Patent ID: 7985244

Claim:
A spinal stabilization device, comprising: a first connector having opposed terminal ends adapted to couple to opposed pedicles of a first vertebra, and a second connector having opposed terminal ends adapted to couple to opposed pedicles of a second adjacent vertebrae, at least a portion of at least one of the first and second connectors being elastically deformable to allow controlled lateral bending, axial rotation, and anterior-posterior shear between first and second adjacent vertebrae coupled thereto; a linkage having a first bore for receiving the first connector and a second bore for receiving the second connector such that the linkage is movably coupled to the first and second connectors to allow flexion of first and second adjacent vertebrae mated to the first and second connectors, wherein, when the first and second connectors are coupled to first and second vertebrae, the first bore is movable with motion of the vertebrae between a first position in which the first bore is positioned superior to the second bore, and a second position in which the first bore is positioned posterior to the second bore.