Patent ID: 8216282

Claim:
A system for bone stabilization comprising: a first screw having a first screw head comprising opposing sides; a second screw having a second screw head comprising opposing sides; a spinal fixation element configured to be retained in at least one of the first screw head and the second screw head between the opposing sides; at least a first guiding element extending away from the first screw and configured to extend through a skin opening through which the first guiding element is delivered, wherein the first guiding element comprises at least one elongated member extending away from each of the opposing sides of the first screw head; and at least a second guiding element extending away from the second screw and configured to extend through the skin opening, wherein the second guiding element comprises at least one elongated member extending away from each of the opposing sides of the second screw head; wherein at least one of the elongated members is flexible in at least a plane substantially parallel with the opposing sides of the screw head from which said at least one elongated member extends; wherein the first guiding element and the second guiding element are configured to overlap, and wherein the first guiding element and second guiding element are capable in their overlapping configuration of guiding the spinal fixation element towards contact with the first and second screw heads at any angle permitted geometrically by the guiding elements including an angle not parallel with a long axis of either of the guiding elements.