Patent ID: 8475504

Claim:
A method of fixing bone, comprising: selecting a bone having a discontinuity near an end of the bone; providing a fixation device including a plate member and a U-shaped spanning component connected to the plate member with a clamp of the plate member formed at least in part by an upper plate, a lower plate, and a locking screw, the spanning component having a pair of legs that are round in cross section and that overlap the plate member and extend axially from the plate member to a pair of heads each defining an opening, the clamp being adjustable between a first configuration that permits the spanning component to slide parallel to a long axis of the plate member and a second configuration that fixes the spanning component to the plate member; placing the fixation device as a unit through an incision and onto the bone such that each leg spans the discontinuity and the plate member is arranged longitudinally on the bone and on an opposite side of the discontinuity from the end of the bone and the pair of heads; and attaching the fixation device to the bone using fasteners placed into the bone through apertures of the lower plate that are not covered by the upper plate and through the opening of each head.