Abstract: A surgical bone preparation instrument that is effective to prepare the surface of adjacent bone structures, and more particularly to remove a predetermined portion of bone from the vertebral endplates of adjacent vertebral bodies, is provided. In general, the surgical bone preparation instrument includes a housing member having an inner lumen formed therein, and an elongate member rotatably disposable within the housing member. The housing member can include a distractor member adapted to be disposed between adjacent bone structures, and optionally a rotation limiting element, and/or a stop member. In use, the elongate member is rotated with respect to the housing, thereby causing the cutting element to penetrate and remove bone from the adjacent bone structures.

Abstract: An anterior bone plate system is provided that promotes osseous fusion and allows subsidence while restricting extension. The bone plate system requires a minimum number of screws for securing the plate onto bone, thus reducing the amount of osseous tissue damage incurred by the bone structures to which they are attached. The system is also simple to use and provides for independent screw placement while incurring minimal soft tissue damage from lateral retraction. A method for implementing the system is also provided.

Abstract: A surgical bone preparation instrument that is effective to prepare the surface of adjacent bone structures, and more particularly to remove a predetermined portion of bone from the vertebral endplates of adjacent vertebral bodies, is provided. In general, the surgical bone preparation instrument includes a housing member having an inner lumen formed therein, and an elongate member rotatably disposable within the housing member. The housing member can include a distract member adapted to be disposed between adjacent bone structures, and optionally a rotation limiting element, and/or a stop member. In use, the elongate member is rotated with respect to the housing, thereby causing the cutting element to penetrate and remove bone from the adjacent bone structures.

Abstract: Instrumentation for osteofixation including a locking bone plate and a surgical drill guide. The plate has a plurality of fastener holes with inner walls of a preselected hole diameter. The drill guide has a guide member, for guiding a drill bit, and a hollow collet disposed substantially coaxially with the guide member. A radially expandable forward end of the collet comprises a radially expandable neck and an outwardly projecting rim disposed forward of the neck. This rim defines a contracted outer rim diameter that is smaller than the hole diameter in a contracted collet position, and an expanded outer rim diameter that is larger than the hole diameter in an expanded position. Thus, the rim is freely extractable through the plate hole in the contracted position, but is unreceivable through the plate hole in the expanded position. The collet neck is configured and dimensioned to press outwardly against an inner wall of the plate hole when the neck is expanded.