Patent ID: 7758616

Claim:
A plating apparatus for the spine, comprising: a plate having a generally triangular shape and having an upper node positionable adjacent an L5 vertebra and a pair of lower nodes positionable adjacent an S1 vertebra, said plate including a posterior face positionable toward the L5 and S1 vertebrae and an opposite anterior face; an upper hole in the plate at the upper node to receive a screw for passage into the L5 vertebra; and a first lower hole in the plate formed through one of the lower nodes to receive a screw for passage into the S1 vertebra and a second lower hole in the plate through the other of the lower nodes to receive a screw for passage into the S1 vertebra, wherein said plate includes a number of retaining elements extending from said anterior surface of said plate with one retaining element adjacent each of said upper hole and said first and second lower holes, each of said retaining elements having a first form wherein a screw is insertable into the adjacent hole and each of said retaining elements being individually formable through bending of said retaining element while attached to said plate to a second form wherein said retaining element extends over the adjacent hole.