Dynamic cervical plates and cervical plate constructs

Abstract

N-level internally dynamizing cervical plates and cervical plate constructs in accordance with the present principles, provide unconstrained sliding interconnection between the various plate components after installation on a cervical spine. A tongue-and-groove configuration between the various plate segments provides a constant thickness over the dynamizing portions. Detents provided relative the tongue-and-groove portions allows the various plate components to be permanently joined, but movable relative to one another. Various bone screw anti-backing, anti-rotation or locking devices for cervical bone plates are also provided that allow releasable locking of bone screws relative to the cervical plate.

1 - 42 . (canceled)  
     
     
         43 . A cervical plate construct comprising: 
 a first component having a bone screw bore and a groove;    a second component having a bone screw bore and a first tongue;    wherein the first tongue of the second component is unconstrainedly, slidably interconnected with the groove of the first component.    
     
     
         44 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 43 , further comprising a third component having a bone screw bore and a groove, wherein the groove of the third component is unconstrainedly, slidably interconnected with a tongue of the second component.  
     
     
         45 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 44 , wherein the second component is located between the first component and the third component.  
     
     
         46 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 45 , wherein the first component and the third component are substantially identical.  
     
     
         47 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 43 , wherein the first component comprises a first leg and a second leg, and the second component comprises a first leg and a second leg; wherein the first leg and second leg of the first component are disposed between the first leg and the second leg of the second component.  
     
     
         48 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 47 , wherein the groove extends from the first leg to the second leg such that the portion of the groove is not parallel to the portion of the groove on the second leg of the first component.  
     
     
         49 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 48 , wherein the first tongue extends from the first leg to the second leg such that the portion of the first tongue on the first leg is not parallel to the portion of the first tongue on the second leg of the second component.  
     
     
         50 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 47 , further comprising a graft window at least partially defined by a portion of the first component and opposing sides of the first leg and second leg of the second component, the graft window providing access to a graft between a first vertebrae coupled to the first component and a second vertebrae coupled to the second component.  
     
     
         51 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 43 , wherein the graft window comprises a first end portion and a second end portion that diverge from a center point defined on the second component.  
     
     
         52 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 43 , wherein the second component comprises a boss bore defining a center point.  
     
     
         53 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 43 , wherein the first tongue is located on a first longitudinal end of the second component, and the second tongue is located on a second longitudinal end of the second component.  
     
     
         54 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 43 , wherein the second component is curved in two planes of curvature.  
     
     
         55 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 43 , wherein the interconnecting tongue and groove may be transposed to the opposing interconnecting component.  
     
     
         56 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 43 , wherein the groove of the first component and the first tongue of the second component are angled in one direction and curved in the perpendicular direction.  
     
     
         57 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 43 , wherein the groove of the first component and the tongue of the second component are angled in one direction and curved in the perpendicular direction to provide unconstrained sliding interconnectivity in two planes.  
     
     
         58 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 43 , wherein the groove of the first component comprises a first configured stop and the first tongue of the second component comprises a second stop so that the first stop and second stop inhibit sliding disassembly between the first component and the second component.  
     
     
         59 . A cervical plate construct comprising: 
 a first component adapted to be coupled to a first vertebrae, the first component having a bone screw bore, a first leg, a second leg, and a groove;    a second component adapted to be coupled to a second vertebrae, the second component having a bone screw bore, a first leg, a second leg, and a first tongue, wherein the first tongue of the second component slidably engages the groove of the first component;    a first graft window defined by the first component and the first and second legs of the second component to provide unobstructed access to a first graft between the first vertebrae and the second vertebrae.    
     
     
         60 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 59 , wherein the unobstructed access provided by the first graft window is both visual and physical access to the first graft.  
     
     
         61 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 60 , further comprising a third component adapted to be couple to a third vertebrae and having a bone screw bore, a first leg, a second leg, and a groove that engages a second tongue on the second component.  
     
     
         62 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 61 , further comprising a second graft window defined at least partially by the third component and the first and second legs of the second component to provide unobstructed access to a second graft between the second vertebrae and the third vertebrae.  
     
     
         63 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 62 , wherein the unobstructed access provided by the second graft window is both visual and physical access to the second graft.  
     
     
         64 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 61 , wherein the second component is located between the first component and the third component.  
     
     
         65 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 64 , wherein the first component and the third component are substantially identical.  
     
     
         66 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 64 , wherein the groove on the first component is unconstrainedly, slidably interconnected with the first tongue to allow varying distances between the bone screw bores on the first and second components after attachment, and the groove on the third component is unconstrainedly, slidably interconnected with the second tongue on the second component to allow varying distances between the bone screw bores on the second and third components after attachment.  
     
     
         67 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 62 , wherein the second graft window extends from adjacent the bone screw bore on the second component to adjacent the bone screw bore on the third component.  
     
     
         68 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 67 , wherein the first graft window extends from adjacent the bone screw bore on the first component to adjacent the bone screw bore on the second component.  
     
     
         69 . A cervical plate construct comprising: 
 a first component adapted to be coupled to a first vertebrae, the first component having a bone screw bore, a pair of spaced apart legs, and a groove;    a second component adapted to be coupled to a second vertebrae, the second component having a bone screw bore, a first pair of spaced apart legs extending from a first longitudinal end, a second pair of spaced apart legs extending from a second longitudinal end opposite the first longitudinal end, a first tongue, and a second tongue;    a third component adapted to be couple to a third vertebrae and having a bone screw bore, a pair of spaced apart legs, and a groove that engages with a second tongue on the second component;    a first graft window defined by the first component and the first pair of spaced apart legs of the second component to provide unobstructed access to a first graft between the first vertebrae and the second vertebrae;    a second graft window defined at least partially by the third component and the first pair of spaced apart legs of the second component to provide unobstructed access to a second graft between the second vertebrae and the third vertebrae;    wherein the first tongue of the second component is unconstrainedly, slidably interconnected with the first tongue to allow varying distances between the pairs of bone screw bores after attachment;    wherein the groove on the third component is unconstrainedly, slidably interconnected with the second tongue on the second component to allow varying distances between the pairs of bone screw bores after attachment.    
     
     
         70 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 69 , wherein the unobstructed access provided by both the first and second graft windows is both visual and physical access.  
     
     
         71 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 69 , wherein the second graft window extends from adjacent the bone screw bore on the second component to adjacent the bone screw bore on the third component.  
     
     
         72 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 71 , wherein the first graft window extends from adjacent the bone screw bore on the first component to adjacent the bone screw bore on the second component.  
     
     
         73 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 69 , wherein the second component is located between the first component and the third component.  
     
     
         74 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 69 , wherein the first component, second component and the third component form a 2-level cervical plate construct.  
     
     
         75 . An N-level cervical plate construct comprising: 
 a first component adapted to be coupled to a first vertebrae, the first component having a bone screw bore, a pair of spaced apart legs, and a groove;    a second component adapted to be coupled to a second vertebrae and having a bone screw bore, a tongue located at a first longitudinal end, and a groove located at a second longitudinal end opposite the first longitudinal end;    a third component adapted to be coupled to a third vertebrae and having a bone screw bore, a first tongue located at a first longitudinal end;    a fourth component adapted to be couple to a fourth vertebrae and having a groove;    wherein the groove of the first component is unconstrainedly, slidably interconnected with the tongue of the second component;    wherein the first tongue of the third component is unconstrainedly, slidably interconnected with the groove of the fourth component.    
     
     
         76 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 75 , wherein the second component is located between the first component and the third component, and the third component is located between the second component and the fourth component.  
     
     
         77 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 76 , wherein the third component further comprises a second tongue located at a second longitudinal end opposite the first longitudinal end so that the groove of the second component is unconstrainedly, slidably interconnected with the second tongue of the third component.  
     
     
         78 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 75 , further comprising a fifth component located between the second component and the third component and adapted to be coupled to a fifth vertebrae located between the second vertebrae and the third vertebrae, the fifth component having a bone screw bore, a tongue located at a first longitudinal end, and a groove located at a second longitudinal end opposite the first longitudinal end, wherein the groove of the second component is unconstrainedly, slidably interconnected with the tongue of the fifth component, and the groove of the fifth component is unconstrainedly, slidably interconnected with the second tongue of the third component.  
     
     
         79 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 78 , wherein the third component and the fifth component are substantially identical.  
     
     
         80 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 75 , wherein the interconnecting tongue and groove may be transposed to the opposing interconnecting component.  
     
     
         81 . The cervical plate construct of  claim 75 , wherein the first component and the fourth component are substantially identical.