BONE PLATE WITH CAPTIVE CLIPS

• US 20110137344A1
• Filed: 02/11/2011
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Depuy Synthes Products Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Depuy Synthes Products Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Rathbun, David S., Suh, Senn S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,408,646 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/246
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1728 for holes for bone plates or plate screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1757 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8004 with means for distracting or compressing the bone or bones
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8009 the plate having a ratchet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8047 wherein the additional element surrounds the screw head in the plate hole A61B17/8052 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8085 with pliable or malleable elements or having a mesh-like structure, e.g. small strips A61B17/8071, A61B17/8076 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8605 Heads, i.e. proximal ends projecting from bone

Abstract

A fixation system includes a plate comprising a top surface, a bottom surface, a central longitudinal axis, at least one fixation hole extending between the top and bottom surfaces and comprising an undercut therein, and at least one passage intersecting one of the undercuts. At least one resilient clip is disposed in at least a portion of the undercut, with the at least one clip having a pair of generally parallel sides and an end tab. At least one fastener is provided and comprises a head and a threaded shaft, with the head comprising a perimetral groove extending around at least a portion thereof and an instrument receiving portion. The at least one clip is configured and dimensioned to seat in the undercut with the end tab extending within the passage, and the at least one fastener is configured and dimensioned to be received in the at least one fixation hole and securable therein when the at least one clip abuts the perimetral groove of the head.

Claims

1-17. -17. (canceled)

18. A bone plating system for stabilizing bones or bone fragments, including segments of the spinal column, comprising:

a bone plate having an upper plate surface, a lower plate surface, at least two pairs of fixation holes, each of the fixation holes extending between the upper surface and lower surface and having a lower hole portion and a tapered surface;

at least one resilient clip disposed within the lower hole portion of at least one of the fixation holes;

at least one variable angle fastener comprising a first head portion and a first shaft portion, the first head portion comprising a first trailing ledge, a first annular ledge and a convex surface extending from the first annular ledge to the first shaft portion, wherein the resilient clip is disposed between the first trailing ledge and the first annular ledge when the variable angle fastener is seated in at least one fixation hole to resist the variable angle fastener from backing out of the plate, the convex surface configured to be operatively associated with the tapered surface of at least one of the fixation holes when the variable angle fastener is seated in said fixation hole to permit the variable angle fastener to be inserted at a variety of insertion angles relative to the plate; and

at least one fixed angle fastener comprising a second head portion and a second shaft portion, the second head portion comprising a second trailing ledge, a second annular ledge and an annular portion disposed between the second annular ledge and the second shaft portion wherein the resilient clip is disposed between the second trailing ledge and the second annular ledge when the fixed angle fastener is seated in at least one fixation hole to resist the fixed angle fastener from backing out of the plate, and the annular portion is configured to be operatively associated with the tapered surface of the fixation hole when the fixed angle fastener is seated in the fixation hole so that the fixed angle fastener is insertable at a predetermined fixed angle relative to the plate.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the at least one fixation hole comprises at least one groove for receiving the resilient clip.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the resilient clip is at least partially seated in the groove to prevent the clip from sliding within the fixation hole.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the variable angle fastener further comprises an instrument receiving portion which communicates with the first head portion in at least one location.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the resilient clip is configured to be resiliently expandable during insertion of the variable angle fastener into the at least one fixation hole.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the resilient clip is configured to be resiliently expandable during insertion of the fixed angle fastener into the at least one fixation hole.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the resilient clip is configured to resiliently contract about the portion between the second trailing ledge and the second annular ledge and resist back out when the second annular ledge of the fixed angle fastener is brought into contact with the resilient clip.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein the variable angle fastener, the resilient clip and its respective plate fixation hole are configured to permit the trajectory of the variable angle fastener to change relative to the plate after insertion of the variable angle fastener into the bone.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the range of the trajectory of the variable angle fastener is permitted to vary by 15 degrees.

27. The system of claim 18, wherein the edges of the fixation hole at the upper surface form a horizontal plane and the fixed angle fastener is inserted into the fixation hole at an angle that is offset between about 10 degrees and about 25 degrees relative to an axis perpendicular to the horizontal plane.

28. The system of claim 18, wherein a groove is formed between the first trailing ledge and the first annular ledge for receiving the resilient clip.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the groove extends around a perimeter of the annular portion.

30. The system of claim 18, wherein a groove for receiving the resilient clip is formed between the first annular ledge and the first trailing ledge.

31. The system of claim 18, wherein the fasteners are bone screws.

32. A bone plating system for stabilizing bones or bone fragments, including segments of the spinal column, comprising:

a bone plate having an upper plate surface, a lower plate surface, at least two pairs of fixation holes, each of the fixation holes extending between the upper surface and lower surface and having a lower hole portion and a tapered surface;

at least one resilient clip comprising a notch portion and at least two flange portions, each flange portion having an end portion, a recessed portion and a thickened portion, wherein the resilient clip is disposed within the lower hole portion of at least one of the fixation holes;

at least one variable angle fastener comprising a first head portion and a first shaft portion, the first head portion comprising a first trailing ledge, a first annular ledge and a convex surface extending from the first annular ledge to the first shaft portion, wherein the resilient clip is disposed between the first trailing ledge and the first annular ledge when the variable angle fastener is seated in at least one fixation hole to resist the variable angle fastener from backing out of the plate, the convex surface configured to be operatively associated with the tapered surface of at least one of the fixation holes when the variable angle fastener is seated in said fixation hole to permit the variable angle fastener to be inserted at a variety of insertion angles relative to the plate; and

at least one fixed angle fastener comprising a second head portion and a second shaft portion, the second head portion comprising a second trailing ledge, a second annular ledge and an annular portion disposed between the second annular ledge and the second shaft portion wherein the resilient clip is disposed between the second trailing ledge and the second annular ledge when the fixed angle fastener is seated in at least one fixation hole to resist the fixed angle fastener from backing out of the plate, and the annular portion is configured to be operatively associated with the tapered surface of the fixation hole when the fixed angle fastener is seated in the fixation hole so that the fixed angle fastener is insertable at a predetermined fixed angle relative to the plate.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the bone plate further comprises a groove portion for receiving the resilient clip.

34. A kit for use with bone stabilization procedures comprising:

a bone plate having an upper surface and a lower surface, a first pair of fixation holes passing through the upper surface and lower surface and configured to be located adjacent the first vertebrae, a second pair of fixation holes passing through the upper surface and lower surface and configured to be located adjacent the second vertebrae wherein each of the first pair and second pair of fixation holes each has a lower hole portion and a tapered section and at least one resilient clip is disposed within the lower portion of the at least one fixation hole;

a plurality of variable angle fasteners, wherein each of the variable angle fasteners comprises a first head portion and a first shaft portion, the first head portion comprising a first trailing ledge, a first annular ledge and a convex surface extending from the first annular ledge to the first shaft portion, wherein the resilient clip is disposed between the first trailing ledge and the first annular ledge when the variable angle fastener is seated in at least one fixation hole to resist the variable angle fastener from backing out of the plate, the convex surface configured to be operatively associated with the tapered surface of at least one of the fixation holes when the variable angle fastener is seated in said fixation hole to permit the variable angle fastener to be inserted at a variety of insertion angles relative to the plate; and

a plurality of fixed angle fasteners wherein each of the fixed angle fasteners comprises a second head portion and a second shaft portion, the second head portion comprising a second trailing ledge, a second annular ledge and an annular portion disposed between the second annular ledge and the second shaft portion, wherein the resilient clip is disposed between the second trailing ledge and the second annular ledge when the fixed angle fastener is seated in at least one fixation hole to resist the fixed angle fastener from backing out of the plate, and the annular portion is configured to be operatively associated with the tapered surface of the fixation hole when the fixed angle fastener is seated in the fixation hole so that the fixed angle fastener is insertable at a predetermined fixed angle relative to the plate.

35. The kit of claim 34, wherein the resilient clip comprises a notch portion and at least two flange portions, each flange portion having an end portion, a recessed portion and a thickened portion, wherein the resilient clip is disposed within the lower hole portion of at least one of the fixation holes.

36. The kit of claim 34, wherein the annular portion comprises a groove for receiving the resilient clip.