Patent ID: 8608782

Claim:
A system for de-rotation of a vertebra within a spine, the system comprising in combination: a plurality of pedicle screws, each said pedicle screw including a threaded shaft adapted to be anchored within a pedicle of a vertebra and with a head on an end of said threaded shaft; at least one elongate spine rod orientable substantially parallel with an elongate central axis of the spine; each said head of each said pedicle screw configured so that it can be secured to said rod; a plurality of substantially rigid elongate posts, each said post having a lower end opposite an upper end, said lower ends each adapted to be removably affixed to one of said heads of one of said pedicle screws; a post holder coupled to at least two of said plurality of posts on portions of said posts spaced from said lower ends of said posts and holding said posts relative to each other; wherein each said pedicle screw is adapted to be secured to said spine rod and released from said spine rod when said posts are simultaneously affixed to said pedicle screw; wherein said head of said pedicle screw includes a side slot therein, said side slot sized at least as large as a diameter of said elongate spine rod, said side slot extending into said head in a direction lateral to a long axis of said threaded shaft of said pedicle screw, said pedicle screw further including a cap adapted to move up and down relative to said head, said cap adapted to selectively close said side slot and said head to selectively hold and release said elongate spine rod within said side slot of said head of said pedicle screw; wherein said cap includes a cleft in a side thereof, said cleft sized sufficiently large to allow said elongate spine rod to pass therethrough, said cleft having a contour distinct from that of said side slot, such that when said cap is secured to said head, said rod is held within said side slot; wherein said head of said pedicle screw includes a threaded bore extending along a long axis of said pedicle screw, said post adapted to engage said threaded bore to secure said post to said pedicle screw; and wherein said post includes a shaft with a threaded tip adapted to thread into said threaded bore in said head of said pedicle screw, said post also including a sleeve with said shaft residing within said sleeve, said shaft being longer than said sleeve such that said threaded tip extends beyond a first end of said sleeve and a grip on an end of said shaft opposite said threaded tip extends beyond a second end of said sleeve opposite said first end of said sleeve.