Blade plate and instruments

Abstract

A blade plate, as well as instruments and methods for securing the blade plate to a bone to reduce a bone fracture. The blade plate includes a plate portion and a blade portion extending at an angle relative to the plate portion. The plate portion includes a plurality of holes for receipt of bone screws for securing the blade plate to the bone about the bone fracture. A strut screw, inserted through a hole in the plate portion, spans the angle between the plate and blade portions, and threadingly engages a hole in the blade portion to slightly draw the plate and blade portions together to compress and support the bone fracture. A pair of top screws are inserted through holes in the plate portion at angles with respect to the strut screw on either side of the strut screw. Additionally, the blade plate is designed to closely conform to the surface of the bone to minimize the gap between the bone and the blade plate. In order to secure the blade plate to a bone, a chisel/drill guide, chisel, insertion guide, and screw drill guides are provided.

1 . A kit, comprising: 
 a chisel having an elongate blade portion;    and a chisel and drill guide member, the chisel and drill guide member having a first channel therethrough, said first channel dimensioned to receive said chisel.    
   
   
       2 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein said first channel includes a first key element and said chisel includes a second key element, said first and said second key elements engaging one another when said chisel is received within said first channel.  
   
   
       3 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein said channel and said chisel are cooperatively dimensioned such that said chisel may only be received through said channel according to a single orientation.  
   
   
       4 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein said chisel and drill guide member further includes a chamfer slot therein, said chamfer slot disposed at an angle relative to said first channel and extending through said chisel and drill guide member to meet said first channel.  
   
   
       5 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein said chisel and drill guide member further includes at least one second channel therethrough and disposed parallel to said first channel, said kit further including a guide wire disposed through one of said at least one second channels.  
   
   
       6 . A kit, comprising: 
 a drill guide insert; and    a chisel and drill guide member, the chisel and drill guide member having a first channel therethrough, said first channel dimensioned to receive said drill guide insert.    
   
   
       7 . The kit of  claim 6 , wherein said first channel includes a first key element and said drill guide insert includes a second key element, said first and said second key elements engaging one another when said drill guide insert is received within said first channel.  
   
   
       8 . The kit of  claim 6 , wherein said channel and said chisel are cooperatively dimensioned such that said chisel may only be received through said channel according to a single orientation.  
   
   
       9 . The kit of  claim 6 , wherein said drill guide insert includes a plurality of guide bores therein.  
   
   
       10 . The kit of  claim 6 , wherein said chisel and drill guide member further includes a chamfer slot therein, said chamfer slot disposed at an angle relative to said first channel and extending through said chisel and drill guide member to meet said first channel.  
   
   
       11 . The kit of  claim 6 , wherein said chisel and drill guide member further includes at least one second channel therethrough and disposed parallel to said first channel, said kit further including a guide wire disposed through one of said at least one second channels.  
   
   
       12 . A method, comprising: 
 providing a chisel and a chisel guide member, the chisel guide member having a channel therethrough dimensioned to receive the chisel, and a chamfer slot extending therethrough to meet the channel, the chamfer slot disposed at an angle with respect to the channel;    locating the chisel guide member against the surface of a bone;    inserting the chisel through the channel in the chisel guide member;    driving the chisel into the bone to form an insertion channel through at least a portion of the bone, the insertion channel defining an opening at the bone surface having a corner portion;    providing a tool;    inserting the tool through the chamfer slot of the chisel guide member; and    removing bone material from the corner portion with the tool to substantially form a chamfer in the edge of the bone at the insertion channel opening.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , further including, before said inserting step, the additional steps of: 
 providing a drill guide insert having a plurality of bores therein;    inserting the drill guide insert within the channel;    drilling holes into the bone through each of the drill guide holes; and    removing the drill guide insert from the channel.