Patent ID: 7846186

Claim:
Equipment for the surgical treatment of two adjacent vertebrae comprising: first and second bone anchors; a first rod assembly mounted at the first bone anchor; the first rod assembly comprising: a first rod section extending away from the first bone anchor along a first rod longitudinal axis; and a first wall disposed in spaced relation to the first bone anchor with the first rod section therebetween; the first wall extending generally normal to the first axis and having a first concave face that is concave in a direction away from the first bone anchor parallel to the first axis; a second rod assembly mounted at the second bone anchor; the second rod assembly comprising: a second rod section extending away from the second bone anchor along a second rod longitudinal axis; and a second wall disposed in spaced relation to the second bone anchor with the second rod section therebetween; the second wall extending generally normal to the second axis and having a second concave face that is concave in a direction away from the second bone anchor parallel to the second axis; wherein the first and second concave faces are disposed in spaced relation generally facing towards each other; a first resiliently deformable body associated with the first rod assembly and disposed both proximate the first wall and generally opposite to the first bone anchor relative to the first concave face; a second resiliently deformable body associated with the second rod assembly and disposed both proximate the second wall and generally opposite to the second bone anchor relative to the second concave face; wherein the first and second walls provide a compression force that compresses the deformable bodies toward each other between the first and second walls; wherein the first and second rod assemblies are configured to be arranged on each side of spinous processes of the adjacent vertebrae to limit relative pivoting movement therebetween about an axis approximately perpendicular to an invertebral disc connecting the adjacent vertebrae.