Patent ID: 8328856

Claim:
A surgical fixation system for fixing a first bony segment relative to a second bony segment comprising: a bone plate sized to span at least two adjacent bony segments, said bone plate including a first plate portion slideably connected to a second plate portion, the first plate portion including a first aperture configured to receive an anchor element, said first aperture positioned on said first plate portion such that the first aperture is situated over said first bony segment when said bone plate is implanted, and the second plate portion including a second aperture configured to receive an anchor element, said second aperture positioned on said second plate portion such that said second aperture is situated over said second bony segment when said bone plate is implanted; a plurality of anchor elements configured to anchor said bone plate to said first and second bony segments, each of said anchor elements dimensioned to be received through one of said first and second apertures; and a plurality of unbroken annular anti-backout elements disposed within each of said first and second apertures, said anti-backout elements allowing passage of at least a portion of said anchor element therethrough in one direction while resisting passage of at least a portion of said anchor elements therethrough in an opposite direction.