US5423826A — Anterior cervical plate holder/drill guide and me…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 169 words

A holder drill guide tool for accurately drilling fixation holes into vertebrae to be instrumented with a spinal plate having screw bores, comprising: a first arm and a second arm, said first arm attached to said second arm, each said arm having a proximal end and a distal end; a first foot attached to the proximal end of said first are and a second foot attached to the proximal end of said second arm, each said foot defining a number of thru-holes sized to receive a drilling tool, each said hole being disposed in alignment with a screw bore in the spinal plate when the tool is engaged to a spinal plate; a hook attached to each said foot, said hook defining a surface for engaging an edge of the spinal plate; and a locking mechanism configured to lock said feet in a position relative to each other to engage the spinal plate between said hook of each said foot with said thru-holes aligned with the plate screw bores.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 169 words

A holder drill guide tool for accurately drilling fixation holes into vertebrae to be instrumented with a spinal plate having screw bores, comprising: a first arm and a second arm, said first arm attached to said second arm, each said arm having a proximal end and a distal end; a first foot attached to the proximal end of said first are and a second foot attached to the proximal end of said second arm, each said foot defining a number of thru-holes sized to receive a drilling tool, each said hole being disposed in alignment with a screw bore in the spinal plate when the tool is engaged to a spinal plate; a hook attached to each said foot, said hook defining a surface for engaging an edge of the spinal plate; and a locking mechanism configured to lock said feet in a position relative to each other to engage the spinal plate between said hook of each said foot with said thru-holes aligned with the plate screw bores.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 59 words

The holder drill guide tool of claim 1, wherein: said arms are pivotally attached at a pivot; and the locking mechanism includes a threaded rod threadedly engaged between said first and second arms apart from said pivot, whereby said arms rotate about said pivot as said threaded rod is rotated, to thereby vary the relative position of said feet.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 34 words

The holder drill guide tool of claim 2, wherein the second arm is shorter than the first arm and is pivotally attached to the first arm at a pivot point by a pivot bolt.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 17 words

The holder drill guide tool of claim 1, wherein said feet are pivotally attached to said arms.

Claim 6

Independent Claim 206 words

A system for accurately drilling fixation holes into vertebrae to be instrumented with a spinal plate, comprising: a spinal plate having a lower surface adapted to engage a vertebra and an opposite upper surface and including; a number of screw bores defined through said plate between said lower and upper surfaces and adapted to receive spinal screws therethrough; and a fixation bore defined through said plate adjacent said number of bores; a drill guide including; a guide body having a lower surface configured for juxtaposition with said upper surface of said spinal plate and defining a guide bore and a positioning screw bore therethrough, wherein said guide bore is arranged to align with one of said number of screw bores and said positioning screw bore is arranged to align with said fixation bore when said guide body is juxtaposed with said spinal plate; a positioning screw adapted to be received between said spinal plate and said guide body within said fixation bore and said positioning screw bore; said positioning screw bore having means for rigidly engaging one end of said positioning screw to said guide body; and said fixation bore having means for rigidly engaging an opposite end of said positioning screw to said spinal plate.

Claim 7

Independent Claim 206 words

A system for accurately drilling fixation holes into vertebrae to be instrumented with a spinal plate, comprising: a spinal plate having a lower surface adapted to engage a vertebra and an opposite upper surface and including; a number of screw bores defined through said plate between said lower and upper surfaces and adapted to receive spinal screws therethrough; and a fixation bore defined through said plate adjacent said number of bores; a drill guide including; a guide body having a lower surface configured for juxtaposition with said upper surface of said spinal plate and defining a guide bore and a positioning screw bore therethrough, wherein said guide bore is arranged to align with one of said number of screw bores and said positioning screw bore is arranged to align with said fixation bore when said guide body is juxtaposed with said spinal plate; a positioning screw adapted to be received between said spinal plate and said guide body within said fixation bore and said positioning screw bore; said positioning screw bore having means for rigidly engaging one end of said positioning screw to said guide body; and said fixation bore having means for rigidly engaging an opposite end of said positioning screw to said spinal plate.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 33 words

The system of claim 5 further comprising an elongated sleeve having a first end configured to be received within said guide bore of said guide body, said sleeve having a drill bore therethrough.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 36 words

The system of claim 6, further comprising an elongated drill having a shank configured to be rotatably received within said drill bore in said elongated sleeve, and further having a drill tip for drilling into bone.

Claim 10

Independent Claim 217 words

A system for accurately drilling fixation holes into vertebrae to be instrumented with a spinal plate, comprising: a spinal plate having a lower surface adapted to engage a vertebra and an opposite upper surface, the plate including: a first end and a second end; and a number of screw bores defined through said plate between said lower and upper surfaces and adapted to receive spinal screws therethrough; a holder-drill guide, including; a first arm and a second arm, said first arm attached to said second arm, each said arm having a proximal end and a distal end; a first foot attached to the proximal end of said first arm and a second foot attached to the proximal end of said second arm, each said foot defining a number of thru-holes sized to receive a drilling tool, each said hole being disposed in alignment with a screw bore in the spinal plate when the tool is engaged to a spinal plate; a hook attached to each said foot, said hook defining a surface for engaging an edge of the spinal plate; and a locking mechanism configured to lock said feet in a position relative to each other to engage the spinal plate between said hook of each said foot with said thru-holes aligned with the plate screw bores.

Claim 11

Independent Claim 217 words

A system for accurately drilling fixation holes into vertebrae to be instrumented with a spinal plate, comprising: a spinal plate having a lower surface adapted to engage a vertebra and an opposite upper surface, the plate including: a first end and a second end; and a number of screw bores defined through said plate between said lower and upper surfaces and adapted to receive spinal screws therethrough; a holder-drill guide, including; a first arm and a second arm, said first arm attached to said second arm, each said arm having a proximal end and a distal end; a first foot attached to the proximal end of said first arm and a second foot attached to the proximal end of said second arm, each said foot defining a number of thru-holes sized to receive a drilling tool, each said hole being disposed in alignment with a screw bore in the spinal plate when the tool is engaged to a spinal plate; a hook attached to each said foot, said hook defining a surface for engaging an edge of the spinal plate; and a locking mechanism configured to lock said feet in a position relative to each other to engage the spinal plate between said hook of each said foot with said thru-holes aligned with the plate screw bores.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 105 words

The system of claim 8, further comprising: a number of double-headed fixation pins, each said pin having: a first head having a diameter greater than the diameter of the thru-holes in the feet; a second head having a diameter greater than the screw bores in the plate but smaller them the diameter of the thru-holes in the feet; a neck portion connecting the first and second heads; and a shaft portion having a first end attached to the second head, said shaft portion sized for insertion through the thru-holes in the feet, and a second end tapering to a point for insertion into the vertebra.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 28 words

The system of claim 8 wherein each end of the plate defines a notch on the lower surface of the plate for receiving the hook on each foot.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 82 words

The system of claim 8 wherein said plate has a pair of screw bores defined at both of said first and second ends between said lower and upper surfaces and displaced from each other transverse to said longitudinal axis of the plate, said pair of screw bores having centerlines that diverge relative to each other below said lower surface of said plate; and said thru-holes in said feet diverge relative to each other to align with said centerlines of said screw bores.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 42 words

The system of claim 11 wherein: each of said screw bores includes a spherical recess defined in said plate from said top surface; and said second head of the double headed pin is sized and shaped to be received within said recess.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 116 words

A holder drill guide tool for accurately drilling fixation holes into vertebrae to be instrumented with a spinal plate having screw bores, the tool comprising: a pair of feet each having: a number of thru-holes, each said hole disposed in alignment with a screw bore in a spinal plate when the tool is engaged to the spinal plate; a hook attached to each said foot, each said hook defining a surface for engaging an edge of the spinal plate; and a locking mechanism configured to lock said feet in a position relative to each other to engage the spinal plate between said hook of each said foot with said thru-holes aligned with the plate screw bores.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 116 words

A holder drill guide tool for accurately drilling fixation holes into vertebrae to be instrumented with a spinal plate having screw bores, the tool comprising: a pair of feet each having: a number of thru-holes, each said hole disposed in alignment with a screw bore in a spinal plate when the tool is engaged to the spinal plate; a hook attached to each said foot, each said hook defining a surface for engaging an edge of the spinal plate; and a locking mechanism configured to lock said feet in a position relative to each other to engage the spinal plate between said hook of each said foot with said thru-holes aligned with the plate screw bores.

Claim 18

Independent Claim 108 words

A method for accurately drilling fixation holes into vertebrae and instrumenting the vertebrae with a spinal plate, comprising: mounting a spinal plate against a surface of a vertebral body, said plate having a number of screw bores therethrough; attaching a holder-drill guide tool to said spinal plate, the tool having a number of thru-holes therethrough, each of said thru-holes aligned with one of said plate screw bores; placing a drill-tap sleeve in one of said thru-holes in said tool; drilling the vertebra through said sleeve and screw bore; removing said sleeve and guide from said plate; and seating a bone screw through said screw bore in said plate.

Claim 19

Independent Claim 108 words

A method for accurately drilling fixation holes into vertebrae and instrumenting the vertebrae with a spinal plate, comprising: mounting a spinal plate against a surface of a vertebral body, said plate having a number of screw bores therethrough; attaching a holder-drill guide tool to said spinal plate, the tool having a number of thru-holes therethrough, each of said thru-holes aligned with one of said plate screw bores; placing a drill-tap sleeve in one of said thru-holes in said tool; drilling the vertebra through said sleeve and screw bore; removing said sleeve and guide from said plate; and seating a bone screw through said screw bore in said plate.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 73 words

The method of claim 14, wherein said tool includes: a number of feet having a number of thru-holes; and a locking mechanism configured to lock said feet to said spinal plate and further wherein the step of attaching the holder-drill guide tool to the spinal plate includes engaging the feet to the spinal plate with the thru-holes aligned with the screw bores in the plate and locking the feet together about the plate.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 42 words

The method of claim 15, wherein the step of attaching the holder-drill guide tool to the spinal plate further includes mounting said spinal plate against the surface of the vertebral body with a hook attached to an edge of each said foot.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 114 words

The method of claim 14, wherein the step of attaching the holder-drill guide tool to the spinal plate includes extending a number of double headed fixation pins through the aligned thru-holes and screw bores and into the vertebra, the fixation pins having; a first head having a diameter greater than the diameter of said thru-holes in said feet; a second head having a diameter greater than said screw bores in said spinal plate but smaller than the diameter of said thru-holes in said feet; a neck portion connecting said first and second heads; and a shaft portion having a first end attached to said second head and a second end tapering to a point.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1998-06-12	1998-12-12	1999-06-13	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2002-06-12	2002-12-12	2003-06-13	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2006-06-12	2006-12-12	2007-06-13	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Anterior cervical plate holder/drill guide and method of use

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