along said thread axis, said head including a radial side and an ulnar side, said radial side tapering to a distal edge and being free and absent of any tab, and said ulnar side provided with a tab extending distally beyond said radial side distal edge, said tab provided with a K-wire hole with cylindrical sidewalls capable of closely receiving the 1.6 mm K-wire and retaining the K-wire in a fixed angle, said upper surface of said tab having a smooth contour with a tapered distal edge, a recess being provided to said lower surface of said bone plate and extending along an entire junction between said tab and a remainder of said head in alignment with said radial side distal edge to reduce a cross-sectional area moment of inertia thereat such that when the K-wire is inserted into said K-wire hole and a bending load is applied to the K-wire, said plate is bent at said reduced cross-sectional area to re-orient said tab about an axis in alignment with said radial side distal edge.