Patent attributes
Bone plates and bone plate systems are provided in which a bone plate includes first and second longitudinally extending rails, with a plurality of bone screw holes formed therein. At least one transverse strut connects the first and second longitudinally extending rails, each of the at least one transverse struts being disposed between adjacent bone screw holes formed on the same longitudinally extending rail. The bone plate system can additionally include a plurality of bone screws adapted for placement within the bone screw holes and a guide device. The guide device can register with at least one bone screw hole of the bone plate by placement of an alignment element upon a portion of the bone plate external to one of the bone screw holes such that one of the bone screws can be installed in one of the bone screw holes of the plate through the guide barrel while the guide device is registered with at least one of the bone screw holes.
