Patent ID: 8449576

Claim:
A dynamic fixation system for stabilizing adjacent vertebrae, the system comprising: a first rod having a first end comprising a housing in the form of a cage, the cage comprising a plurality of holes dispersed around the housing's periphery and an inner cavity which can be accessed through any one of the plurality of holes; a second rod having an inner enlarged end and an outer enlarged end, wherein the inner diameter of the inner cavity of the housing is larger than the outer diameter of the inner enlarged end such that the inner enlarged end can be slidably received within the inner cavity and a gap is formed between the inner cavity and the entire outer circumference of the inner enlarged end, and the inner diameter of the inner cavity of the housing is larger than the outer diameter of the outer enlarged end such that the outer enlarged end can be slidably received within the inner cavity and a gap is formed between the inner cavity and the entire outer circumference of the outer enlarged end; and a damping component, wherein the damping component substantially fills the inner cavity of the cage, including filling in the gap between the inner cavity and the entire outer circumference of the inner enlarged end and filling in the gap between the inner cavity and the entire outer circumference of the outer enlarged end such that the inner enlarged end and the outer enlarged end are encapsulated within the housing by the damping component, and the damping component additionally occupies space around the periphery of the housing, and wherein the dynamic fixation system, once installed, enables attached adjacent vertebrae to move with respect to one another.