Patent ID: 8137406

Claim:
A method for performing an osteotomy, comprising: forming an osteotomy cut in a bone; opening the bone so as to form a wedge-like opening; broaching the bone to form a seat overlapping the osteotomy cut, wherein the seat comprises an upper seat and a lower seat, wherein the upper seat is formed in the bone proximal to the osteotomy cut and the lower seat is formed in the bone distal to the osteotomy cut; providing an osteotomy plate, wherein the osteotomy plate comprises: a body having a front side and a back side; a protrusion extending out of the back side of the body for disposition in the wedge-like opening, wherein the protrusion comprises an upper portion and a lower portion; and a plurality of mounting holes for receiving fixation screws therein, the mounting holes being formed in the body such that when the protrusion is disposed in the wedge-like opening, the mounting holes direct fixation screws into the bone on either side of the wedge-like opening; positioning the osteotomy plate so that the back side of the osteotomy plate is positioned against the bone and the protrusion is disposed in the wedge-like opening, such that the upper portion is seated in the upper seat and the lower portion is seated in the lower seat; and passing fixation screws through the mounting holes formed in the osteotomy plate and into the bone so as to secure the osteotomy plate to the bone.