Patent ID: 7766941

Claim:
A spinal support assembly adapted to be used in a spinal fixation surgical procedure, said spinal support assembly having a first end and a second end, and comprising: a) at least first and second rod elements arranged in end-to-end relationship with each other, adjacent ones of said rod elements defining opposing ends thereof which face each other and cooperatively define one or more angularly-mobile joints therebetween, said ends of said rod elements having generally centrally-located apertures, such apertures being defined by circumferential edges of such apertures; and b) a cable extending from the first end of said spinal support assembly, through respective ones of the apertures in corresponding ones of said rod elements, to the second end of said spinal support assembly, retraction forces in said cable drawing facing ones of the ends of said at least first and second rod elements, which define the one or more angularly-mobile joints, into frictional relationships with each other, the apertures at the ends of said rod elements being generally sized to the size of said cable such that said cable interacts with the edges of the apertures at the ends of said rod elements and thereby generally prevents adjacent ends of adjacent said rod elements from moving transversely with respect to each other.