Paragraph Number

74

The fastener 100 has a body 104 extending between a body distal or leading end 106 and a body proximal or trailing end 108. The body leading end 106 and the body trailing end 108 are spaced from one another longitudinally relative to the insertion axis. In the illustrative example of FIGS. 1-9, the body 104 has a generally planar configuration with opposed planar sides 110, 112 spaced apart a body thickness 114. The opposed planar sides 110, 112 converge toward the body trailing end 108 to define a trailing edge having a trailing edge thickness 116 that is less than the body thickness 114 (FIG. 7). The relatively narrow trailing edge thickness 116 facilitates removal of the fastener 100 after bone has healed over the body trailing end 108. During removal, such as in a revision procedure, the narrow trailing edge will cut through overlying bone. In the illustrative example of FIGS. 1-9, the opposed planar sides 110, 112 also converge toward the body leading end 106 to define a leading edge having a leading edge thickness 117 that is less than the body thickness 114. The relatively narrow leading edge thickness 117 facilitates insertion of the fastener 100.

Added by DJM 12 2021