Bone fixation system

Abstract

The invention provides embodiments of a bone fixation system having a bone plate and a specialized screws system. The bone plate includes one or more bi-directional combination holes that can accommodate two bone screws in the same hole, the screws being oriented in non-parallel direction. In accommodating two screws in the same hole, one of the screws has a by-pass head.

1 . A bone plate, comprising:
 an elongate member having an upper surface, lower surface and a longitudinal axis, and   at least one bi-directional divergent combination hole therethrough from the upper surface to the lower surface, configured and dimensioned to receive a pair of bone screws configured to be anchored into a bone or bone fragments.   
   
   
       2 . The bone plate of  claim 1 , wherein, when the screws are positioned in the bi-directional hole, the bi-directional hole orients the screws in non-parallel directions. 
   
   
       3 . The bone plate of  claim 2 , wherein one of the pair of screws has a by-pass head configured to accommodate the other screw having a full head. 
   
   
       4 . The bone plate of  claim 1 , wherein the member is in a serpentine shape. 
   
   
       5 . The bone plate of  claim 1 , wherein the member is linear in shape. 
   
   
       6 . The bone plate of  claim 1 , wherein the bi-directional combination hole comprises two domains, each configured to accommodate a bone screw. 
   
   
       7 . The bone plate of  claim 6 , wherein the two domains are configured as an offset figure-eight. 
   
   
       8 . The bone plate of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the domains is threaded. 
   
   
       9 . The bone plate of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the domains is non-threaded. 
   
   
       10 . The bone plate of  claim 6 , wherein one of the screws is a non-locking screw and the other is a locking screw. 
   
   
       11 . The bone plate of  claim 6 , wherein both screws are locking screws. 
   
   
       12 . The bone plate of  claim 2 , wherein one of the screws is non-threaded. 
   
   
       13 . The bone plate of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the bi-directional holes is configured to direct one of the pair of screws, when inserted, oblique to or perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the member. 
   
   
       14 . The bone plate of  claim 6 , wherein each domain has a hole axis, and the hole axis of one domain is non-parallel to the hole axis of the other domain. 
   
   
       15 . The bone plate of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of bi-directional combination holes. 
   
   
       16 . The bone plate of  claim 15 , wherein the holes are configured to be offset with respect to each other along the longitudinal axis of the member. 
   
   
       17 . The bone plate of  claim 15 , wherein the bi-directional holes alternate with conventional holes, the conventional holes configured to receive a bone screw. 
   
   
       18 . The bone plate of  claim 1 , wherein the bone plate is anatomically contoured. 
   
   
       19 . The bone plate of  claim 18 , wherein the lower surface of the bone plate is concave. 
   
   
       20 . A bone screw capable of providing compression across a fracture, comprising a by-pass head and an elongate shaft extending from the head to a distal end of the screw. 
   
   
       21 . The screw of  claim 20 , wherein the by-pass head further comprises a threaded portion about its outer surface. 
   
   
       22 . The screw of  claim 20 , the by-pass head further comprises a non-threaded portion about its outer surface. 
   
   
       23 . The screw of  claim 20 , wherein, when the screw is configured to be positioned within a bi-directional hole of a bone plate, the by-pass head configured to accommodate the placement of a full head screw or peg within the same hole. 
   
   
       24 . A bone fixation system, comprising:
 a bone plate and a by-pass head bone screw;   the bone plate having an upper surface, a lower surface, a longitudinal axis, and at least one bi-directional combination hole extending through the upper surface and the lower surface;   the bi-directional combination hole having two domains, each domain configured to accommodate a bone screw;   the by-pass head screw configured to, when positioned in the bi-directional hole, permit a full head screw to be accommodated in the at least one bi-directional combination hole; each screw having an elongate shaft, and when each is positioned in the bi-directional combination hole, their shafts are oriented in non-parallel directions.   
   
   
       25 . The bone fixation system of  claim 24 , wherein the two domains are configured as an offset figure-eight. 
   
   
       26 . The bone fixation system of  claim 24 , wherein, when a screw is positioned in the bi-directional combination hole, its shaft is oriented perpendicular or oblique to the longitudinal axis of the bone plate. 
   
   
       27 . The bone fixation system of  claim 24 , wherein the bone plate further comprises a plurality of bi-directional combination holes, the holes being offset with respect to each other along the longitudinal axis of the plate. 
   
   
       28 . A method of fixating bone fractures, comprising positioning a bone plate having a plurality of bi-directional divergent holes therethrough to fracture site, and inserting bone screws through the bi-directional holes of the bone plate into a bone or bone fragments to fixate the fracture, the screws being oriented in the bone in non-parallel directions with respect to each other. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein each bi-directional hole accommodates a pair of screws, at least one of the pair of screws is a by-pass head screw. 
   
   
       30 . A kit, including:
 a bone plate having an upper surface, a lower surface and a longitudinal axis and at least one bi-directional divergent combination hole therethrough from the upper surface to the lower surface, which is configured and dimensioned to receive a pair of bone screws configured to be anchored into a bone or bone fragments; and   at least one by-pass head screw engageable in the bidirectional hole.   
   
   
       31 . A bone plate system, comprising:
 an elongated plate member having a plurality of bi-directional combination holes therethrough, the holes configured as offset figure-eights; and   one or more bone screws engageable into the bidirectional holes wherein each combination hole is configured and dimensioned to orient two screws insertable therein in non-parallel directions, one of the screws being a by-pass head screw.