Orthopedic plate for use in small bone repair

Abstract

The present invention relates to a series of orthopedic plates for use in repair of a bone. The plate has a Y-shaped profile or an X-shaped profile which includes an elongate central trunk with a complex contour and either one or two terminal pairs of arms that have a first arm and a second arm that form differing angles and lengths relative to the trunk portion of the plate. The arms include locking screw holes where the screws converge toward each other to provide for multiplanar fixation but which do not impinge.

1 - 43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . An orthopedic plate comprising:
 an elongate central trunk portion having a medial longitudinal plane and at least one pair of divergent arms, each arm including a threaded screw hole, and each arm of the pair of divergent arms diverging asymmetrically away from the medial longitudinal plane relative to the other arm of the pair of divergent arms, wherein the central trunk defines a longitudinal curve and an inferior surface of the central trunk defines a radial curve extending in a radial direction, and wherein each arm of the pair of divergent arms includes an inferior curve extending in the radial direction.   
     
     
         45 . The orthopedic plate as set forth in  claim 44 , wherein the orthopedic plate defines an outline including the elongate central trunk portion which has a first side edge and a opposing second side edge disposed on opposite sides of the medial longitudinal plane, and the pair of divergent arms comprise a first arm which diverges from the first side edge and a second arm which diverges from the second side edge. 
     
     
         46 . The orthopedic plate as set forth in  claim 44 , wherein the orthopedic plate has a top surface and the medial longitudinal plane intersects the top surface of the orthopedic plate in a longitudinal plate axis, each of the pair of divergent arm threaded screw holes has a mid-point, and the pair of divergent arms comprise a first arm which has a longitudinal arm axis that intersects the mid-point of the first arm threaded screw hole and the longitudinal plate axis to form a first angle with the longitudinal plate axis and a second arm which has a longitudinal arm axis that intersects the mid-point of the second arm threaded screw hole and the longitudinal plate axis to form a second angle with the longitudinal plate axis, and the first angle is different than the second angle. 
     
     
         47 . The orthopedic plate as set forth in  claim 46 , wherein the first longitudinal arm axis and the second longitudinal arm axis respectively have a first length and a second length each respectively defined from the intersection of the threaded screw hole mid-point and the intersection of the longitudinal plate axis and the first length is different from the second length. 
     
     
         48 . The orthopedic plate as set forth in  claim 47 , wherein the threaded screw holes have a screw axis and further including screws having a threaded shaft and a head wherein the threaded screw holes and the screw heads of each screw have a mating interface such that the screw can engage a threaded screw hole so as to allow a plurality of angular orientations of the screw axis of that threaded screw hole. 
     
     
         49 . The orthopedic plate as set forth in  claim 48 , wherein the radial curve of the central trunk portion defines a curve transverse to the medial longitudinal plane. 
     
     
         50 . The orthopedic plate as set forth in  claim 49 , wherein the medial longitudinal plane defines a medial axis in the central trunk portion and the radial curve is constant along the medial axis. 
     
     
         51 . The orthopedic plate as set forth in  claim 50 , wherein the radial curve is a portion of a circle and the orthopedic plate defines a segment of a cylinder. 
     
     
         52 . The orthopedic plate as set forth in  claim 44 , wherein each arm of the pair of divergent arms includes a waist. 
     
     
         53 . The orthopedic plate as set forth in  claim 52 , wherein the pair of divergent arms comprise a first arm and a second arm each having a linking section joined to the central trunk portion and the waist of the linking section of the first arm and of the second arm is configured to bend relative to the central trunk portion in response to a force applied to at least one of before or during surgery without deforming the threaded screw holes of the pair of divergent arms. 
     
     
         54 . The orthopedic plate as set forth in  claim 44 , wherein the central trunk portion has a through hole. 
     
     
         55 . The orthopedic plate as set forth in  claim 54 , wherein the central trunk portion has at least two through holes and a central trunk portion waist area between the through holes which encourages bending of the central trunk portion waist area in response to a force applied before or during surgery. 
     
     
         56 . The orthopedic plate as set forth in  claim 49 , wherein the central trunk portion has a compression slot. 
     
     
         57 . The orthopedic plate as set forth in  claim 56 , wherein the compression slot comprises a slot having an internal edge which includes a shoulder that slopes toward the inferior surface of the orthopedic plate as it extends away from the first end of the central trunk portion. 
     
     
         58 . The orthopedic plate as set forth in  claim 57 , wherein the orthopedic plate has a superior surface of the central trunk portion which opposes the inferior surface of the plate in cross section, and the superior surface of the central trunk portion includes a visual indication of the direction in which the compression slot can be used to apply compression. 
     
     
         59 . A plate system for use in bone comprising:
 a first locking screw and a second locking screw, and   a bilaterally asymmetrical plate having an elongate central trunk with a medial longitudinal axis and at least one set of arms disposed at a terminal end of the plate, diverges asymmetrically away from the medial longitudinal axis relative to the other arm of the pair of arms, each arm of the asymmetrical pair including a threaded locking screw hole, and each of the threaded locking screw holes of the asymmetrical pair having one of the first locking screw and the second locking screw locked to the plate, wherein the central trunk defines a longitudinal curve and an inferior surface of the central trunk defines a radial curve extending in a radial direction, and wherein each arm of the asymmetrical pair includes an inferior curve extending in the radial direction.   
     
     
         60 . The plate system as set forth in  claim 59 , wherein each of the first locking screw and the second locking screw have a proximal end and a distal end which extends from the orthopedic plate, and the distal ends of the screws converge toward each other, but do not impinge. 
     
     
         61 . The plate system as set forth in  claim 59 , wherein one or both of the first locking screw and the second locking screw are variable locking screws. 
     
     
         62 . The plate system as set forth in  claim 59 , wherein the orthopedic plate has mirror symmetry about a transverse axis. 
     
     
         63 . The plate system as set forth in  claim 59 , wherein the orthopedic plate has only one set of arms and an outline that forms a Y-shape or the orthopedic plate has only two sets of terminal arms which are at either end of the elongate trunk and an outline that forms an X-shape. 
     
     
         64 . The plate system as set forth in  claim 59 , wherein the radial curve of the central trunk portion defines a curve transverse to the medial longitudinal plane and the curve is a portion of a circle and the orthopedic plate defines a segment of a cylinder. 
     
     
         65 . The plate system as set forth in  claim 59 , wherein each arm includes a linking section joining the arms to the elongate central trunk and each linking section has a waist and the waist of the linking section of the first arm and of the second arm is configured to bend relative to the elongate central trunk in response to a force applied at least to one of before or during surgery without deforming the threaded screw hole of the first or second arm. 
     
     
         66 . The plate system as set forth in  claim 59 , wherein the elongate central trunk has a compression slot having an internal edge which includes a shoulder that slopes toward the inferior surface of the orthopedic plate as it extends away from the first end of the elongate central trunk. 
     
     
         67 . A plate system for use in bone defining an axis and comprising:
 a first locking screw,   and a second locking screw,   and a plate having a trunk, and   at least one pair of terminal arms wherein each terminal arm which diverges asymmetrically outward from the trunk relative to the other terminal arm of the pair of terminal arms and each of the terminal arms having a threaded locking hole which is in locked communication respectively with one of the first and the second locking screw, the plate being contoured in three dimensions so that the terminal arms spiral so as to wrap around the bone axis in a portion of a double helix extending through an arc of less than 50, wherein the trunk defines a longitudinal curve and an inferior surface of the trunk defines a radial curve extending in a radial direction, and wherein each arm of the pair of terminal arms includes an inferior curve extending in the radial direction.   
     
     
         68 . The plate system as set forth in  claim 67 , wherein each of the first locking screw and the second locking screw have a proximal end and a distal end which extends from the plate, and the distal ends of the screws converge toward each other at the inferior surface of the plate, but do not impinge. 
     
     
         69 . The plate system as set forth in  claim 67 , wherein one or both of the first locking screw and the second locking screw are variable locking screws. 
     
     
         70 . The plate system as set forth in  claim 67 , wherein the plate defines a transverse axis and the plate has mirror symmetry about the transverse axis. 
     
     
         71 . The plate system as set forth in  claim 67 , wherein the plate has only one set of arms and an outline that forms a Y-shape or the plate has only two sets of terminal arms which are at either end of the trunk and an outline that forms an X-shape. 
     
     
         72 . The plate system as set forth in  claim 67 , wherein the trunk defines a medial line and the radial curve is transverse to the medial line. 
     
     
         73 . The plate system as set forth in  claim 67 , wherein the radial curve is constant along the medial line. 
     
     
         74 . The plate system as set forth in  claim 73 , wherein the radial curve is a portion of a circle and the plate defines a segment of a cylinder. 
     
     
         75 . The plate system as set forth in  claim 67 , wherein each terminal arm includes a linking section joining the terminal arms to the trunk and each linking section has a waist and the waist of the linking section of the first arm and of the second arm is configured to bend relative to the trunk in response to a force applied before or during surgery without deforming the threaded screw hole of that arm. 
     
     
         76 . The plate system as set forth in  claim 75 , wherein the trunk has at least two through holes and a trunk waist area between the through-holes which encourages bending of the trunk waist area in response to a force applied before or during surgery. 
     
     
         77 . The plate system as set forth in  claim 76 , wherein the trunk has a compression slot comprising a slot having an internal edge which includes a shoulder that slopes toward the inferior surface of the plate as it extends away from the first end of the trunk. 
     
     
         78 . The plate system as set forth in  claim 77 , wherein the plate has a superior surface of the trunk which opposes the inferior surface of the plate in cross section and the superior surface of the trunk includes a visual indicator of the direction in which the compression slot can be used to apply compression. 
     
     
         79 . The orthopedic as set forth in  claim 67 , wherein the plate has an outline consisting of the trunk, which is an elongate central trunk portion terminally branching at either one or two ends in the pair of terminal arms which are exactly two divergent arms, each arm having a rounded end linked to the central trunk through a waisted section having a length where one waisted section has a greater length for one arm of a pair than the second waisted section of a pair. 
     
     
         80 . The orthopedic plate as set forth in  claim 79 , further including a first locking screw engaged in a locking screw hole of a first arm of a pair of divergent arms and a second locking screw engaged in a locking screw hole of a second arm of a pair of divergent arms. 
     
     
         81 . The orthopedic plate as set forth in  claim 80 , wherein each of the first locking screw and the second locking screw have a proximal end and a distal end which extends from the plate, and the distal ends of the screws converge toward each other, but do not impinge. 
     
     
         82 . The orthopedic plate as set forth in  claim 80 , wherein one or both of the first locking screw and the second locking screw are variable locking screws. 
     
     
         83 . The orthopedic plate as set forth in  claim 80 , wherein the plate defines a transverse axis and the plate has mirror symmetry about the transverse axis.