Bone plate system and methods of using the same

Abstract

A bone plate locking system including a threaded screw body having a proximal end and a distal end and a plate with a through-hole. The proximal end includes a head. The head includes an upper portion, a groove adjacent the upper portion and a lower portion adjacent the groove, wherein a center-axis of the groove is off-axis to a center-axis of the threaded screw body. A locking ring configured to reside within the groove of the head. The through-hole includes an upper portion, a groove adjacent the upper portion and a lower portion adjacent the groove. The head is receivable in the through-hole. The locking ring is rotatably positioned around the groove of the head such that in an unlocked position the locking ring is outside the groove of the through-hole and in a locked position the locking ring is at least partially within the groove of the through-hole.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A spinal fixation system comprising:
 a fixation member having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end comprising a head;   a locking ring configured to at least partially reside on the head, wherein the locking ring is a non-continuous ring; and   a spinal implant comprising a through-hole, the through-hole comprising an upper portion, a groove adjacent the upper portion and a lower portion adjacent the groove, the head is receivable in the through-hole;   wherein the locking ring is adapted to be rotatably positioned on the head such that in an unlocked position the locking ring is outside the groove of the through-hole and in a locked position the locking ring is at least partially within the groove of the through-hole.   
     
     
         22 . The spinal fixation system of  claim 21 , wherein the head comprises an upper portion, a lower portion, and a groove adjacent the upper portion and lower portion. 
     
     
         23 . The spinal fixation system of  claim 22 , wherein the locking ring is adapted to be rotatably positioned around the groove of the head. 
     
     
         24 . The spinal fixation system of  claim 22 , wherein the head of the fixation member further comprises a first notch in at least a portion of the upper portion of the head, the locking ring further comprises a posterior surface and a first protrusion on at least a portion of the posterior surface that is configured to reside within the first notch in the upper portion of the head, and the first protrusion is at one end of the first notch in the upper portion of the head in the unlocked position and the first protrusion is at another end of the first notch in the upper portion of the head in the locked position. 
     
     
         25 . The spinal fixation system of  claim 24 , wherein the head of the fixation member further comprises a second notch in at least a portion of the upper portion, the locking ring further comprises an inner surface and a second protrusion on at least a portion of the inner surface, and the second protrusion of the locking ring is within the second notch in the groove of the head in the unlocked position and the second protrusion is outside the second notch in the groove of the head in the locked position. 
     
     
         26 . The spinal fixation system of  claim 22 , wherein the head of the fixation member further comprises a notch in at least a portion of the upper portion, the locking ring further comprises an inner surface and a protrusion on at least a portion of the inner surface, and the protrusion of the locking ring is within the notch in the groove of the head in the unlocked position and the protrusion is outside the notch in the groove of the head in the locked position. 
     
     
         27 . The spinal fixation system of  claim 21 , wherein the locking ring has a c-shape. 
     
     
         28 . The spinal fixation system of  claim 21 , wherein the locking ring comprises an outer curved surface and an inner curved surface, at least a portion of the locking ring has a distance between the outer curved surface and the inner curved surface that is greater than at least another portion of the locking ring. 
     
     
         29 . The spinal fixation system of  claim 21 , further comprising more than one fixation member and more than one locking ring, wherein the spinal implant comprises more than one through-hole. 
     
     
         30 . The spinal fixation system of  claim 21 , wherein in the locked position, the locking ring substantially limits the fixation member from backing out of the spinal implant. 
     
     
         31 . The spinal fixation system of  claim 21 , wherein the locking ring is able to be in a locked position when the fixation member is non-perpendicular to the spinal implant. 
     
     
         32 . The spinal fixation system of  claim 21 , wherein the locking ring is non-symmetrical. 
     
     
         33 . The spinal fixation system of  claim 21 , wherein the locking ring comprises a hole to rotate the locking ring. 
     
     
         34 . The spinal fixation system of  claim 21 , wherein the fixation member is a screw. 
     
     
         35 . The spinal fixation system of  claim 21 , wherein the fixation member has a linear center-axis. 
     
     
         36 . A spinal fixation system comprising:
 a threaded screw body having a center-axis, a proximal end, and a distal end, the proximal end comprising a head; and   a locking ring configured to be rotatably positioned on the head, wherein the locking ring at least partially resides on the head and is configured to rotate about an axis that is off-axis to the center-axis of the screw body.   
     
     
         37 . The spinal fixation system of  claim 36 , wherein the head comprises an upper portion, a lower portion, and a groove adjacent the upper portion and lower portion. 
     
     
         38 . The spinal fixation system of  claim 37 , wherein the locking ring is adapted to be rotatably positioned around the groove of the head. 
     
     
         39 . The spinal fixation system of  claim 36 , further comprising a spinal implant configured to receive the threaded screw body. 
     
     
         40 . The spinal fixation system of  claim 39 , wherein the spinal implant is a plate. 
     
     
         41 . The spinal fixation system of  claim 39 , wherein the spinal implant comprises a through-hole having an upper portion, a lower portion, and a groove adjacent the upper portion and the lower portion, wherein the head of the threaded screw body is receivable in the through-hole. 
     
     
         42 . The spinal fixation system of  claim 41 , wherein the locking ring is adapted to rotate from an unlocked position in which the locking ring is outside the groove of the through-hole to a locked position in which the locking ring is at least partially within the groove of the through-hole. 
     
     
         43 . The spinal fixation system of  claim 36 , wherein the axis about which the locking ring rotates is substantially parallel to the center-axis of the screw. 
     
     
         44 . A method of securing a spinal implant, the method comprising:
 positioning a spinal implant within a patient, the spinal implant comprising a through-hole with a groove;   inserting a threaded screw body through the through-hole and into a vertebral body, the threaded screw body having a center-axis, a proximal end, and a distal end with a head positioned within the through-hole; and   rotating a locking ring positioned on the head of the threaded screw body from an unlocked position to a locked position in which the locking ring is positioned at least partially within the groove.   
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the locking ring rotates about an axis that is off-axis to the center-axis of the screw. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the locking ring is a non-continuous ring. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the locking ring has a c-shape.