Patent ID: 8882811

Claim:
A method for treating a spine, the method comprising the steps of: creating a single minimally invasive incision in tissue of a body along a substantially sagittal plane of the body; manipulating a lateral portion of the tissue without manipulating a contralateral portion of the tissue to deliver a first fastener, a second fastener and a first spinal rod through the incision, the first fastener being delivered along a cortical trajectory disposed in alignment with a first vertebral level and the second fastener being delivered along a cortical trajectory disposed in alignment with a second vertebral level; fastening the first fastener with the first vertebral level adjacent the lateral portion; fastening the second fastener with the second vertebral level adjacent the lateral portion; connecting the first spinal rod with the fasteners; manipulating the contralateral portion without manipulating the lateral portion to deliver a third fastener, a fourth fastener and a second spinal rod through the incision, the third fastener being delivered along a cortical trajectory disposed in alignment with the first vertebral level and the fourth fastener being delivered along a cortical trajectory disposed in alignment with the second vertebral level; fastening the third fastener with the first vertebral level adjacent the contralateral portion; fastening the fourth fastener with the second vertebral level adjacent the contralateral portion; and connecting the second spinal rod with the third and fourth fasteners.