Patent ID: 7625378

Claim:
A system, comprising: a plate positionable adjacent a bony segment, said plate including at least one fastener hole therethrough extending between a proximal surface and a distal surface of said plate, wherein said plate is elongated and extends along a longitudinal axis between an upper end positionable over a first vertebra and an opposite lower end positionable over a second vertebra and said at least one fastener hole includes a first end oriented toward said upper end of said plate and a second end oriented toward said lower end of said plate; and a guide assembly comprising at least one guide member including a guide tube having a passage therethrough extending between and opening at a most distal end and a proximal end of said guide tube, said guide tube further including a single extension extending distally from said most distal end of said guide tube along a side of said passage, wherein said extension contacts said plate at one of said first and second ends of said at least one fastener hole with said passage aligned with said at least one fastener hole and said most distal end of said guide tube spaced from said proximal surface of said plate.