Bone Plate System for Repair of Proximal Humeral Fracture

Abstract

A bone plate system for repair of a proximal humeral head fracture, which includes a fixation plate having a main body and a depending alignment flange, a plurality of elongated compression screws to extend through the intact humeral head into the cortical bone of the fractured portion and a cover plate. With the fixation plate in place, fastened to the humerus, the cover plate is in turn fastened to the fixation plate and provides a defined amount of clearance in a region adjacent the heads of the compression screws to allow measured back-out of the screws upon settling of the fractured bone portion at the fracture site.

1 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A bone plate system for repair of a fracture of a major bone of the skeleton of a vertebrate, which system comprises
 a fixation plate having a main body including a head section and a stem section, which plate includes (a) a plurality of holes for passage therethrough of screws for fastening said fixation plate to the surface of an intact bone within which a fracture has occurred to create a fractured separate bone portion thereof and (b) a plurality of holes in said head section through which elongated compression screws can be passed which will extend through drilled passageways in the bone and screw into cortical bone of said fractured separate portion thereof,   a plurality of fastening screws,   a plurality of said elongated compression screws having threaded distal end portions, and   an integral stabilization flange which depends from said head section of said fixation plate and is aligned at an angle of about 70 degrees to 90 degrees thereto, which flange allows said fixation plate to be precisely aligned on the intact bone portion to facilitate precise placement of said elongated compression screws.   
     
     
         13 . A bone plate system according to  claim 12  wherein said stabilization flange includes a longitudinally extending elongated hole. 
     
     
         14 . A bone plate system according to  claim 12  wherein said holes through which the compression screws pass are aligned with parallel centerlines. 
     
     
         15 . A bone plate system according to  claim 12  wherein said holes through which the compression screws pass have countersinks which form outer portions thereof. 
     
     
         16 . A fixation plate for use in the repair of a fracture of a major bone of the skeleton of a vertebrate, which plate comprises
 a main body including a head section and a stem section   a plurality of holes in said head and stem sections for passage therethrough of screws for fastening said fixation plate to the surface of an intact bone within which a facture has occurred to create a fractured separate bone portion thereof,   a plurality of holes in said head section through which elongated compression screws can be passed which will extend through drilled passageways in the bone and screw into cortical bone of said fractured separate portion thereof, and   an integral stabilization flange which depends from said head section and is aligned at an angle of about 70 degrees to 90 degrees thereto, which flange allows said fixation plate to be precisely aligned on an intact bone portion to facilitate precise placement of the elongated compression screws.   
     
     
         17 . The fixation plate of  claim 16  where said stabilization flange includes a longitudinally extending elongated hole. 
     
     
         18 . The fixation plate of  claim 17  wherein said hole through which the compression screws pass are aligned with parallel centerlines. 
     
     
         19 . The fixation plate of  claim 18  wherein said holes through which the compression screws pass have countersinks which form outer portions thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The fixation plate of  claim 19  in combination with a cover plate which obscures the countersinks and is spaced therefrom to create a gap of about 2 to 6 mm from an inner surface of the cover plate.