Patent ID: 8105364

Claim:
A method for stabilizing at least a portion of the spinal column, comprising: providing an elongate support member extending along an axis, providing a plurality of anchor members each including a bone engaging portion and a receiver portion defining a passage configured to receive a portion of the support member, and providing a plurality of coupling members each configured for engagement with the receiver portion of the anchor members; anchoring a first of the anchor members to a first vertebra; anchoring a second of the anchor members to a second vertebra; positioning the support member within the receiver portion of the first anchor member and engaging a first of the coupling members with the receiver portion of the first anchor member and compressing the first coupling member against the support member to thereby substantially prevent axial movement of the support member relative to the first anchor member; and positioning the support member within the receiver portion of the second anchor member and engaging a second of the coupling members with the receiver portion of the second anchor member to retain the support member within the passage in the receiver portion of the second anchor member while establishing a gap between an end surface of the second coupling member and the support member to thereby allow substantially unconstrained axial movement of the support member relative to the second anchor member, wherein the second coupling member and the receiver portion of the second anchor member include structural features that cooperate to prevent the second coupling member from compressing the support member against the receiver portion of the second anchor member to thereby allow the substantially unconstrained axial movement of the support member relative to the second anchor member, and wherein the structural features comprise a shoulder defined by the second coupling member that abuts a corresponding distal end surface defined by the receiver portion of the second anchor member to prevent the second coupling member from compressing the support member against the receiver portion of the second anchor member.