Cervical plate system having an insertable rotating element

Abstract

A cervical plate system which includes a cervical plate having a thickness between a top surface and an opposite bottom surface, and at least one slot extending through the thickness of the plate. The system further includes a first rotating element positionable within a first slot of the cervical plate, the first rotating element including at least one threaded hole, and at least one bone screw insertable into the at least one threaded hole of the first rotating element.

1 . A rotating element for use within a cervical plate, the cervical plate having a thickness between a top surface and an opposite bottom surface and at least one slot extending through the thickness of the plate, wherein the rotating element is rotatably positionable within a slot of the cervical plate about a first axis and wherein the rotating element comprises at least one threaded hole through its thickness. 
     
     
         2 . The rotating element of  claim 1 , wherein the rotating element further comprises a bone screw threaded into each of the at least one threaded holes in the rotating element. 
     
     
         3 . The rotating element of  claim 1 , wherein the rotating element includes two threaded holes through its thickness and a bone screw threaded into each of the two threaded holes, wherein both of the bone screws are fixedly attached to the rotating element so that they are rotatable about the first axis with the rotating element. 
     
     
         4 . A method of assembling a cervical plate system, comprising the steps of:
 providing a cervical plate having a thickness between a top surface and an opposite bottom surface, and a first slot extending through the thickness of the plate;   providing a first rotating element comprising a top surface, an opposite bottom surface, and at least one threaded hole extending from the top to the bottom surface of the rotating element;   orienting the first rotating element so that its top and bottom surfaces are generally perpendicular to the top and bottom surfaces of the cervical plate; and   pressing the first rotating element into the first slot.   
     
     
         5 . A method of implanting a cervical plate system onto the vertebrae of a patient, comprising the steps of:
 selecting a cervical plate system for the patient, the system comprising:
 a cervical plate having a thickness between a top surface and an opposite bottom surface, and at least one slot extending through the thickness of the plate and corresponding to the vertebra to which it will be attached; and 
 at least one rotating element positioned within at least one slot of the cervical plate, the at least one rotating element comprising at least one threaded hole; 
   positioning the cervical plate on top of the vertebrae of the patient;   attaching a drill sleeve to each of the at least one threaded holes of the at least one rotating element;   rotating the at least one rotating element within the at least one slot until the at least one rotating element is in a desired position relative to the vertebra;   inserting a drill into each drill sleeve and drilling a screw hole into the vertebrae;   inserting a bone tap through the at least one threaded hole of the rotating element and into the screw hole in the vertebrae;   tapping a hole in the vertebrae that has threads that match threads of the threaded hole of the at least one rotating element; and   inserting a bone screw into the threaded hole of the at least one rotating element and into the corresponding hole in the vertebra.