Abstract: An anterior cervical plate is disclosed, along with threaded fasteners for securing the plate to vertebrae or other osseous material. The cervical plate has several pockets or apertures, preferably at least four, to receive a corresponding number of the fasteners. The pockets have spherical surfaces, and the fasteners have heads with similarly sized spherical surfaces, which when engaged permit each of the fasteners to be oriented at a variety of projection angles with respect to the plate. In connection with each pocket, the cervical plate incorporates a fastener retaining feature. The feature can take the form of a cantilevered tab or a beam supported at its opposite ends, in each case plastically deformable between an open position for admitting the fastener and a closed position for preventing retraction.

Abstract: An anterior cervical plate is disclosed, along with threaded fasteners for securing the plate to vertebrae or other osseous material. The cervical plate has several pockets or apertures, preferably at least four, to receive a corresponding number of the fasteners. The pockets have spherical surfaces, and the fasteners have heads with similarly sized spherical surfaces, which when engaged permit each of the fasteners to be oriented at a variety of projection angles with respect to the plate. In connection with each pocket, the cervical plate incorporates a fastener retaining feature. The feature can take the form of a cantilevered tab or a beam supported at its opposite ends, in each case plastically deformable between an open position for admitting the fastener and a closed position for preventing retraction.

Abstract: A vertically adjustable, self-centering spine screw including a bone screw with an beveled head. A series of lateral grooves are disposed on the bone screw head that mesh with similar grooves on an adapter. The second side of the adapter has radial splines that mesh with similar radial grooves on a spacer. This configuration gives the surgeon a self-centering bone screw with adjustment in both the lateral and angular directions.

Abstract: A spinal fixation system comprised of a bone mounting device, a support rod, and an attachment assembly interconnecting the bone mounting device to the support rod. The bone mounting device can include either bone screws configured to be screwed into the pedicle region of a vertebral body in the patient or hook mounting devices configured to be hooked around a portion of a vertebral body. The bone mounting devices include a multi-faceted connecting surface which is generally a crosshatched surface. The attachment assembly includes a housing having two openings for the support rod and a cam core member which has an eyebolt opening which is positioned in the housing so the support rod extends through the housing openings and the eyebolt opening. The cam core member also has a shaft on which the bone mounting device is positioned as well as a locking cap.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for using a titanium alloy skeletal fixation system. A vertically adjustable spine screw includes an elongated u-shaped yoke on one end, with a machined female slot on each yoke side. The female slots allow ease of gripping the spine screw with a modified forceps like device. Parallel malleable metallic rods are conformed to the spinal region, then connected to the screw using an eyebolt assembly. This eyebolt assembly includes an angular rotation spacer, and a height adjustment spacer with positioning tabs. This assembly slides over each parallel rod with the bolt portion slipping into the spine screw yoke. The yoke meshes with the height adjustment spacer allowing height adjustment. The angular rotation spacer conforms to the rod and the height adjustment spacer. One or more of three different bridge assemblies transversely span the essentially parallel rods allowing lateral and angular adjustment.

Abstract: A modular implant for use in stabilizing femoral bone disorders resulting from injury, disease or congenital defects. In one embodiment the implant has an upper side plate with a widened head and a angled barrel, and a lower side plate adapted to be engaged with the upper side plate in a tongue and groove configuration. The side plates, once engaged, conform with the cortical wall of the femur.

Abstract: A bone stabilizing system including an improved guide pin consisting of an elongate solid shaft having one or more drilling teeth and self-tapping threads at a first end and a cross-section partially defined by a non-circular circumference. The system also includes a fixation device which comprises a metal cannula defined by a hollow cylindrical shaft having a drilling teeth at one end, an operating tool receiving means at the other end and a plurality of threads therebetween. The drilling teeth each having cutting surfaces positioned obliquely with first and second directions in a diametric plane extending axially through the cannula. The receiving portion is configured to accept an operating tool to rotatingly advance or withdraw the cannula within the fractured bone. The threads are configured with a non-circular circumference while a portion of the threads are tapered.