Patent ID: 8506605

Claim:
A surgical system for stabilizing a first bone segment to a second bone segment, the system comprising: a plate having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is configured to be secured to the first bone segment and the second end is configured to be secured to the second bone segment, and further wherein the plate has a structural integrity sufficient to stabilize the first bone segment to the second bone segment; the plate comprising a first, generally toroidal body at the first end of the plate, a second generally toroidal body at the second end of the plate, and a bridge connecting the first generally toroidal body to the second generally toroidal body; the first generally toroidal body comprising at least one opening extending therethrough and the second generally toroidal body comprising at least one opening extending therethrough; attachment apparatus adapted for positioning through the at least one opening in the first generally toroidal body for securing the first generally toroidal body to the first bone segment; and attachment apparatus adapted for positioning through the at least one opening in the second generally toroidal body for securing the second generally toroidal body to the second bone segment; wherein the attachment apparatus comprises a sleeve/screw construction, wherein the sleeve/screw construction comprises: a sleeve adapted for positioning through the at least one opening and into a bone segment, the sleeve comprising: a shank having a distal end and a proximal end and a recess extending from the distal end to the proximal end, wherein the recess narrows toward the distal end of the shank, and further wherein the distal end of the shank is slit so as to form a plurality of radially-expandable segments; and an enlarged head formed at the proximal end of the shank, the enlarged head being formed so as to be radially-expandable; the sleeve being sized so that when the sleeve is positioned through the at least one opening and into the bone segment, at least a portion of the radially-expandable segments extend into the bone segment; and a screw adapted for positioning in the recess in the sleeve, the screw being sized so as to (i) radially expand the distal end of the sleeve so that the sleeve is secured to the bone, and (ii) radially expand the enlarged head of the sleeve so that the sleeve is secured to the plate, whereby to secure the plate to the bone.