Revisable anterior cervical plating system

Abstract

An improved anterior cervical plating system and methods of cervical fusion using such a system are provided. The cervical plating system includes an interlocking mechanism that integrated into each of the plates such that any two plates may cooperatively engage through the interlocking mechanism such that a new cervical plate can be interconnected with a pre-existing plate during revision surgery without removal of the pre-existing plate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An anterior cervical plating system comprising:
 a first cervical plate having upper and lower faces, and at least one first vertebral anchoring point extending through the first cervical plate and configured such that a first vertebral anchoring mechanism may pass there through and attach the first cervical plate to a first vertebral body, wherein the first cervical plate is adapted to stabilize at least one level of the spine;   a second cervical plate having upper and lower faces, at least one second vertebral anchoring point extending through the second cervical plate and configured such that a second vertebral anchoring mechanism may pass there through and attach the second cervical plate to a second vertebral body, and at least one cooperative interlocking portion disposed thereon, wherein the second cervical plate is adapted to stabilize at least one other level of a spine;   wherein the at least one cooperative interlocking portion of the second cervical plate is configured to cooperatively engage the first cervical plate to provide a stabilizing interconnection between the first and second cervical plates;   wherein the at least one cooperative interlocking portion is configured such that the formation of the interconnection would not require that the first cervical plate to be partially or wholly disengaged from the first vertebral body.   
     
     
         2 . The anterior cervical plating system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one cooperative interlocking portion comprises a projection configured to cooperatively engage a cooperative structure on the first cervical plate. 
     
     
         3 . The anterior cervical plating system of  claim 1 , wherein the first cervical plate further comprises a groove at its central longitudinal axis disposed such that at least a portion of the cooperative interlocking portion is positioned within said groove when the first and second cervical plates are engaged. 
     
     
         4 . The anterior cervical plating system of  claim 1 , wherein the first cervical plate is adapted to overlap at least two vertebral bodies. 
     
     
         5 . The anterior cervical plating system of  claim 1 , wherein the first cervical plate has a body that is a single unitary piece, and wherein the second cervical plate has a body such that the body and cooperative interlocking portion form a separate single unitary piece. 
     
     
         6 . The anterior cervical plating system of  claim 1 , wherein the stabilizing interconnection between the first and second cervical plates is adapted to span a disc space between at least two vertebral bodies, thereby stabilizing at least one level of the spine. 
     
     
         7 . The anterior cervical plating system of  claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises a third cervical plate interconnected with the first cervical plate opposite the second cervical plate through a cooperative interlocking portion of the third cervical plate and one of the at least one interlocking portions of the first plate. 
     
     
         8 . The anterior cervical plating system of  claim 1 , wherein the second cervical plate also includes at least one interlocking portion arranged on the body of the second cervical plate; and
 wherein at least a third cervical plate is interconnected to the second cervical plate opposite the first cervical plate through the interlocking portion of the second cervical plate and a cooperative interlocking portion of the third cervical plate.   
     
     
         9 . The anterior cervical plating system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and the second vertebral anchoring systems are each a set of one or more threaded screws. 
     
     
         10 . An anterior cervical plating system comprising:
 a first cervical plate having upper and lower horizontal faces, and at least one first vertebral anchoring point extending through the first cervical plate and configured such that a first vertebral anchoring mechanism may pass there through and attach the first cervical plate to a first vertebral body, wherein the first cervical plate is adapted to stabilize at least one level of a spine;   a second cervical plate having upper and lower horizontal faces, at least one second vertebral anchoring point extending through the second cervical plate and configured such that a second vertebral anchoring mechanism may pass there through and attach the second cervical plate to a second vertebral body, and at least one cooperative interlocking portion is disposed thereon, wherein the second cervical plate is adapted to stabilize at least one other level of a spine;   wherein the at least one cooperative interlocking portion of the second cervical plate is configured to cooperatively engage the first cervical plate to provide a stabilizing interconnection between the first and second cervical plates;   wherein the at least one cooperative interlocking portion is configured such that the formation of interconnection would not require that the first cervical plate to be partially or wholly disengaged from the first vertebral body; and   wherein the stabilizing interconnection is configured to resist lateral movement of the first cervical plate with respect to the second cervical plate.   
     
     
         11 . The anterior cervical plating system of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one cooperative interlocking portion comprises a projection configured to cooperatively engage a cooperative structure on the first cervical plate. 
     
     
         12 . The anterior cervical plating system of  claim 10 , wherein the first cervical plate further comprises a groove at its central longitudinal axis disposed such that at least a portion of the cooperative interlocking portion is positioned within said groove when the first and second cervical plates are engaged. 
     
     
         13 . The anterior cervical plating system of  claim 10 , wherein the first cervical plate is adapted to overlap at least two vertebral bodies. 
     
     
         14 . The anterior cervical plating system of  claim 10 , wherein the first cervical plate has a body that is a single unitary piece, and wherein the second cervical plate has a body such that the body and cooperative interlocking portion form a separate single unitary piece. 
     
     
         15 . The anterior cervical plating system of  claim 10 , wherein the stabilizing interconnection between the first and second cervical plates is adapted to span a disc space between at least two vertebral bodies, thereby stabilizing at least one level of the spine. 
     
     
         16 . The anterior cervical plating system of  claim 10 , wherein the system further comprises a third cervical plate interconnected with the first cervical plate opposite the second cervical plate through a cooperative interlocking portion of the third cervical plate and one of the at least one interlocking portions of the first plate. 
     
     
         17 . The anterior cervical plating system of  claim 10 , wherein the second cervical plate also includes at least one interlocking portion arranged on the body of the second cervical plate; and
 wherein at least a third cervical plate is interconnected to the second cervical plate opposite the first cervical plate through the interlocking portion of the second cervical plate and a cooperative interlocking portion of the third cervical plate.   
     
     
         18 . The anterior cervical plating system of  claim 10 , wherein the first and the second vertebral anchoring systems are each a set of one or more threaded screws. 
     
     
         19 . A method of interconnecting an anterior cervical plating system comprising:
 providing a first cervical plate defining a first cervical plate body having upper and lower horizontal faces, wherein at least a portion of the lower horizontal face of the first cervical plate is disposed adjacent at least a first and a second vertebral body, and wherein the first cervical plate is configured to stabilize at least one level of the spine;   providing at least a second cervical plate defining a second plate body having at least one cooperative interlocking portion disposed thereon, the at least one cooperative interlocking portion configured to cooperatively engage the first cervical plate to provide a stabilizing interconnection therewith; and   disposing the second cervical plate atop a third vertebral body such that the at least one cooperative interlocking portion is configured such that the formation of interconnection would not require that the first cervical plate to be partially or wholly disengaged from the first vertebral body and the stabilizing interconnection is configured to resist lateral movement of the first cervical plate with respect to the second cervical plate.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 providing at least a first and a second fastener to fasten the first cervical plate to at least first and second vertebral bodies; and   providing at least a third fastener to fasten the second cervical plate to a third vertebral body.