Patent ID: 8167910

Claim:
A bone screw assembly comprising: a bone screw having a shaft and a head; a stabilizer retainer adapted to engage the head of the bone screw, wherein the stabilizer retainer is generally cylindrical in shape with a cylindrical channel therein adapted to receive a stabilizer, wherein the stabilizer retainer has flexible portions that allow passage of the stabilizer into the channel and wherein an arcuate wall of the channel is adapted to maintain contact with at least a majority of the stabilizer located within the channel; a set screw adapted to contact the stabilizer retainer; a housing having a proximal opening and a distal opening that open on an interior cavity, wherein the housing is adapted to receive the bone screw, the stabilizer retainer and the set screw in the interior cavity, wherein the housing has a channel adapted to permit the passage of the stabilizer though the housing, and wherein the housing is adapted to secure the set screw in the distal opening; and wherein the proximal opening is biased relative to a central axis of the housing; wherein the set screw and stabilizer retainer are adapted to engage in such a way that movement of the flexible portions of the stabilizer retainer is prevented, thereby maintaining contact between the stabilizer and the wall of the stabilizer retainer channel such that movement of the stabilizer from the stabilizer retainer is prevented.