Patent ID: 8231660

Claim:
A method for attaching a fixation element to a vertebral location comprising: providing a fixation element comprising a screw and a washer, wherein said a screw comprises an elongated body of a first diameter and having a threaded portion at a distal end and a semispherical head of a second diameter at a proximal end, wherein said second diameter is larger than said first diameter and wherein said washer comprises a semispherical through opening of a third diameter at the top, of a fourth diameter in the middle and of a fifth diameter at the bottom, and wherein said third diameter is slightly smaller than said second diameter, said fourth diameter is slightly larger than said second diameter and said fifth diameter is slightly smaller than said second diameter, and wherein said washer surrounds said semispherical head, is non-removably attached to said semispherical head and is rotatable and positionable at an angle relative to said elongated body; inserting said elongated body of said screw into a vertebral location along a first direction; setting said washer at an angle relative to said first direction and securing said washer to said vertebral location by penetrating and grabbing an area around said vertebral location with said teeth; and screwing said threaded portion of said screw into said vertebral location.