Patent ID: 9737339
Date: 2017-08-22
CPC Classifications: A61B

Claim:
1. A spinal fixation system for fixing target vertebrae of a spine, comprising: an elongate connecting element having first and second at least partially spherical shaped ends; first and second bone engaging fasteners each having a screw with a head and a housing adjustably coupled to said screw head at a screw coupled end such that the screw coupled end rotates about the screw head to adjust the angular orientation of the housing relative to the screw, and wherein said housings each have a cavity situated above the screw coupled end, the cavity configured to wholly receive either of said first shaped end and said second shaped end therein and such that the housing is rotatable about the first or second shaped end received therein which repositions the screw coupled end and coupled screw relative to the shaped end received therein; and first and second guide members that are mateable with said housings of the first and second bone engaging fasteners at a guide coupled end opposite the screw coupled end and that are configured to guide said elongate connecting element into said first and second bone engaging fastener housings, wherein angulating at least one of the first and second guide members to adjust the angular orientation of the mated housing causes said housing to rotate about said shaped end received therein repositioning the screw coupled end and coupled screw relative to the shaped end to thereby effect one of spinal compression and spinal distraction between said target vertebrae.