An intervertebral implant may include a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, a longitudinal axis, a minor diameter, and a helical thread disposed about the shaft along the longitudinal axis between the proximal end and the distal end of the shaft. The helical thread may include a major diameter and a concave undercut surface angled towards one of the proximal end and the distal end of the shaft. The intervertebral implant may be implanted within an intervertebral space between a superior vertebral body and an inferior vertebral body. A ratio of the major diameter to the minor diameter may be less than 1.50. The concave undercut surface may engage the superior vertebral body and the inferior vertebral body and may be shaped to resist at least one force transmitted between the superior vertebral body and the inferior vertebral body to stabilize the intervertebral space.

A bone disunion fastener may include a fastener shaft, a helical thread, and a bone staple. The helical thread may include a concave undercut surface oriented towards one end of the fastener shaft. The bone staple may include a first bone-engaging feature, a second bone-engaging feature, and a middle portion with an opening. The bone disunion fastener may be implanted along a disunion between a first bone portion and a second bone portion. The concave undercut surface may be shaped to resist at least one force transmitted between the first bone portion and the second bone portion to stabilize the disunion. The first bone-engaging feature may engage the first bone portion and the second bone-engaging feature may engage the second bone portion to couple the bone staple to the bone portions and resist at least one force transmitted between the bone portions to stabilize the disunion.

A system for securing bones together across a joint includes a transfixation screw and a plate. The plate includes an elongate spine having a transfixation screw hole disposed along the spine. The transfixation screw hole includes an inner surface configured to direct the transfixation screw through the transfixation screw hole such that the transfixation screw extends alongside the bridge portion at a trajectory configured to pass through a first position on the first bone and a second position on the second bone once the plate is placed across the joint. The transfixation screw includes a head configured to abut the inner surface of the transfixation screw hole and a shaft configured to contiguously extend through the first bone, across the joint, and into the second bone.

A system for stabilizing a cervical spine segment includes a pair of uncinate joint stabilizers for stabilizing a respective pair of uncinate joints. Each uncinate joint stabilizer is elongated along a lengthwise dimension and is configured for placement in the respective uncinate joint with the lengthwise dimension substantially oriented along an anterior-to-posterior direction of the cervical spine segment. Each uncinate joint stabilizer has height configured to define spacing of the respective uncinate joint. Each uncinate joint stabilizer includes a generally cylindrical portion with cylinder axis in the lengthwise dimension. The generally cylindrical portion has threads for threading the uncinate joint stabilizer into the respective uncinate joint along the anterior-to-posterior direction. The threads are interrupted by one or more fenestrations configured to accommodate bone graft material, bone growth, and/or tissue displaced from the respective uncinate joint by the uncinate joint stabilizer.

The present invention concerns a method for obtaining an implantable plate for healing a fractured joint of a patient, comprising the steps of: 1) providing a 3D representation of a bone structure in a zone around a joint fracture, the zone comprising essentially all fragments of broken or ruptured bones and at least the ends of unbroken bones which form part of the fractured joint; 2) identifying different bone fragments within said 3D representation; 3) simulating a reduction of said bone fragments into a full joint; 4) calculating optimal parameter values for an implantable plate; 5) obtaining the implantable plate taking into account the calculated parameter values, whereby in step 3, the reduction is simulated by automatedly fitting positions and orientations of said bone fragments to a 3D representation of a healthy joint of said patient.

Disclosed are system and methods that use at least one non-threaded anchor and an implant with at least one aperture to join boney structures, where the interaction of the head of the anchor with the implant aperture causes the anchor to move transversely with respect to an initial trajectory. This movement causes compression or distraction of the boney structures which are coupled to the anchors.

An orthopedic fixation system includes an implant transitionable between a natural shape and an insertion shape and an implant retainer. The implant includes a transition section deformable to move the implant between the natural shape and the insertion shape. The implant includes a first post and a second post protruding therefrom across the transition section. The first post and second post each include an opening therethrough, whereby, when the implant resides in the insertion shape, the opening of the first post and the opening of the second post align. The implant retainer being configured to insert in the openings of the first and second posts when the implant resides in the insertion shape such that the implant retainer interconnects the first post and second post while spanning the transition section, thereby constraining the implant in the insertion shape.

Disclosed is a bone cutting and shortening system and the method of using the same, the system comprising a bone plate and a cutting guide adapted to slidingly engage by inserting the cutting guide into the bone plate from the overhead direction, the cutting guide adapted to facilitate parallel cutting planes on a bone at precisely ascertainable offset distances, and the bone plate adapted to stabilize the shortened bone after cutting.

In one aspect, a bone anchor assembly is provided having a bone anchor with a head, a resilient locking cap extending about a portion of the bone anchor head, and a cap drive member having a depending annular wall. In another form, a bone plate system is provided including a bone plate having an elongated throughbore and a resilient support member received therein. In another aspect, an insertion device is provided for manipulating and inserting a spinal device at or within a spinal joint. The insertion device is configured to actively pivot the implant about the implant gripping end of the device and to allow manipulation and release of the implant in any pivoted orientation from approximately 0 to 90 degrees.

Assemblies and methods for fixation of bone or bone fragments using an orthopedic plate having a slot that causes the bone or bone fragments to compress as a screw is inserted into the slot and rotated therein. By anchoring the orthopedic plate to a first bone or bone fragment and rotating the screw into the second bone or bone fragment at an angle that may be up to approximately fifteen degrees from perpendicular to the top surface of the orthopedic plate, the screw head causes the orthopedic plate to traverse away from the first screw thereby causing the first bone or bone fragment to be drawn toward and/or compress with the second bone or bone fragment.