Patent ID: 8057521

Claim:
A surgical stabilization device, comprising: (a) a plate having a thickness, a width, a first attachment end, a second attachment end, a length defined between said first and second attachment ends, and a plurality of apertures extending through the thickness of said plate to receive a plurality of individually corresponding surgical fasteners placed therethrough; (b) a plurality of surgical fasteners; and (c) at least one selectively pivotal shield rotatably attached to said plate and providing a space between a respective head of at least one surgical fastener and said at least one pivotal shield when in secured configuration to said plate, wherein the space allows unimpeded post-operative egress of said at least one surgical fastener relative to said plate within the space, and wherein said at least one pivotal shield is rotatably attached to said plate between a pair of the plurality of apertures defining a rotational axis for said at least one pivotal shield therebetween.