Bone plates and methods for provisional fixation using same

Abstract

Bone plates with an upper surface, a bone contacting surface, and a plurality of holes extending through the upper and bone contact surfaces for receiving bone screws are disclosed. Each hole interchangeably accepts a compression screw for compression of a fracture and a locking screw that threads into the bone plate. Provisional fixation of a bone plate to a bone may be accomplished using provisional fixation pins through the screw-receiving holes of the bone plate.

1 . A bone plate comprising: 
 an upper surface;    a bone contacting surface; and    a plurality of holes for receiving bone screws, wherein each hole extends through the upper surface and the bone contacting surface, may interchangeably receive a locking screw and a compression screw, and includes a thread that makes a complete revolution around the hole.    
   
   
       2 . The bone plate of  claim 1 , wherein each hole further comprises: 
 a top portion extending from the upper surface; and    a bottom portion extending from the top portion to the bone contacting surface, wherein the bottom portion is threaded.    
   
   
       3 . The bone plate of  claim 2 , wherein the bottom portion is tapered with an included angle of less than about thirty degrees.  
   
   
       4 . The bone plate of  claim 2 , wherein threads of each hole are configured to receive threads of a head of a locking screw.  
   
   
       5 . The bone plate of  claim 1 , wherein each hole is configured to engage a head of a compression screw and provide compression of fractured bone fragments.  
   
   
       6 . The bone plate of  claim 1 , wherein each hole is configured to threadably engage a head of a locking screw and fix the locking screw with respect to the bone plate.  
   
   
       7 . A method of reducing a fracture of a bone, the method comprising: 
 (a) inserting a provisional fixation pin through a first hole in a bone plate to couple the bone plate to the bone, wherein the first hole is one of a plurality of holes in the bone plate for receiving bone screws;    (b) drilling a hole in the bone through a second hole of the plurality of holes; and    (c) inserting a locking screw through the second hole and into engagement with the bone to fix the position of the bone plate.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising inserting one or more additional provisional fixation pins through one or more additional holes of the plurality of holes before step (b).  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein each hole of the plurality of holes in the bone plate may interchangeably receive a locking screw and a compression screw and includes a thread that makes a complete revolution around the hole.  
   
   
       10 . A method of reducing a fracture of a bone, the method comprising: 
 (a) inserting a provisional fixation pin through a first hole in a bone plate to couple the bone plate to the bone, wherein the first hole is one of a plurality of holes in the bone plate for receiving bone screws;    (b) drilling a hole in the bone through a second hole of the plurality of holes; and    (c) inserting a compression screw through the second hole and into engagement with the bone to lag a bone fragment to the bone plate.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising inserting one or more additional provisional fixation pins through one or more additional holes of the plurality of holes before step (b).  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising drilling another hole in the bone through a third hole of the plurality of holes and inserting a locking screw through the third hole and into engagement with the bone to fix the position of the bone plate.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein each hole of the plurality of holes in the bone plate may interchangeably receive a locking screw and a compression screw and includes a thread that makes a complete revolution around the hole.  
   
   
       14 . A bone plate assembly comprising: 
 a bone plate including: 
 an upper surface;  
 a bone contacting surface;  
 a plurality of holes for receiving bone screws, wherein each hole extends through the upper surface and the bone contacting surface, may interchangeably receive a locking screw and a compression screw, and includes a thread that makes a complete revolution around the hole;  
   at least one locking screw;    at least one compression screw; and    at least one provisional fixation pin that may be received within at least one of the plurality of holes for receiving bone screws.    
   
   
       15 . The bone plate assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the bone plate further comprises pinholes for receiving provisional fixation pins and the bone plate assembly further comprises at least one provisional fixation pin that may be received within the pinholes.  
   
   
       16 . The bone plate assembly of  claim 15 , where the at least one provisional fixation pin that may be received within the pinholes has a diameter of about 2 millimeters and the at least one provisional fixation pin that may be received in the plurality of holes for receiving bone screws has a diameter of about 2.7 or about 3.5 millimeters.  
   
   
       17 . The bone plate assembly of  claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of holes for receiving bone screws is configured to engage a head of the compression screw and provide compression of fractured bone fragments.  
   
   
       18 . The bone plate assembly of  claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of holes for receiving bone screws is configured to threadably engage a head of a locking screw and fix the locking screw with respect to the bone plate.  
   
   
       19 . The bone plate assembly of  claim 14 , wherein a head of the locking screw is tapered and includes threads that engage threads in the hole.  
   
   
       20 . The bone plate assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the locking screw includes a head with triple lead threads and a single lead threaded shaft such that all threads of the locking screw are of a substantially equivalent pitch and the lead is not continuous between the threads of the head and the threads of the shaft of the locking screw.