| CPC A61B 17/808 (2013.01) [A61B 17/1604 (2013.01); A61B 17/7059 (2013.01)] | 12 Claims | 

| 
               1. An inserter assembly for a spinal plate having a fastener hole for receiving a bone screw configured to be screwed into a vertebral bone, comprising: 
            an awl comprising an impaction head and a pair of wings extending laterally from the impaction head; 
                a shaft having a lumen for receiving the awl and a distal tip; and 
                a collar having a central hole for receiving the awl, a distal collar tip adapted to be inserted into the fastener hole and an interior curved surface for receiving the distal tip of the shaft for polyaxial movement of the shaft relative to the collar, 
                the distal tip of the shaft includes a circumferentially arranged shoulder and a convex surface extending distally of the shoulder; and 
                the collar includes a plurality of inwardly extending ribs that retain the distal tip of the shaft around the shoulder of the distal tip of the shaft 
                wherein the inwardly extending ribs contact the convex surface and resiliently move radially outwardly and then radially inwardly over the shoulder of the distal tip to retain the distal tip in the collar. 
               |