US Patent 7981117 Screw placement guide

A screw placement guide tool for use in minimally invasive surgery has a proximal handle portion, an extension member extending distally from the handle portion, and an alignment element connected transversely to a distal portion of the extension member and having a screw placement guide located thereon. In this aspect of the invention, the tool is configured so that a surgeon may operate the tool using the handle portion external to a patient's body to align the alignment element with implanted screws so that the screw placement guide indicates a desired position for implantation of an additional screw. Systems and methods for placing a rod receiving screw are also provided.