Patent ID: 8157843

Claim:
A flexible stabilization device for dynamic stabilization of bones or vertebrae comprising: a rod assembly comprising: a rod made of an elastomeric material having bending elasticity, compressive elasticity, and tensile elasticity and structured such that its length is adjustable, the rod having a first connection section, a second connection section and a third section therebetween and extending along a rod axis, and a sleeve configured to be provided on at least a portion of the third section of the rod, a length of the sleeve being smaller than a length of the rod, such that at least the first and second connection sections are exposed; a first bone anchoring device and a second bone anchoring device, each of the bone anchoring devices comprising: a shank portion configured to be anchored in a bone or in a vertebra; a head portion having a recess configured to receive the first connection section or the second connection section of the rod; and a securing element configured to secure the first connection section or the second connection section in the recess; wherein the first bone anchoring device and the second bone anchoring device are moveable from a first position being a first distance apart from each other along the rod axis to a second position being a second distance apart along the rod axis less than the first distance; wherein the rod has a compressive elasticity sufficient to transmit a force along the rod axis to bias the first anchoring device and the second anchoring device toward the first position from the second position, when the rod is straight and compressed between the first anchoring device and the second anchoring device.