Fixation implant and method of insertion

A system for inserting an implant in bony anatomy of a patient, the system comprising:

• a drilling apparatus for creating a curved drilled hole including:
• a drill guide assembly including a guide shaft and a distal section, the guide shaft defining a drill channel and the distal section defining a guide slot in communication with the drill channel;
• and
• a drill shaft assembly including a proximal portion, a flexible distal portion, and a curved guide, the proximal and flexible distal portions slidably and rotatably disposed within the drill channel, the curved guide coupled to the flexible distal portion and slidably disposed within the guide slot, the curved guide deflecting the flexible distal portion as the drill shaft assembly advances through the drill guide assembly such that the flexible distal portion defines a curved path;
• and
• an implant including:
• an implantable portion including a head and a shank extending from the head, the shank defining a radius of curvature, the shank having a solid outer surface;
• and
• a housing pivotally and rotatably coupled to the head, the housing configured to secure a rod to the implantable portion, the housing fixed relative to the implantable portion when the rod is secured to the implantable portion.

A method of fixing two bony elements relative to one another, the method comprising:

• inserting an implantable portion of an implant into a curved drilled hole defined in two bony elements of a patient, the implant including:
• the implantable portion including a head and a shank extending from the head, the shank defining a radius of curvature, the shank having a solid outer surface;
• and
• a housing pivotally and rotatably coupled to the head, and
• permitting bone growth of the bony elements to secure the implantable portion within the curved drilled hole and to fuse the two bony elements to one another.