Abstract: An inserter for a bone screw assembly includes a hollow outer shaft with an inner shaft concentrically disposed therein. The distal ends of the inner shaft and outer shaft each define a feature for engaging the bone screw assembly. A collar is concentrically disposed about the proximal end of the inner shaft and a rotational interface is provided between the collar and inner shaft. The rotational interface is configured so that rotation of the collar relative to the inner shaft moves the collar into abutting engagement with a hub defined at the proximal end of the outer shaft. This abutting engagement locks the inner and outer shafts together when the distal ends of the shafts are engaged to the bone screw assembly for use in introducing the bone screw assembly into a bone.

Abstract: A washer for use with a bone screw having a shank and a head defining a maximum diameter, includes a body having a bottom face for engaging the surface of a bone and an opening therethrough sized to receive the shank of a bone screw extending therethrough. The washer includes a cavity in communication with the opening at the bottom face and configured to receive the head of the bone screw when the shank extends through the opening at said bottom face. The washer includes a plurality of flaps distributed around the opening of the cavity that are bendable from a first configuration in which the flaps define an opening sized to receive the head of the bone screw, to a second configuration in which the flaps define an opening smaller than the maximum diameter of the head of the bone screw.

Abstract: A cervical plate includes a body defining one or more bone screw openings sized and configured to receive the shank of a bone screw therethrough with the head of the bone screw seated within the opening. A locking post extends from the body adjacent one or more of the bone screw openings with a locking element rotatably mounted thereon. The locking element includes a wing corresponding to each of the bone screw openings, with each wing sized to overlap a portion of the bone screw opening when the locking element is in a locking orientation and the head of a bone screw is seated within the bone screw opening. A swaged interface between the locking post and the locking element retain the locking element on the body while permitting the locking element to be rotated from a locking orientation to an orientation in which the bone screw openings are unimpeded to permit introduction of a bone screw.