Percutaneous screw adapter

A bone screw apparatus for use with a spinal fixation system used for percutaneous fixation of vertebrae of a human patient, the spinal fixation system including an elongated spinal plate having two sides and at least one opening, the plate including a washer shaped to engage a portion of one side of the elongated plate, a bone screw having a distal threaded end configured to be surgically implanted into a patient's bone and an integral shank with a proximal end portion having an outer surface and a nut for securing the spinal fixation system together, the bone screw apparatus, comprising:

• a) an adaptor having a distal and a proximal end portion, the distal end portion being shaped to cooperate and engage with the outer surface of the proximal end portion of the bone screw, the adaptor proximal end portion being shaped to engage one side of the elongated plate, with the adaptor proximal end portion extending through the at least one opening in the elongated plate and the washer when the washer is engaged on a portion of the elongated plate;
• b) the adaptor having a length sufficient to accommodate the distance between the proximal end of the bone screw when implanted into a patient's bone and the elongated plate when used as part of a spinal fixation system for the percutaneous fixation of vertebrae of a human patient;
• c) the nut cooperating and engaging with the proximal end portion of the adaptor extending through the at least one opening in the elongated plate with the nut engaging the washer so as to provide rigid support to the spinal fixation system.