Abstract: Occipital plate systems are described. The occipital plate systems include an occipital plate having an upper portion and lower portion. The lower portion can include an opening for receiving one or more lateral members therethrough. The lateral members include top and/or side apertures for receiving lateral connectors that are attached to polyaxial screw receiving members. The occipital plate systems can also include low-profile clamping arms that are operably attached to an occipital plate via an extension member and articulating joint member. The clamping arms, along with tension cables attached intermittently along its length, can be used in addition to or instead of screws and hooks to secure an occipital plate system to vertebrae.

Abstract: Occipital plate systems are described. The occipital plate systems include an occipital plate having an upper portion and lower portion. The lower portion can include an opening for receiving one or more lateral members therethrough. The lateral members include top and/or side apertures for receiving lateral connectors that are attached to polyaxial screw receiving members. The occipital plate systems can also include low-profile clamping arms that are operably attached to an occipital plate via an extension member and articulating joint member. The clamping arms, along with tension cables attached intermittently along its length, can be used in addition to or instead of screws and hooks to secure an occipital plate system to vertebrae.

Abstract: Occipital plate systems are described. The occipital plate systems include an occipital plate having an upper portion and lower portion. The lower portion can include an opening for receiving one or more lateral members therethrough. The lateral members include top and/or side apertures for receiving lateral connectors that are attached to polyaxial screw receiving members. The occipital plate systems can also include low-profile clamping arms that are operably attached to an occipital plate via an extension member and articulating joint member. The clamping arms, along with tension cables attached intermittently along its length, can be used in addition to or instead of screws and hooks to secure an occipital plate system to vertebrae.

Abstract: Occipital plate systems are described. The occipital plate systems include an occipital plate having an upper portion and lower portion. The lower portion can include an opening for receiving one or more lateral members therethrough. The lateral members include top and/or side apertures for receiving lateral connectors that are attached to polyaxial screw receiving members. The occipital plate systems can also include low-profile clamping arms that are operably attached to an occipital plate via an extension member and articulating joint member. The clamping arms, along with tension cables attached intermittently along its length, can be used in addition to or instead of screws and hooks to secure an occipital plate system to vertebrae.

Abstract: Occipital plate systems are described. The occipital plate systems include an occipital plate having an upper portion and lower portion. The lower portion can include an opening for receiving one or more lateral members therethrough. The lateral members include top and/or side apertures for receiving lateral connectors that are attached to polyaxial screw receiving members. The occipital plate systems can also include low-profile clamping arms that are operably attached to an occipital plate via an extension member and articulating joint member. The clamping arms, along with tension cables attached intermittently along its length, can be used in addition to or instead of screws and hooks to secure an occipital plate system to vertebrae.

Abstract: Treatment of spinal irregularities, including, in one or more embodiments, dynamic spine stabilizers and systems that can be used to stabilize one or more motion segments in a patient's spine. Spine stabilization systems may comprise a first bone fastener configured to attach the spine stabilization system to a first vertebra. Spine stabilization systems further may comprise a second bone fastener configured to attach the spine stabilization system to a second vertebra. Spine stabilization systems further may comprise a dynamic spine stabilizer configured to connect the first bone fastener and the second bone fastener with at least some relative movement between the first bone fastener and the second bone fastener.

Abstract: A polyaxial fastener is secured within an implant with a retaining ring. The ring is assembled onto a circumferential groove formed in the fastener head. The groove and ring are positionable, when the fastener is installed into an implant, at a wide portion of the mating polyaxial aperture in the implant. The ring is compressible into the groove to form a narrowed diameter, which is passable into a narrow diameter of the aperture, near an entrance to the aperture. The ring is released to expand and increase an overall diameter of the head and ring assembly, thereby rending the assembly too wide to pass by the narrow entrance to the aperture, thereby securing the assembly within the implant.

Abstract: A fastener, for example a bone screw, is sized to pass into an aperture of an implant, for example, a bone plate, the fastener having an anchor portion engageable with body tissue, and a head portion formed by an assembly of an insert and an anchor extension. The insert and anchor extension cooperate to form a reduced dimension passable into the aperture, and an expanded dimension not passable out of the aperture. The size of the assembly may be configurable, for example, by tabs, ramped surfaces, or an expanding diameter of a threadable insert.

Abstract: Occipital plate systems are described. The occipital plate systems include an occipital plate having an upper portion and lower portion. The lower portion can include an opening for receiving one or more lateral members therethrough. The lateral members include top and/or side apertures for receiving lateral connectors that are attached to polyaxial screw receiving members. The occipital plate systems can also include low-profile clamping arms that are operably attached to an occipital plate via an extension member and articulating joint member. The clamping arms, along with tension cables attached intermittently along its length, can be used in addition to or instead of screws and hooks to secure an occipital plate system to vertebrae.

Abstract: A polyaxial fastener is secured within an implant with a retaining ring. The ring is assembled onto a circumferential groove formed in the fastener head. The groove and ring are positionable, when the fastener is installed into an implant, at a wide portion of the mating polyaxial aperture in the implant. The ring is compressible into the groove to form a narrowed diameter, which is passable into a narrow diameter of the aperture, near an entrance to the aperture. The ring is released to expand and increase an overall diameter of the head and ring assembly, thereby rending the assembly too wide to pass by the narrow entrance to the aperture, thereby securing the assembly within the implant.

Abstract: A polyaxial fastener is secured within an implant with a retaining ring. The ring is assembled onto a circumferential groove formed in the fastener head. The groove and ring are positionable, when the fastener is installed into an implant, at a wide portion of the mating polyaxial aperture in the implant. The ring is compressible into the groove to form a narrowed diameter, which is passable into a narrow diameter of the aperture, near an entrance to the aperture. The ring is released to expand and increase an overall diameter of the head and ring assembly, thereby rending the assembly too wide to pass by the narrow entrance to the aperture, thereby securing the assembly within the implant.

Abstract: Treatment of spinal irregularities, including, in one or more embodiments, dynamic spine stabilizers and systems that can be used to stabilize one or more motion segments in a patient's spine. Spine stabilization systems may comprise a first bone fastener configured to attach the spine stabilization system to a first vertebra. Spine stabilization systems further may comprise a second bone fastener configured to attach the spine stabilization system to a second vertebra. Spine stabilization systems further may comprise a dynamic spine stabilizer configured to connect the first bone fastener and the second bone fastener with at least some relative movement between the first bone fastener and the second bone fastener.

Abstract: A fastener, for example a bone screw, is sized to pass into an aperture of an implant, for example, a bone plate, the fastener having an anchor portion engageable with body tissue, and a head portion formed by an assembly of an insert and an anchor extension. The insert and anchor extension cooperate to form a reduced dimension passable into the aperture, and an expanded dimension not passable out of the aperture. The size of the assembly may be configurable, for example, by tabs, ramped surfaces, or an expanding diameter of a threadable insert.

Abstract: A fastener, for example a bone screw, is sized to pass into an aperture of an implant, for example a bone plate, the fastener having an anchor portion engageable with body tissue, and a head portion formed by an assembly of an insert and an anchor extension. The implant has an aperture with a reduced entry dimension. The insert and anchor extension cooperate to form a reduced dimension passable into the aperture, and an expanded dimension not passable out of the aperture. The size of the assembly is configurable by bending resilient tabs of the anchor extension or the implant, using ramped surfaces, or an expanding diameter of a threadable insert.

Abstract: A polyaxial fastener is secured within an implant with a retaining ring. The ring is assembled onto a circumferential groove formed in the fastener head. The groove and ring are positionable, when the fastener is installed into an implant, at a wide portion of the mating polyaxial aperture in the implant. The ring is compressible into the groove to form a narrowed diameter, which is passable into a narrow diameter of the aperture, near an entrance to the aperture. The ring is released to expand and increase an overall diameter of the head and ring assembly, thereby rending the assembly too wide to pass by the narrow entrance to the aperture, thereby securing the assembly within the implant.

Abstract: A polyaxial fastener is secured within an implant with a retaining ring. The ring is assembled onto a circumferential groove formed in the fastener head. The groove and ring are positionable, when the fastener is installed into an implant, at a wide portion of the mating polyaxial aperture in the implant. The ring is compressible into the groove to form a narrowed diameter, which is passable into a narrow diameter of the aperture, near an entrance to the aperture. The ring is released to expand and increase an overall diameter of the head and ring assembly, thereby rending the assembly too wide to pass by the narrow entrance to the aperture, thereby securing the assembly within the implant.

Abstract: A fastener, for example a bone screw, is sized to pass into an aperture of an implant, for example a bone plate, the fastener having an anchor portion engageable with body tissue, and a head portion formed by an assembly of an insert and an anchor extension. The implant has an aperture with a reduced entry dimension. The insert and anchor extension cooperate to form a reduced dimension passable into the aperture, and an expanded dimension not passable out of the aperture. The size of the assembly is configurable by bending resilient tabs of the anchor extension or the implant, using ramped surfaces, or an expanding diameter of a threadable insert.

Abstract: A polyaxial fastener is secured within an implant with a retaining ring. The ring is assembled onto a circumferential groove formed in the fastener head. The groove and ring are positionable, when the fastener is installed into an implant, at a wide portion of the mating polyaxial aperture in the implant. The ring is compressible into the groove to form a narrowed diameter, which is passable into a narrow diameter of the aperture, near an entrance to the aperture. The ring is released to expand and increase an overall diameter of the head and ring assembly, thereby rending the assembly too wide to pass by the narrow entrance to the aperture, thereby securing the assembly within the implant.

Abstract: A polyaxial fastener is secured within an implant with a retaining ring. The ring is assembled onto a circumferential groove formed in the fastener head. The groove and ring are positionable, when the fastener is installed into an implant, at a wide portion of the mating polyaxial aperture in the implant. The ring is compressible into the groove to form a narrowed diameter, which is passable into a narrow diameter of the aperture, near an entrance to the aperture. The ring is released to expand and increase an overall diameter of the head and ring assembly, thereby rending the assembly too wide to pass by the narrow entrance to the aperture, thereby securing the assembly within the implant.