Patent ID: 8388690

Claim:
A wedge-shaped spacer for insertion into a cooperating osteotomy formed in a bone, the osteotomy partially dividing the bone into two bone portions connected by a bony hinge, the osteotomy having a proximal opening at a cortical surface of the bone and a distal vertex adjacent to the bony hinge, whereby after said osteotomy is formed said proximal opening is forced apart such that said two bone portions pivot with respect to one another about said vertex, the wedge-shaped spacer comprising: a body having a first generally planar surface, a second generally planar surface, a proximal sidewall, a distal sidewall, and an insertion axis extending longitudinally from the distal sidewall to the proximal sidewall, the first and second surfaces being spaced further apart at a position adjacent to the proximal sidewall than at a position adjacent to the distal sidewall, such that a first non-zero angle is formed between said first and second surfaces in a first plane containing the insertion axis, the first and second surfaces being angled relative to one another in a second plane perpendicular to the insertion axis by a second angle, whereby insertion of the spacer into the osteotomy ensures that the two bone portions will be retained in desired relative positions controlled by said first and second angles; and at least one fixation plate extending generally orthogonally to one or both of the first and second surfaces, wherein said at least one fixation plate and said body are a unitary construction, wherein said at least one fixation plate is made of a material having properties differing from a material constituting portions of said body, said fixation plate material being relatively more malleable than said material constituting portions of said body, and wherein said body further defines an opening extending between the first surface and the second surface and forming a gap in the proximal sidewall, said gap extending approximately half the distance from the proximal sidewall to the distal sidewall, such that said spacer is generally U-shaped, whereby bone can grow between the two bone portions at the proximal side of the osteotomy.