Patent ID: 8211145

Claim:
A minimally invasive surgical implant system comprising: a plate assembly having spaced distal and proximal screw receiving elements movable with respect to each other for adjustably changing the distance between elements; and an elongate insertion tool having distal and proximal ends and releaseably connected at said distal end thereof to said plate assembly for manipulating the plate assembly and operable for remotely adjusting the distance between said elements, the insertion tool comprising: a drive rod that is longitudinally displaceable into the plate assembly; a curved tubular housing surrounding the drive rod, the curved tubular housing having a tapered distal end attached to the plate assembly; and a proximal handle configured for operation outside of a patient to manipulate the curved tubular housing and plate assembly inside a patient, the proximal screw receiving element comprising a socket positioned to receive a distal end of the drive rod, the drive rod operable to engage the proximal screw receiving element in the socket to change the position of the proximal screw receiving element relative to the position of the distal screw receiving element, said plate assembly including a lock assembly for selectively locking said screw receiving elements from further relative movement therebetween, said screw receiving elements each having a socket bowl for receiving the head of a bone fixation screw with mating intimacy, and a passage in the bottom of each socket bowl for passage of the shank of a bone fixation screw, said proximal screw receiving element slidable along an arm portion of said plate assembly, said lock assembly including an elongated slot in said arm portion underlying the socket bowl of the proximal screw receiving element, said slot for receiving the shank of a fixation screw therethrough and therealong at desired positions, said slot dimensioned for seating portions of the head of a bone fixation screw protruding from the passage in the proximal screw receiving element, wherein edges of said slot include an aligned series of adjacent screw head seat depressions for selectively seating portions of the head of a bone fixation screw.