Patent ID: 7758584

Claim:
A fixation system comprising: a first bone anchor having a first U-shaped channel, the first bone anchor being sized and configured to be selectively insertable into a first bone tissue; a second bone anchor having a second U-shaped channel, the second bone anchor being sized and configured to be selectively insertable into a second bone tissue; a first holding assembly comprising a first lateral implant holder and a first sleeve, the first lateral implant holder having a distal end sized and configured to selectively receive the first bone anchor, the first sleeve having a distal end, a first tissue protection portion, and a first passageway sized and configured to selectively receive the first lateral implant holder; and a second holding assembly comprising a second lateral implant holder and a second sleeve, the second lateral implant holder having a distal end sized and configured to selectively receive the second bone anchor, the second sleeve having a distal end, a second tissue protection portion, and a second passageway sized and configured to selectively receive the second lateral implant holder; wherein the first tissue protection portion includes a first helical shaped cutout and the second tissue protection portion includes a second helical shaped cutout, the first and second helical shaped cutouts being sized and configured to permit the first and second tissue protection portions to intermesh so that an opening is created to enable a rod to be inserted through the opening and into the first and second U-shaped channels of the first and second bone anchors, respectively.