Patent ID: 8177817

Claim:
A system for configuring or selecting a spinal fusion rod for affixation to one or more vertebrae in a body of a patient to restrict relative motion of the vertebrae, the system comprising: a first extender comprising a proximal portion and a distal portion, the distal portion configured to engage a first fixation member implanted in a first vertebra of the spine, the first fixation member having a rod interface for receiving a spinal fusion rod in an implanted position, wherein the spinal fusion rod passes through a first anatomic point at the first fixation member when the spinal fusion rod is in the implanted position; a second extender comprising a proximal portion and a distal portion, the distal portion configured to engage a second fixation member implanted in a second vertebra of the spine, the second fixation member having a rod interface for receiving the spinal fusion rod in the implanted position, wherein the spinal fusion rod passes through a second anatomic point at the second fixation member when the spinal fusion rod is in the implanted position; and a first bridge configured to constrain an orientation of the first extender with respect to the second extender to provide a spatial transformation of the first and second anatomic points to first and second projected points outside the body, the first and second projected points being located at the proximal portions of the first and second extenders, respectively; wherein the proximal portions of the first and second extenders include rod interfaces proximate the first and second projected points, the rod interfaces of the first and second extenders having substantially the same size and shape as the rod interfaces of the respective first and second fixation members, so as to support the spinal fusion rod in a supported position such that the spinal fusion rod passes through the first and second projected points, to facilitate configuration or selection of the spinal fusion rod based on locations of the first and second projected points; and wherein the first bridge is configured to engage the first and second extenders in a region below the rod interfaces of the first and second extenders and above the distal portions.