In one embodiment of the invention, an anterior fixation
system includes a plate defining a plurality of screw holes, a number of screws and a number of locking assemblies for fixing the screws to the plate. The
system includes two
bone screws a
fixed angle screw and a
variable angle screw, that are configured to extend through the same screw openings in the fixation plate. The surgeon can select either the fixed or variable angled screws to be implanted with a
single plate and can place either type of screw into any of the screw holes along the plate. The fixation plate according to the invention can include several screw holes in various patterns that provide the surgeon with great flexibility in the placement of
bone screws depending upon the
spinal anatomy and
pathology. The invention further contemplates a locking
assembly to lock one or more
bone screws within a respective screw hole. In one embodiment, the locking
assembly includes a
washer that is held to the plate by a staked locking screw. The
washer includes an outer surface that overlaps one or more screw holes. The
washer is initially loosely held to the plate by the locking screw so that various tools and bone screws can be passed through the screw holes. In one embodiment of the washer, the washer includes
cut-outs corresponding to the screw holes, along with a notch and key configuration for setting the locking washer in its locked configuration.