Patent ID: 8308776

Claim:
A method of stabilizing a spine, comprising: providing a first fixation assembly, the first fixation assembly comprising at least a first housing, an inner housing received within the first housing, a first bone screw, and a rod; the inner housing configured to seat at least a portion of the rod; securing the first fixation assembly to a first spine segment via the first bone screw; and actuating a first locking mechanism of the first fixation assembly such that the rod thereof is substantially immobilized relative to the inner housing while the first bone screw is able to move from an initial orientation to a different orientation relative to the rod in response to application of a load on the first bone fixation assembly; and actuating a second locking mechanism of the first fixation assembly such that the first bone screw thereof is substantially immobilized relative to the first housing; and wherein the inner housing is configured to movably articulate within the first housing, when the second locking mechanism is in any configuration.