Patent ID: 7785353

Claim:
A spinal implant for being surgically attached to and supporting at least two adjacent spinal vertebrae in stationery relationship, the implant comprising: (a) a longitudinal member attached by an articulation joint to a first pedicle screw, the longitudinal member being pivotable to extend in a cranial-caudal direction and attach to a second pedicle screw to join together the first pedicle screw and the second pedicle screw, the articulation joint being a universal joint, the articulation range of the articulation joint being through an angle extending at least from a 90° angle between the longitudinal axis of the first pedicle screw and the longitudinal axis of the longitudinal member to a coaxial orientation between said longitudinal axes to permit the first pedicle screw to be screwed into a pedicle of a first vertebra with the longitudinal member attached to the first pedicle screw; (b) an articulation lock for securing the longitudinal member to the first pedicle screw in a selected orientation and preventing relative articulation from said selected orientation; and (c) a second pedicle screw for attachment in a pedicle of a second vertebra, the second pedicle screw having an anchor joint adapted and contoured for receiving and attaching to the longitudinal member after the longitudinal member is rotated into engagement with the anchor joint and the anchor joint also having an articulation lock for fixing the longitudinal member in a stationary, spatial relationship with the second pedicle screw wherein the articulation joint comprises a pivotable hinge having a bracket fixed to a top of the first pedicle screw, a rotatable hub fixed to the longitudinal member and a screw extending through the bracket and the hub for providing a pivot and for tightening the hub against the bracket.