Patent ID: 8475498

Claim:
In a medical spinal implant assembly having at least two bone anchors cooperating with a longitudinal connecting member, the improvement wherein the connecting member comprises: a) a substantially stiff connecting member portion secured to a first of the at least two bone anchors; b) a soft connecting member portion extending through a second of the at least two bone anchors, the soft member having an end; the soft connecting member portion being elastic and under pre-tension when the connecting member is joined to the bone anchors; c) a transition portion at least partially disposed between the at least two bone anchors, the transition portion comprising a connection of the soft member end to the stiff connecting member portion; and d) an outer compressible sleeve member disposed between the at least two bone anchors and having overlapping engagement with the transition portion to stabilize a spinal motion segment of the spine when under compression; wherein e) the soft connecting member portion, when under tension due to the pre-tensioning thereof, cooperates with the second bone anchor so as to operably stabilize the spinal motion segment of the spine and cause compression of the outer sleeve member.