Patent ID: 8801757

Claim:
An orthopedic assembly, comprising: a first bone screw having a head and a threaded distal portion, said threaded distal portion configured to fixate into a first vertebral bone; a second bone screw having a head and a threaded distal portion, said threaded distal portion configured to fixate into said first vertebral bone; a bone fixation assembly comprising a first bone plate and a second bone plate separate from and independently positionable relative to said first bone plate, said first and second bone plates substantially aligned to face one another and configured to fixate onto opposing sides of a spinous process of a second vertebral bone, said first bone plate configured to be coupled to said head of said first bone screw, said second bone plate configured to be coupled to said head of said second bone screw, a first locking mechanism configured to rigidly immobilize said first bone screw relative to said first bone plate, and a second locking mechanism configured to rigidly immobilize said second bone screw relative to said second bone plate, wherein said bone fixation assembly further comprises a connecting member configured to attach said first bone plate to said second bone plate, and wherein said first bone screw comprises a bone screw assembly configured to fixate onto a first vertebral bone, said bone screw assembly further comprising a housing member having a first seat configured to contain at least a segment of said first bone screw, a second seat configured to contain at least a first segment of a connecting rod, and a third locking mechanism configured to rigidly immobilize said first bone screw and connecting rod.