Patent ID: 8808296

Claim:
A system for performing spinal fixation comprising: at least one elongated fixation member; at least one screw including a threaded shaft portion and a head portion having two arms forming a U-shaped channel capable of receiving the elongated fixation member; a plurality of attachment members, each having at least an elongated body, an outer wall, an inner wall, a proximal end, and a distal end, wherein each distal end is selectively attachable to the head portion of the screw, wherein at least two attachment members are each attachable to each one of the two arms of the head portion of one of said screws to form a first longitudinal slot diametrically opposed from a second longitudinal slot, and a longitudinal space between the inner walls of the at least two attachment members, the longitudinal space extending from the distal ends towards the proximal ends of the at least two attachment members; and, a sleeve comprising an elongated body, a proximal end, a distal end, a bore extending from the proximal end to the distal end, first and second openings in said elongated body, a first longitudinal slot extending from the first opening to the distal end of the sleeve and a second longitudinal slot extending from the second opening to the distal end of the sleeve, wherein the sleeve is sized to be received within the longitudinal space formed by the at least two attachment members, wherein the sleeve is configured such that when the sleeve is received within the longitudinal space formed by the at least two attachment members, the first opening of said sleeve may be aligned with the first longitudinal slot of said attachment members to form a first window, and the second opening of said sleeve may be aligned with the second longitudinal slot of said attachment members to form a second window, the first and second windows being sized and configured to receive a fixation member therethrough, and, wherein the first longitudinal slot of the sleeve is angled with respect to the first opening of the sleeve, and the second longitudinal slot of the sleeve is angled with respect to the second opening of the sleeve.