Patent ID: 7641673

Claim:
A connecting member for stabilizing the spine and maintaining the spacing between at least two anchor members, said connecting member having a longitudinal axis and comprising: two integrally formed rigid rod-like parts made of a first material, wherein each of said rigid rod-like parts has a first end and a second end and comprises: a fastening portion with a plurality of openings at said first end; and a solid cylindrical fixing portion at said second end and being insertable into an anchor member, wherein said anchor member has: a threaded shank for screwing into a vertebra; and a head that is oriented to receive the connecting member, wherein said solid cylindrical fixing portion is insertable into an opening of said head of said anchor member, wherein said rigid rod-like parts are aligned with each other and said fastening portions face each other, and wherein said solid cylindrical fixing portions define terminal ends of the connecting member; and a connecting body monolithically formed from a second material, wherein the connecting body is fully disposed intermediate the two rigid rod-like parts, wherein the second material is more elastically deformable than said first material, wherein said connecting body has two ends, wherein said two ends have protrusions that mesh with said openings of the facing fastening portions, wherein said connecting body is able to deform elastically, and wherein the connecting body and the two integrally formed rigid rod-like parts are aligned along the longitudinal axis of the connecting member.