Patent ID: 8257395

Claim:
A spinal fixation system, comprising: a screw configured for implantation into at least one vertebral body; the screw including a screw body; a rod that is coupled to the screw using a coupling device; wherein the rod includes a first portion within the coupling device and a second exposed portion outside the coupling device, and wherein the second exposed portion of the rod includes a first region and a second region; wherein the first region of the second exposed portion of the rod is a first radial section of the rod and wherein the second region of the second exposed portion of the rod is a second remaining radial section of the rod; wherein the first radial section is limited to a portion of the rod that is visible when viewing the rod from a direction in which the screw extends from the rod; wherein the first region of the rod has bone growth promoting agent and the second region remains exposed without bone growth promoting agent; wherein the first region includes a first area having a bone growth promoting agent selectively applied in a first pattern and a second area having a bone growth promoting agent selectively applied in a second pattern; and wherein the first pattern is different from the second pattern.