Patent ID: 8343194

Claim:
A surgical staple for fixation of the spinal vertebrae, comprising: a plate having a top side and a bottom side, said top side characterized by a pair of non-round recessed areas spaced along a centerline of the plate, said recessed areas joined to said top surface by a side wall and characterized by a generally circular portion conjoined with a first lobe and a second lobe extending there from positioned symmetrically on either side of an axis through a center of a circular aperture within each said generally circular portion of said recessed areas, said side wall further comprising a partial or complete annular groove around said generally circular portion; a plurality of sharp-pointed projections positioned at the periphery of the plate extending perpendicularly from the bottom side for frictional insertion into pilot holes formed in the vertebrae; said circular aperture within each said generally circular portion of said recessed areas for insertion of a bone screw, said circular apertures defined by a first diameter at said recessed area and a second, smaller diameter at said bottom side; and a “C” or “U” shaped locking clip comprising a first arm and a second arm incompletely encircling a central opening and a third arm and a fourth arm extending from between said first and second arms of said locking clip, said third arm and said fourth arm symmetrically opposed to each other about an axis through a center of said central opening of said “C” or “U” shape and an opening between said first and second arms, said central opening having a third diameter less than said first diameter, said locking clip retained in each said recessed area such that said third arm abuts said side wall within said first lobe and said fourth arm abuts said side wall within said second lobe and a distal portion of said arms are received within said annular groove when said central opening is substantially aligned with said circular aperture and wherein an outer edge of both said third arm and said fourth arm are continuously arcuate, said recessed area having a cooperative arcuate segment between said lobes such that a force applied along said axis through the center of said “C” or “U” shape and said opening between said first and second arms seats said clip against said segment and prevents later motion thereof, whereby insertion of said bone screws will cause said first and second arms to spring open and allow said bone screw to pass and then close to their original shape to prevent said screw from withdrawing.